Scale frustrations

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LauraSrock18
LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I’ve gotten into this habit of weighing myself everyday, I used to swear it was just to understand my body more but now I realize how much impact it has on my day & mood. I will see the scale go down one day then shoot back up on “my official weigh in day” and so on & so fourth and I feel so frustrated! Every week I eat less than my weekly calorie goal, my workouts have been more intense and I’ve been burning 300-400 calories per workout 4-5 times a week (Apple Watch calculations for calories) on Fridays & saturdays I’ll eat at maintainance or slightly more but I save calories throughout the week and still go below my net calorie goal at the end of the week! I can’t stop bouncing between 168-169! Part of me wonders if I should go back to only weighing myself occasionally. I’m seeing progress in my clothes and in my progress pictures and I hate that the scale can completely take away the pride I feel! Any advice is welcome! Thank you!
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Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    Do you track your weight on a trending app? It evens out your fluctuations so you can see trends
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,172 Member
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    Believe what you see in your photos. You could also use a soft cloth tape measure every month to record your bust, waist and hip progress. The scale can be a fickle fiend, and it's not helpful if a mere number is going to ruin your day. I weigh every day, too. My weight plateau lasted a couple weeks, and I was happy to see at least I wasn't gaining ('cuz I'm a look on the bright side kind of gal). For all kinds of reasons you are retaining water, if you're not using a kitchen scale to weigh food you're logging is inaccurate, etc. Hang in there!! Weight loss is a slow process, and pretty soon you'll break through this stall.
  • Dees77
    Dees77 Posts: 1 Member
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    I could’ve written your post. I am in exactly the same situation as you. The scale is not moving I am staying within my calories exercising 5x a week.

    I do feel my clothes fit better but the frigging scale is showing less than 2kg loss in about 10 weeks.

    I’m so frustrated and disheartened.
  • nic_27_grassisgreener
    nic_27_grassisgreener Posts: 193 Member
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    Do you use an app like Libra? I like to weigh myself daily too. Today I weighed a whole pound more than yesterday, but my "trend weight" according to my app is only up 0.1 pound, and it predicts that I'm still trending down.

    Remember that if you are in a small calorie deficit, fluctuations just show up more on the scale.
  • WhereIsPJSoles
    WhereIsPJSoles Posts: 622 Member
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    Weighing every day isn’t for everyone. Some people like to do it for the data, but that doesn’t have to be you. It’s not for me. If I could stop myself I’d probably do it once a month, but it’s probably more like once a week.
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    Unfortunately, I am also addicted to the scale but I don't let it get me down. And, let's not forget, you are exercising and working out, which builds muscles, so although you might not see it on the scale (a lb. of muscle and a lb. of fat weigh exactly the same), muscles are more dense and compact so you would see it in how your clothes fit.
  • amyepdx
    amyepdx Posts: 750 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Chances are “going over in the weekend” = maintenance. I’m in the same situation. When you only have 20 or so lbs to lose, that’s all it takes. You may also be overestimating calories burns, so reduce those a bit and see. Do use a trending app if you aren’t already - they really do help you stay on track. I’ve been bouncing around from 169-172 because of going over on occasion, but Trendweight says I’m still losing so that keeps me motivated. You’ve got this!
  • brightresolve
    brightresolve Posts: 1,024 Member
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    I weigh daily, and record here on MFP, that way I see the little ups and downs and the overall pattern. I am sure trend apps are great too for this. I have gotten used to the idea that I plateau for 5-6 days then drop, then plateau again. I see the pattern, I don't fret.

    It's not woo, it's math: CICO. So "a bit over" in the weekends, if not meticulously and honestly logged, can easily defeat every bit of hard work you are doing. Just a heads up, been there done that.
  • brightresolve
    brightresolve Posts: 1,024 Member
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    nic_27_grassisgreener wrote: »
    Remember that if you are in a small calorie deficit, fluctuations just show up more on the scale.

    This was super helpful information for me because I am in that situation - thank you
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Using a trending app really helped me see how my weight fluctuates and a single day's weight just feels like a data point now. Look for a general downward trend. Your weight can occasionally stay the same or even go up a bit even if you are consistently in a deficit. Trust in the process and concentrate on things you can control (following your plan) rather than things that are out of your control (today's scale reading).

    As an example, here's a 3 month trend where I was at or below my calorie goal every day. Ups and downs all over the place but the general trend was downward:

    n3jy5smxztbj.jpg
  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
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    I only weigh myself once a week, otherwise I would be depressed seeing the weight fluctuations. Every Sunday morning before I shower works best for me.
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
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    seska422 wrote: »
    Using a trending app really helped me see how my weight fluctuates and a single day's weight just feels like a data point now. Look for a general downward trend. Your weight can occasionally stay the same or even go up a bit even if you are consistently in a deficit. Trust in the process and concentrate on things you can control (following your plan) rather than things that are out of your control (today's scale reading).

    As an example, here's a 3 month trend where I was at or below my calorie goal every day. Ups and downs all over the place but the general trend was downward:

    n3jy5smxztbj.jpg


    What app do you use to track your weight?
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Get rid of the scale. If you are seeing progress the scale should not be a factor. Weighing daily would drive me crazy.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited November 2017
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    laura_johnson15 wrote: »
    seska422 wrote: »
    Using a trending app really helped me see how my weight fluctuates and a single day's weight just feels like a data point now. Look for a general downward trend. Your weight can occasionally stay the same or even go up a bit even if you are consistently in a deficit. Trust in the process and concentrate on things you can control (following your plan) rather than things that are out of your control (today's scale reading).

    As an example, here's a 3 month trend where I was at or below my calorie goal every day. Ups and downs all over the place but the general trend was downward:

    n3jy5smxztbj.jpg
    What app do you use to track your weight?
    That's the website TrendWeight.com. You can create a Fitbit account and record your weight there (you don't need a Fitbit device) and then link it to TrendWeight.

    Other options are the apps Libra (for Android) and Happy Scale (for Apple).

    I use both TrendWeight and Libra. I have different settings on each so that I get slightly different trends. I like playing with the numbers.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
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    laura_johnson15 wrote: »
    I will see the scale go down one day then shoot back up on “my official weigh in day” and so on & so fourth and I feel so frustrated! ... I’m seeing progress in my clothes and in my progress pictures and I hate that the scale can completely take away the pride I feel! Any advice is welcome! Thank you!

    Then quit making yourself depressed and frustrated. Letting a piece of metal "completely take away the pride" you feel is a good way to set yourself up for failure. Look at the graph posted by seska422 and think about how you would feel at different points along the graph.

    You have at least four choices:

    1. Stop weighing yourself so often
    2. Change the way you think about your weigh-ins
    3. Stop seeing what you're doing as a "diet" and reframe it as a permanent lifestyle change
    4. Keep going the way you are and be depressed and frustrated
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    I just ordered me a Nokia Scale so I can start using TrendWeight.......lol
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited November 2017
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    ptrcmcc6 wrote: »
    I just ordered me a Nokia Scale so I can start using TrendWeight.......lol
    That sounds like a nice addition to your toolbox. I don't have a Wi-Fi body scale. I just type my weight into Fitbit (and Libra) every morning and have Fitbit linked to TrendWeight.
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    I don't have a fitbit. Christmas is coming though. Maybe I can talk my boys into getting me one for Christmas.... ;)
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    ptrcmcc6 wrote: »
    I don't have a fitbit. Christmas is coming though. Maybe I can talk my boys into getting me one for Christmas.... ;)

    You don't need a Fitbit, just create an account and link it to Trendweight.

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