Am I really losing one pound a week?

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tonixc
tonixc Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do I know if I'm really losing one pound a week? I know that weight can fluctuate up or down a pound or two depending on water weight and scales accuracy. How do I really know???????
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Replies

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.
  • terricherry2
    terricherry2 Posts: 222 Member
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    Most people say to weigh yourself at the same time and using the same scales each time. E.g. in the morning before you've eaten or drank anything. That should be pretty accurate. There can be things that still affect it, but if you know you ate an entire pizza the night before or did a new workout etc, then you know a gain isn't a real gain.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Just log it and move on.

    I don't understand this obsession with real weight loss vs false weight loss. Your weight is what you weigh the second you're on the scale. Log it and be done.
  • Noenvynofear
    Noenvynofear Posts: 137 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.

    this is quite accurate

  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
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    Focus on trends over time.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    You keep doing what you're doing. After six months compare your new weight to your starting weight. Fluctuations only account for a few pounds.
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    You watch the trend over time. As long as I'm logging food and exercise, I usually weigh daily but only log my weight when it's lower than previously recorded. If it's up a bit, I assume water weight and shrug it off.

    If you really want to geek out about it, you can make a statistical control chart that will tell you whether you're actually losing or just seeing normal fluctuation. If you're a stats nerd like me, that can be interesting.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    nilbogger wrote: »
    Focus on trends over time.

    this. it takes several weigh ins over weeks/months to see what your actually losing

  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    A good Scale... and yes it does fluctuate. Some people weigh daily then take the average over a week.
    After a month or so you kind of know when it is water,etc.. as long as you are showing a decline over time you are doing good. I always fluctuate 2-3pds.
    good luck.
  • rockinrodders123
    rockinrodders123 Posts: 22 Member
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    You're never going to get it 100% accurate but try to weigh yourself on the same scale every time and on the same day every week and at the same time of day and wearing the same clothes (avoid heavy clothing or shoes).

    I usually go for Tuesday then my body has had time to get back to normal after the weekend and I'd do it not long after getting up in the morning and always after a pee (that's good for an extra pound loss :) ).

    If your weight is going down consistently week on week then even if the actual number is not 100% true the weight loss is going to be pretty solid.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I think the problem is that people want a set number, when we would be better off looking at a range. I'm sure that's easier when at maintenance than during weight loss.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,894 Member
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    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Do you have a smart phone? If so download an app that tracks your trend. Some examples for the iPhone:
    • Monitor Your Weight
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    • Happy Scale
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  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this, but I also weigh in right before bed...I drop between 2-5 pounds overnight every night! Really puts those fluctuations into perspective, LOL.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    HeySwoleSister wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this, but I also weigh in right before bed...I drop between 2-5 pounds overnight every night! Really puts those fluctuations into perspective, LOL.

    It is entertaining to see it. WHERE DID IT GO!?!? :lol:
  • bionic_woman
    bionic_woman Posts: 28 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    I weigh myself every day.

    Yes, I know that's not recommended, but the main reason I do is because doing that has revealed patterns, and I know not to worry if I stay the same weight for a few days, or even go up half a kilo, because that's all a part of the pattern.

    So I weigh myself in the same place every day, and always first thing in the morning after using the toilet.

    I do this too. I use a Wii Fit as a scale, it records the data on a graph so I can see the trend over a week, month or year. I only "take notice" of weekly weigh-ins first thing on a Saturday morning.

  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    If the scale is a pound less than last week, you lost a pound.

    Love it!! Can I use it sometime??

    Seriously OP, if it says your losing then you are. Well done for losing weight. Never doubt your capabilities. You can achieve anything if you really want it. Best of luck!!!
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
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    I weigh myself every morning, but only log new lows in MFP- I track dailies separately on a calendar, but as another poster wrote, there are a lot of weight tracking apps out there... If I don't see a new low in a week, I know I need to look closely at what's going on with food, etc. - maybe "water" - maybe sloppy tracking...
  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
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    Thanks for posting that app, Shadow2Soul....I am going to download it today and play around with it.

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