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How often do you weigh?

Posts: 531 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I just started MFP yesterday, and weighed myself for the first time in about three years. I weighed about 20 pounds less than I expected, which was a nice surprise, but I still have a long way to go.

I'm feeling pretty optimistic about food and exercise, but I'm not sure how often I should weigh myself. I don't want to obsess over the pounds, but I do want to keep track and stay motivated.

What would you recommend? How often do you weigh yourself?

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  • Posts: 17,562 Member
    However often you're comfortable with. It's more important that you do it in a consistent setting (same time, room, clothing worn, etc...most will do it first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything).

    Just remember that you WILL see your weight fluctuate up and down if you weigh yourself more often. It's completely normal and not worth fretting about unless you start to see a consistently upward motion. If you choose to weigh daily, a weight tracking app will help you see the overall trend.
  • Posts: 6,666 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    However often you're comfortable with. It's more important that you do it in a consistent setting (same time, room, clothing worn, etc...most will do it first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything).

    Just remember that you WILL see your weight fluctuate up and down if you weigh yourself more often. It's completely normal and not worth fretting about unless you start to see a consistently upward motion. If you choose to weigh daily, a weight tracking app will help you see the overall trend.

    This.
  • Posts: 531 Member
    I like seeing the daily changes, up or down, so I weigh daily and use a trend app on my phone (Libra - Android, I hear Happy Scale is the one to use on an iPhone) to see the trend. I don't have a regular schedule, so I don't do it at the same time every day. Just after I get up and go to the bathroom, wearing the same clothes.

    When I did Weight Watchers I would weigh in weekly, and be disappointed if I didn't lose anything that week, when there could be lots of reasons why the sale wasn't different. Daily is just better for me, even if I go up. It felt like more pressure when I weighed weekly, plus with WW I was paying for it, so I wanted to get my monies worth!

    There nothing that says that you have to do one way or the other forever. Try weekly, or monthly, or daily. If you don't like it, change it. You're in this for the long haul, right?
  • Posts: 45 Member
    I weigh once a week. I don't have a scale at home, and I don't want one. I think I would tend to weigh way too often. Once in a while I won't see a loss, but generally I do. Usually if I don't, when I weigh next week I loose more than I normally would in a week. I am to the point that my weight doesn't scare me anymore. I went 10 years without getting on a scale. Now it's just a number. If I ever gain, it will just be one weeks worth and I know I can loose it fast.
  • Posts: 10,476 Member
    I used to weigh once a week, but I felt like it wasn't making me accountable enough, so I upped it to three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). I find that if I do this, it keeps me accountable on the weekends (which are tough for me because of the family being around and the fact that I usually don't exercise then).

    But in the end, do what you believe works for you. Some people get by just fine with once a week, some of us need more. Just remember the number isn't the only thing that matters. Your health improvements and measurements can go a long way to determining how you are doing, too. :)
  • Posts: 5,284 Member
    I'll get on the scale several times a week, but the only time that counts is first thing Sunday morning, before breakfast, after using the bathroom. Everything else is just to give me an idea of how my week is going so far.
  • Posts: 122 Member
    The scale can be your enemy if you put too much stock in it!

    In the beginning, the number isn't very important except as a record of where you start. You want to look for the general trend after, say, a month. Far too often, I and others fall into the despair of not seeing results "soon enough"; as in:

    "oh, it's been three days since I started eating kale and I haven't lost 12 pounds? Must not be working"--and then I just give up since obviously the kale isn't working. Vegetables are toxic, after all
  • Posts: 883 Member
    I'm usually either trying to gain weight, or trying to lose it. Right now I'm losing, so I weigh pretty much every day, but the only time it matters is Friday morning after I step out of the shower. That's the number I write on the white board in my home gym.
  • Posts: 122 Member
    I like the replies I'm seeing here about weighing multiple times but only as a guideline, and only one of those weigh ins counting officially towards your progress.

    Also, the rest of my comment seems to have been cut off, but I mentioned that measurements are important. If you haven't already, measure yourself, especially chest, waist, hips, legs, arms. (I also do wrists, calves, ankles, stomach, neck). Seeing the inches drop is always more exciting for me than the scale!
  • Posts: 486 Member
    Daily, first thing in the morning, but record it on Mondays only.
  • Posts: 253 Member
    Once a week, Monday morning, more often and the normal fluctuations will drive me crazy.
  • Posts: 1,766 Member
    vaman wrote: »
    Once a week, Monday morning, more often and the normal fluctuations will drive me crazy.

    I'm the opposite. I weight daily so that I can be numb to the fluctuations. If I only weighed once a week, that day's weight would feel "more important" to me.
  • Posts: 45 Member
    I weigh myself once a week.:)
  • Posts: 1,082 Member
    I weigh daily and track my trend on the Libra app.
  • Posts: 373 Member
    When I'm losing weight, I weigh pretty much daily. I view it like CafeRacer as data collection.

    This really is a personal choice though, finding the way that best keeps you informed and accountable, but is also compatible with your emotions so it works to motivate rather than frustrate you.
  • Posts: 393 Member
    edited February 2017
    Of course, it's completely up to you and what you think will serve you. I weigh myself every day. I like to see the data over time.

    If you're just starting out, I'd also recommend taking photos of yourself and measurements of many areas: in addition to the obvious places (waist, hips, etc), measure your wrists, neck, forearm, etc.

    You'll be surprised when the scale doesn't move or even goes up how you'll have lost inches someplace.

    This is just how I think, though. But I like seeing the big picture and how recording all sorts of things helps me appreciate my progress.

  • Posts: 69 Member
    Every morning. As a result, I truly understand my body's fluctuations.
  • Posts: 100 Member
    I weigh daily to see the fluctuations and record it on HappyScale and then once a week on here. I like to see the daily trend and how different foods/meals/circumstances affect my weight.
  • Posts: 16,049 Member
    Every 3 or so days. I weighed everyday for the first 2 years, but it started getting on my nerves! I use Trendweight, so i have to keep my weigh in's somewhat regular.
  • Posts: 789 Member
    I weigh once a week on Friday in the late morning.
  • Posts: 1,403 Member
    Everyday but always keep in mind that it will fluctuate with water because of muscle repair from a good workout, that tom, or going over your sodium limit.
  • Posts: 208 Member
    Weekly, and the first day of each month (when I measure) to track monthly progress.
  • Posts: 6 Member
    I weigh in every week. Low carb produces results for me and i like to see my progress.
  • Posts: 480 Member
    They say your 'true' weight is first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink, after you've gone to the toilet. So I weigh myself first thing in the morning, every morning. I write down my weight along with the date, it gives me satisfaction to see the weight coming off even if its only 100g.
  • Posts: 45 Member
    Healthy way to see progress is 4-6weeks weigh in.
  • Posts: 33 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    I'll get on the scale several times a week, but the only time that counts is first thing Sunday morning, before breakfast, after using the bathroom. Everything else is just to give me an idea of how my week is going so far.

    I'm exactly the same!
  • Posts: 17 Member
    I used to weigh myself everyday and found that I would stress and over adjust if the scale went up. Now I only weigh myself once a week. Sometimes the suspense is annoying, and if the scale doesn't move much over a week then it can make you feel weird. But I prefer to not be stressing over my weight everyday.
  • Posts: 518 Member
    I only weigh about once a month because my water weight is always all over the place so weighing daily or even weekly just drives me slightly crazy.

    I find that this way I'm more relaxed about it. I just make sure I'm consistent and trust in the process.
  • Posts: 794 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    I'll get on the scale several times a week, but the only time that counts is first thing Sunday morning, before breakfast, after using the bathroom. Everything else is just to give me an idea of how my week is going so far.

    Me too. I weigh daily for data, but Sunday is my day for my tracking weight for the week.
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