Weight- 8 lbs difference? Accurate?

Elleposh119
Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys, so I have a question about weighing in.... I have recently began to weigh myself twice a month when I have not had anything to eat for 24 hours (due to a medication that I take), ever since I have been weighing-in after this 24 hour - without food period which is every two weeks- my weight has gone down from the time before.

This might be a stupid question, but is this accurate (I ask because I weigh-in when I haven't eaten for 24 hours due to medication which makes me not hungry). Does it matter that the weight is when I haven't had anything to eat - does it mean that I have lost weight as long as I do it on the same time frame?

I also ask this because I was weighing myself every other day or every other week (when I had food in my body and wasn't on this medicine) and my weight stayed the exact same, it fluctuated maybe 0.5 lbs. Now, when I weigh myself after not eating for 24 hours, it fluctuates by 8 lbs compared to when I weigh myself and have eaten!

Long story short, is this -8 pounds the weight that I actually am, and if the number is going down every two weeks, does it mean I've legitimately lost weight (regardless of the 24 hour food thing)?

Sorry for the long post! Any helpful replies would be very appreciated!

Replies

  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
    Some of it may actually be water weight that is lost. My suggestion is to pick a different day to weigh yourself when you actually have eaten and compare the difference.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I'm not sure what you're asking

    But if you consistently weigh yourself under the same conditions and your weight is lower then yes that's a weight loss

    If you lose 8lbs by weighing yourself on this day as opposed to any other day of the week I would assume not .. because a lot of that will be made up of water weight, waste in system etc .. I assume you are drinking during these self-inflicted fasts?
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Is it accurate? Yes. Is it close to your average weight? No.

    As long as you weight under similar conditions each time, you will see the direction your weight is going. To know what your max, min, and average weight throughout the day is, you would have to weigh several times a day. Most people don't really care about that information, so they don't do it.

    I weigh-in first thing Saturday morning, to keep things consistent. Interestingly, I actually weigh less after a bike ride.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I too am not sure what is being asked? When you weight in after this fast, is your weight lower than the last time you weighed in after a fast? I presume that this weigh continues to drop each time you weigh in and if so, it is weight loss.

    I would test it out and weigh in different times (mornings, after the bathroom and no eating) and then also weigh in on the "self inflicted fasts (as @rabbitjb said)...

    Test it out and see what's up..
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    With weighing, consistency is key. Same time, place and same bat channel.
  • Elleposh119
    Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
    Thanks guys.

    Yes, I weigh myself under the same conditions, and my question is, even if part of the weight difference is from water weight, if I weigh less than the last time that I weighed myself, should I consider it a loss?

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    With weighing, consistency is key. Same time, place and same bat channel.

    ^^ this
  • Elleposh119
    Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
    gia07 wrote: »
    I too am not sure what is being asked? When you weight in after this fast, is your weight lower than the last time you weighed in after a fast? I presume that this weigh continues to drop each time you weigh in and if so, it is weight loss.

    I would test it out and weigh in different times (mornings, after the bathroom and no eating) and then also weigh in on the "self inflicted fasts (as @rabbitjb said)...

    Test it out and see what's up..

    Sorry for not explaining. Yes, it is lower than the last time that I weighed myself after the last 'fast' (24 hours without eating due to medication).

    I'm just wondering if it should be considered ACTUAL weight loss though since I haven't eaten, etc.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    Thanks guys.

    Yes, I weigh myself under the same conditions, and my question is, even if part of the weight difference is from water weight, if I weigh less than the last time that I weighed myself, should I consider it a loss?

    Subject to all other variables being equal eg time of day, clothes, when you last went to the bathroom then yes .. the change in weight from one weigh-in to the other under the exact same conditions can be considered a loss

    Also bear in mind any change-up in exercise, sodium in diet over the last few days, hormonal fluctuation around ovulation and menstruation will impact on your weight
  • Elleposh119
    Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    With weighing, consistency is key. Same time, place and same bat channel.

    That's what I do. I will weigh myself 24 hours after taking this medication which makes me not want to eat (thus 24 hours without food), every two weeks, at the same time. So is this weight which is 8 lbs LESS than my weight when I weigh in after not fasting for 24 hours right or wrong?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    gia07 wrote: »
    I too am not sure what is being asked? When you weight in after this fast, is your weight lower than the last time you weighed in after a fast? I presume that this weigh continues to drop each time you weigh in and if so, it is weight loss.

    I would test it out and weigh in different times (mornings, after the bathroom and no eating) and then also weigh in on the "self inflicted fasts (as @rabbitjb said)...

    Test it out and see what's up..

    Sorry for not explaining. Yes, it is lower than the last time that I weighed myself after the last 'fast' (24 hours without eating due to medication).

    I'm just wondering if it should be considered ACTUAL weight loss though since I haven't eaten, etc.

    when you see a big loss and you know you haven't eaten then its likely to be a temporary loss when its such a huge fluctuation, but some of it may well be real. Try weighing yourself consistently on a few days a week and see if the overall trend is downward, that is the main thing. Realistically to lose 8lbs you would have to be in deficit of 28000 cals which is a heck of a lot! most people try to have a deficit of 3500 over the week to aim for 1lb/wk loss.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    With you weighing after a fast, you are probably better able to see an "ACTUAL" weight loss than the rest of us, simply because you are eliminating one of the variables that causes fluctuation in weight. The first time you did it, you might have seen a big swing in weight, but now, any difference you see in weight will reflect your body mass.
  • Elleposh119
    Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    Thanks guys.

    Yes, I weigh myself under the same conditions, and my question is, even if part of the weight difference is from water weight, if I weigh less than the last time that I weighed myself, should I consider it a loss?

    Subject to all other variables being equal eg time of day, clothes, when you last went to the bathroom then yes .. the change in weight from one weigh-in to the other under the exact same conditions can be considered a loss

    Also bear in mind any change-up in exercise, sodium in diet over the last few days, hormonal fluctuation around ovulation and menstruation will impact on your weight

    Thank you very much for your help! Why is it that my weight is 8 lbs more when I don't weigh myself this way - and when I have eaten within the last 24 hours?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    Thanks guys.

    Yes, I weigh myself under the same conditions, and my question is, even if part of the weight difference is from water weight, if I weigh less than the last time that I weighed myself, should I consider it a loss?

    Subject to all other variables being equal eg time of day, clothes, when you last went to the bathroom then yes .. the change in weight from one weigh-in to the other under the exact same conditions can be considered a loss

    Also bear in mind any change-up in exercise, sodium in diet over the last few days, hormonal fluctuation around ovulation and menstruation will impact on your weight

    Thank you very much for your help! Why is it that my weight is 8 lbs more when I don't weigh myself this way - and when I have eaten within the last 24 hours?

    food in your system
    water weight

    if you're not eating for a day the body still needs a minimum amount of glucose to keep your systems running .. you know like your brain, kidney, blood and circulation etc ... if you're not eating the body turns to the glycogen stored in the liver .. each g of glycogen is attached to around 3-4g of water
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    I would say that it is not your average weight since weight is always fluctuating. You are just getting the low end of it but any other time weighing yourself I am sure you will be higher in weight.
  • Elleposh119
    Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
    So, does this count as losing weight - when it is lower than the week before?
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    edited June 2015
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    So, does this count as losing weight - when it is lower than the week before?

    You mean two weeks before? If you are doing to same way every time before weigh in then it would count but when you start eating and drinking fluids again your scale weight will increase.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    So, does this count as losing weight - when it is lower than the week before?

    you know I think you should also map your weights onto a site like trendweight.com (if you have a fitbit / withings scale) or app like happyscale / libra

    what those sites give you is a trendline

    Because what you're looking for is an 'over time is my weight decreasing'

    You can't really tell from 2 x 2 weekly readings .. but if you have 4, 8, 16 you'll get a trendline and know if you're heading downwards or upwards

    but yes .. with all things being equal it's a weight loss
  • Elleposh119
    Elleposh119 Posts: 46 Member
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    Elleposh119 wrote: »
    So, does this count as losing weight - when it is lower than the week before?

    You mean two weeks before? If you are doing to same way every time before weigh in then it would count but when you start eating and drinking fluids again your scale weight will increase.

    Yes, that's what I meant. Okay cool thanks!
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