How do you know??

Krohnie
Krohnie Posts: 286 Member
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen alot of post on here from people concerned about a weight gain from one day to the next. I am just wondering how you can tell that a loss is a loss is a loss? Know what I mean? If I only weigh myself once a week, at the same time of day wearing the same thing (nothing) is that going to be an accurate measure? What if that happens to be a day that I'm retaining water?? How often do you weigh in? How do you guage success? I have good and bay days, and they seem to be linked directly to the number on the scale. I gain and lose the same 3 lbs over and over and over. How do I know that it's all not just water and that I'm not doing nothing? know what I mean?? Thanks

Replies

  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    Personally, I think the scale is the worse enemy of a healthy regiment of diet and excersize.
  • McghanK
    McghanK Posts: 120
    yes! I think that when you weight yourself EVERYDAY it can either be really bad for you or really good....lol..it's been my experience that IT SUCKS...I only weight myself one a week. I don't know how to tell when it's water or actual fat. I just know that I am loosing. I know for sure I will weigh more around my cycle but that's just normal. I gauge my sucess on how my clothes fit mostly. The scale is just and added "bonus" I have come to the conclusion that it's all about your perception ;0)
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    i have been thinking something very similar myself! and yeah, i've decided to go by the mirror more than the scale these days.
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
    If you insist on using a scale, the best you can do is weigh in at the same time, on a regular interval, under the same conditions. Over time you should see a downward trend. But the numbers by themselves are really pretty much meaningless.
  • rainbowbuggy
    rainbowbuggy Posts: 320
    I was wondering the same thing. The scale makes me CRAZY! I swear I gain and lose the same 3 lbs over and over. I like this post! ;-)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    when this happens over and over, check your measurements, you are probably losing there!
  • dork7760
    dork7760 Posts: 5
    I think that is why it is so bad to weigh yourself every day. You won't know what is an actual loss or gain. I weigh myself 1x a week. Same day of the week and first thing in the morning. I think this will give the most accurate of weight loss or gain, but it will still bounce around a little bit. But when I gain it is because I should have gained! LOL.
  • kremsergirl
    kremsergirl Posts: 35
    I agree. But I also measure my waist, hips, thighs, and arms. Those measurements give me a little more accurate measure to see how much I'm losing in inches, not just pounds. But when your clothes fit better, you should be proud that whatever you are doing is working for you :)
  • roadrunner32
    roadrunner32 Posts: 51
    I try to stay away from the scale as much as I can and I only go near it when I feel I've lost some pounds lol
    I know it sounds silly but I use to weight myself every week and got totally depressed. Personally I just want to enjoy and live a happy healthy life eating right most of the time and exercising regularly without worrying too much.
  • HeyLisa
    HeyLisa Posts: 201
    I check the scale WAY too often LOL.. in the morning after potty and before shower I weigh my lowest. Then I shower and i'm up a lb.. If I take a nap and am wayyyyy well rested i'm down a lb. After work sometimes I am at my lowest (if I haven't drank enough) LOL

    If I have too much sodium i'm up 3 for a couple of days with a water bounce.
    In the evening I can be up to 4lbs heavier then my first morning weight check.
    Particularly active day or hard workout.. up 2.

    So... I personally count the first morning check. This truly is my weight so i'll take that option for the slow, mysterious and beautiful creep downward. :)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Only weigh yourself once a week, on the same day and at the same time, and before you eat anything.

    But I also agree, the scale is the worst measurement of progress.
  • timlord
    timlord Posts: 158
    go for inches and body fat as a measure not pounds, especially if you do resistance training...muscle weighs more
    theoretically you can gain 4 pounds and drop 2 dress sizes..I have a client that did that, and lost 6 per body fat
    the scales can be your enemy
    good luck
  • TammyLML
    TammyLML Posts: 429 Member
    It is far too easy to get obsessed with the scale - I speak from experience! LOL It helps me to weigh in less frequently, and I put more trust in the tape measure and how my clothes feel. If the scale hasn't budged but my waist is two inches smaller, I can tell ya, I'm not listening to the scale! :wink:

    Cheers!
    Tammy :flowerforyou:
  • dougstevens
    dougstevens Posts: 208 Member
    I'm a geek, what can I say. Meaning, when I started, I was extremely curious as to how my body copes everyday. So, I weighed myself, a lot. I weighed myself before going to bed, waking up, before and after any serious physical activity (e.g. hours of yard work, tennis matches, team practice, etc.) Guess what, the numbers fluctuated tremendously. For my body type and size, you can easily measure the weight loss and weight gain from each reading; most of it attributed to water (sweat).

    From reading to reading there was NOT much valuable information about losing weight. However, over a period of time, there was a noticeable trend of losing weight. Ironically, the weight loss on the scale (once again, over a period of time) correlated with clothes fitting better, moving the notch on the belt, etc. etc.

    So, take the reading on the scale with a grain of salt, and keep it mind its just a number, and doesn't mean anything in itself.

    (Note: I did notice that the more water I drank, the easier it was to lose weight. I doubled the recommended amount to about a gallon a day.)
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