Fluctuating from goal weight very often

DeborahKilpatrick
DeborahKilpatrick Posts: 80 Member
edited November 27 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi everyone

I was absolutely delighted to reach my goal weight two weeks ago, but since then I keep fluctuating from it. I weight myself twice a week and have noticed that any slight slip up and I go up one or two pounds - if I'm careful again for a couple of days, I'll go back to it! It's quite frustrating how hard it is to keep my weight at my goal. I would love it just to be consistent.

Is this normal and does anyone have any tips for how to keep it more consistent?

Thanks!
Deborah

Replies

  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    That's why people in maintenance have "maintenance range". Mine is 5lbs. If I stay within a 5lb range, I'm good. You WILL fluxuate. That's what the human body does. No one ever stays the same weight forever. You can't keep it consistent, if you try it will bug you until you lose control and not care. So, find a happy range for you to stay at (even if it's with in 3lbs) and be happy where you are...

    Congrats on reaching your goal weight!
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    Your weight will always fluctuate. That is normal. Typically people have somewhere between a 5-10 pound range.
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    You could weigh yourself 20 times a day and get 20 different weights. I had 2 slices of pizza Friday night and was up 2.5 pounds the next morning. Goal weight is more like a range than a solid, static number.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    You'll be much happier if you pick a zone. It's actually why I weigh every day. I can see I go up and down and up and down. I know my pattern and I don't worry about it. No pressure on any one assessment. From watching my scale fluctuate, I know that I'm going to be +- around 2 pounds. So I have a 5 pound 'zone'.

    So when I was losing my goal zone was 150-155. I celebrated when I hit 155. I stayed at a deficit until the first time I saw 150. I've been in that 150-155 for several years.
  • DeborahKilpatrick
    DeborahKilpatrick Posts: 80 Member
    Thanks everyone! I was so much more forgiving of the fluctuations when I was losing, because I knew it was a slow process and was happy if it kept gradually going down. I'll stick with a 3-lb range and I'm still going to try to get another 2-3lb off. I had my main goal weight, which I knew I could be happy with in the long term, and a second one I have been secretly aiming for as my absolute ideal weight!
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    I use an app on my phone called "True Weight." I like it because you can weigh daily and enter the numbers, and the app kind of smooths out the ups and downs with a formula so you can see if there is a trend or just normal fluctuations.
  • DeborahKilpatrick
    DeborahKilpatrick Posts: 80 Member
    Thanks, I might try that - sounds a good idea :) was so tempted to say stuff it today and overeat, but I kept a sane head and forced myself out for a run, even though it was the last thing I felt like! Feeling better and going to wait tlll Sunday for next weigh in, so that I don't drive myself crazy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    DeborahKilpatrick wrote: »
    Hi everyone

    I was absolutely delighted to reach my goal weight two weeks ago, but since then I keep fluctuating from it. I weight myself twice a week and have noticed that any slight slip up and I go up one or two pounds - if I'm careful again for a couple of days, I'll go back to it! It's quite frustrating how hard it is to keep my weight at my goal. I would love it just to be consistent.

    Is this normal and does anyone have any tips for how to keep it more consistent?

    Thanks!
    Deborah

    body weight isn't static...nobody weighs exactly XXX Lbs all of the time...you will always have natural fluctuations due to water retention/release, more/less waste in your system, hormones playing with things, etc. maintenance is a range, not a specific number. most people can/will fluctuate 3-5 Lbs day to day...I was down 4.5 Lbs today for no apparent reason whatsoever...it's just normal fluctuations.

    all aspects of weight management are about trends, not a specific number.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Our weight fluctuates daily even if we're eating in deficit - eating more carbs can make us retain water, more sodium does the same and of course hormones and even the 'waste' thats in our bodies still....
    as others have already said, use another app to see a trend in your weight so that you'll soon get to know how your body works and what makes you gain temporarily.

    For me I 'gain' at TOM 2 to 3lbs for 4 to 5 days of my cycle.
    If I eat chinese/Indian/takeaway food - I 'gain' 2lbs from the sodium/carbs
    If I can't 'go' to the loo - I 'gain' 2lbs ...
    so you see the scale goes up and down but its not real gain.

    Once you are aware of how your body weight changes you'll take readings on the scale with a pinch of salt :smile:
  • BettyBoles
    BettyBoles Posts: 68 Member
    Yes its normal.. Our body weight always fluctuate...
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    Body weight fluctuates: Just for fun, yesturday, I weighed myself several times.

    Woke up at 189.8 pounds. (First time below 190 in a decade or two)
    Went to bed at 195.2 pounds. (Kept within my goals)
    Woke up this morning at 190.1 pounds.

    What do I weigh?
  • ericGold15
    ericGold15 Posts: 318 Member
    I want my "real" weight to be that which is after I empty my bowels, have not taken any liquids after a full night's sleep, and have an empty bladder. It is a recipe for failure.

    To not drive yourself crazy just weigh yourself at the same time twice a week and follow a rolling average. A practical rolling average is the sum of your last four results divided by four.
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