weighing on a full stomach

curvygirly911
curvygirly911 Posts: 105 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have an issue about weighing myself. I generally try to weigh myself 1x/week first thing in the morning, without any clothes on and after having a bowel movement. However, I am unable to use the bathroom in the mornings and my scale always shows that I have gained a bit of weight.
How do I accurately weigh myself on an empty stomach?
I usually have to use the bathroom mid day but I am at work by then, have consumed breakfast and I am wearing clothes.
At the moment, my weight loss is very slow and even 0.5 lb loss a week would be great news but I can't tell because I am weighing in the morning on a full stomach.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited January 2016
    Even if you're weighing on a full stomach, if you're doing it consistently, the trend on the scale would be downward. You can still track weight loss without going to the bathroom first.

    If I'm 120 all week weighing first thing in the morning, and it changes to 119 first thing in the morning, I know I've lost a pound.
  • LosingExtraKristy
    LosingExtraKristy Posts: 164 Member
    I weigh in the morning the same way, regardless of whether or not I have a bowel movement. I haven't any issue with it being inaccurate that way...
  • kissedbythesunshine
    kissedbythesunshine Posts: 416 Member
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    Even if you're weighing on a full stomach, if you're doing it consistently, the trend on the scale would be downward. You can still track weight loss without going to the bathroom first.

    This:)
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Weigh at the same time conditions as consistently as you can, but if you're trying to get a perfect spot weight, then don't. You'll drive yourself crazy. Look at the trend over time.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    It doesn't matter as long as you're consistent. I don't usually have a bowel movement first thing in the am, but I weigh when I wake up. You should be looking at the overall trend and not the daily fluctuations. Weight from BM is a fluctuation, not trend.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I work from home and have found there's no difference between weighing myself first thing in the AM vs having a few cups of tea, having a bowel movement, and then weighing. So I just weigh myself first thing and get it over with.
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
    Agree with the others. I've given up obssessing over having a BM. If you consistently cannot poop in the AM, try and keep your pre weigh in day consistent, so you won't have too much variation from different foods.
  • mallory_2014
    mallory_2014 Posts: 173 Member
    Stop obsessing. If you need to, weigh in on a day you are not working.
  • totaldetermination
    totaldetermination Posts: 1,184 Member
    also remember that as great as it is to get feedback from the scale, your weight loss is really not at all affected by whether you weigh consistently or regularly or at all.

    The weighing is just to let you know your weight but really you will lose weight just as effectively without knowing.

    (I mean in terms of CICO - not in terms of motivation).
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    My lightest weight tends to be right when I get home from work. It has been hours since lunch and I have been active all day. As soon as I get home I strip and check weight. No eating until after that happens. It doesn't really matter when you weigh as long as you do it consistently at the same time each day. And get a trendweight account or similar app so you can watch the trend rather than today's numbers. This help keep the ups and downs from making you crazy.
  • DrifterBear
    DrifterBear Posts: 265 Member
    Don't weight yourself every day and be consistent when you do weight yourself. The easiest thing to do is just do it as soon as you get out of bed the same day every week. Don't try to have a BM or workout or whatever else. Your weight goes up and down throughout the day. The best measure is a consistent measure. If you try to time it with your lightest time of the day, you'll have days that will be off and either make you look heavier or lighter. While it's great to see an unexpectedly low number if you workout before or have a BM, you'll pay the price next week when it levels back out.

    Most importantly, weight is just a rough guide that you're doing the right thing. Don't obsess on it. Do the right thing and the results will come. Weight yourself is positive reinforcement and help for fine tuning your diet.
  • curvygirly911
    curvygirly911 Posts: 105 Member
    Thanks for the wonderful feedback. It makes sense to me and I will not worry about weighing myself on an empty/full stomach.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Admittedly, I never weigh myself before having a BM, which usually happens within 10-15 minutes of getting up "most" days. But after reading this i'm not going to worry about waiting, one less stress to worry about :wink:

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