How often do you weigh yourself?

tinab190
tinab190 Posts: 110 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been weighing myself daily now for over a year. Weight loss continues, but it has slowed enough that on a daily basis I see definite up/down fluctuations. Depending on water retention, how late I ate my dinner, or even bluntly when I last went to the bathroom! Couple be a couple of tenths of a lb. or it could be a much as 2 lbs. I've read this is very normal. So I don't read a lot into it if I know I've been on point with my logging and exercise. And the weight eventually normalizes and goes down after several days. Having said that, I think it will feel really weird to only weigh once a week. To do that I would literally have to put the scale away. I can't walk right by it in the morning and NOT weigh myself.

So how often do you weigh yourself? Daily? Weekly? Less often than weekly? I think there are probably good arguments on all sides of this.

Replies

  • QueenofHearts023
    QueenofHearts023 Posts: 421 Member
    Once a week. :) sometimes without thinking I would step on it, but I don't really "take in the numbers" at that point.
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
    I weigh every day, and see plenty of fluctuation as well. How often you should weigh yourself depends on if seeing the fluctuations bother you or discourage you. It doesnt bother me, I like the constant feedback and dont get worried if I go up and down a bit as long as the geenral trend is down. I only record my weight on mfp every week. If the daily ups and downs are upsetting to you, maybe weigh weekly, but if they dont bother you, no reason you cant keep weighing every day :)
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    I weigh every day, so that I can get an idea of my trends in fluctuations. I found this to be very helpful so far. Try downloading an application that tracks daily weight. I use happy scale.com.
  • jeepinshawn
    jeepinshawn Posts: 642 Member
    I use libra app and weigh everyday, first thing in the morning after using the bathroom and before eating or drinking anything. I am maintaining my weight, not trying to lose anymore though. The app does help even our the fluctuations and helps me see the tend.
  • melw18
    melw18 Posts: 10 Member
    I weigh myself everyday but only record my weight once per week, always on the same day in the morning.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Every day! I like the data & have made peace with the fluctuations...
  • Vanyahiril
    Vanyahiril Posts: 89 Member
    Every day, but only really keep track of the once a week. I find the fluctuations interesting, nothing more.
  • mjgabbai
    mjgabbai Posts: 7 Member
    Every day, except when I cheat!
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    It depends on my goals. When I was strictly trying to lose weight, I weighed daily, for exactly the reason you mentioned: as you get closer to goal, you begin to see day to day fluctuations and you learn a lot about your body. I gained a healthier perspective on weight and no longer "panic" when the scale goes up a pound or two in a day because I know there are so many influencing factors (water, salt, TOM, etc). If you can develop that mindset (which it sounds like you have, or are close to) then daily weigh ins are fine.

    Once I went into maintenance, I weighed about once a month. Seems kind of ridiculous after coming off daily/weekly, but it was just my check in and I trusted that MFP had worked this long to help me lose, if I was REALLY following my calorie goal, maintenance would work.

    If you want to start weighing less, for whatever reason, putting the scale away for some time is fine- I did the same. I just put it in a closet and took it out once a week. It's hard to break a habit and sometimes you have to physically remove it.

    There's no right answer here, as long as you feel you can maintain a healthy relationship with the scale!
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Once a week.

    Only weigh daily in the week before a comp, so that I get an idea of fluctuations and can adjust my food the day before / morning of accordingly and thus make weight. Otherwise, given that weight does fluctuate regularly, I see no point in stepping on the scales every day.
  • bellabonbons
    bellabonbons Posts: 705 Member
    Lately I weigh every day just for motivation to know I'm still doing good and not gaining. But I do expect to gain weight if I have salt which I try to avoid. If I have salty foods or salt I can gain 2 pounds quickly through water retention.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Every single day, I log my weight into the happy scale app. I ignore the fluctuations and pay attention the the downward trend.
  • emmaprocopiou
    emmaprocopiou Posts: 246 Member
    I weigh everyday now I use happy scale app.
    I have it takes the stress out of weight gain.
    Yesterday I was a pound down we had Chinese takeout for dinner that night and now today weight has gone up by 1.5lb just through the sodium content I consumed.
    In the past this weigh in would have thrown me completely and it would look like I've not lost anything for two weeks and I would have been ready to give up.

    I think it just depends on your mindset
    This works for me now and I will prob weigh in more often when I hit maintence to keep on track better.
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    I weigh sporadically whenever I feel like it. Sometimes it's a few times a week, sometimes it's daily, sometimes it's every couple of weeks. I weight in when I feel like it's a good day to. That's that.
  • ashayoc
    ashayoc Posts: 23 Member
    Every week then I take notes , but I'll weigh everyday just for the heck of it I don't about the fluctuations much..as long as each week I'm loosing a pound or two I feel great !
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    Daily. I like the data and to be able to make connections like....mcdonalds is good for an extra 2lbs water weight....bk 3lbs.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,165 Member
    I weigh every day and track it on the happy scale app. I like to see the trend. I only enter it in mfp when I have a new low. I think when I get to maintenance I may just weigh weekly or monthly. I'm planning on having a goal range and as long as I'm in that 5-7 pound range I won't worry about the specific number.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    Every day (when I'm not away from home overnight). I like understanding the daily fluctuations, and I don't find them even slightly stressful. Other people, with other attitudes, may prefer different schedules. If daily works for you, and isn't making you stressed or obsessive, why change?
  • yassa1995
    yassa1995 Posts: 2 Member
    Ever 4-5 weeks.

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