How many days do people wait before weighing after a workout?

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RealityKiller1987
RealityKiller1987 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi
I have been on plan now for a few months and I am noticing a trend, I workout between 3 and 5 times a week, what I have noticed is if I weigh 3 days after a workout my weight generally decreases if I weigh and leave it less than 48hours since the last workout I typically gain between 1 and 2lb. currently sitting at 11st 10lb to 11st 12lb
I am always in deficit when it shows a weight gain.
today, for example, my last workout was Monday evening, I weighed today and I had gained 2lb, even though my calories have been in deficit as stated by FP.

I have been working out for years, and have recovered from an eating disorder, so nutrition isn't a new thing to me.

However, I have never seen anyone ask anywhere before, how many days should/is best to wait before weighing after a workout?

As I know DOMS and muscle glycogen levels can affect the scales number.
So I thought I would ask.
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Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    I weigh every day.

    I work out enough that I rarely get DOMS any more.
  • idontshoplift
    idontshoplift Posts: 3 Member
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    I weigh myself every day. It's a better way for me to keep myself in check so I know exactly what I've been doing right or wrong on a daily basis.
  • LolaBearyPie
    LolaBearyPie Posts: 2 Member
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    This doesn't answer your question really, but in the past I've tried weighing in only once per week on the same day (same time, same "state"), and I've also tried weighing every day or two and then taking an average over a week or two. Doing it once a week would often show a gain (depending on various factors including working out hard), but taking the average showed a steady trend downward. This time around I'm trying to weigh every few days and take an average every couple of weeks or so...the average helps to account for the highs and lows. ??
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I weigh pretty much everyday and expect fluctuations especially after a hard workout. It all evens out after a few weeks unless I change volume significantly.
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,477 Member
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    I weigh every day.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    I would try not to worry about it. Body weight fluctuates. I workout 5/6 days a week, so there really is no "waiting after a workout" for me. The more you workout, the less fluctuations there will be from your workouts.

    I weigh daily, in part because it it helps me not worry about these fluctuations so much.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    I weigh myself every day. It's not the number it's the trend. More data is pretty much always better than less when it comes to trends.
  • BoxerLover96
    BoxerLover96 Posts: 82 Member
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    I workout about 5-6 times a week, usually about an hour long consisting a mixture of weight-lifting and cardio. I weigh myself everyday. I do notice that the day after my "rest day" - I weigh less than I do during my workout days. Usually about 1-2lb difference for me.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Seems a good place for this...

    http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    I weigh every morning and I work out 6-7 days a week depending on whether I'm training for something. Any workout-related water fluctuations are just normal for me. My advice would be to not worry about what's water loss and what's fat loss unless you're losing substantially faster than expected. Using a weight trend app like Happy Scale or Libra will help show the long term direction of weight change.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    0 days. Like many others, I weight daily and accept the fluctuations as they come.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I weigh every day - normal fluctuations are expected and erm….. normal.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    I weigh every day at the same time and use a trend app (Libra or Happyscale).
  • lotorchia
    lotorchia Posts: 1 Member
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    I also notice that I weigh more the day after a good workout - does not seem right, but it happens to me too.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I weigh daily and track the trend happy scales app.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    I weigh daily and track with trendweight. I have noticed though that the day after my weekly rest day is usually when my weight is the lowest. I take one rest day a week where I will occasionally still go hiking or do something light but it’s usually reserved for foam rolling and an Epsom bubble bath....I am really looking forward to that bath tonight! 🙂
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    I workout every day, and weigh every day(when at home). If I waited a certain # of days after workouts to weigh, I'd never weigh myself! I also use a trending app(Libra) which helps smooth out some of the bumps.
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
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    I weigh every day. You seem to understand the issue. I run and cycle 5-6 days a week. As you point out, after a particularly hard workout I will notice a 1-2 pound bounce on the scale. I just make a note that it is easily explained and not true fat weight gain. If nothing else, these weight bounces tell me I might need to pay attention to recovery and go easy for a day or so.

    The point is that you understand that workouts can influence water retention. Just use the scale for what it is - data - to help you make decisions.
  • RealityKiller1987
    RealityKiller1987 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences learning of others experiences really helps for me to reconnect with reality when the Eating Diorder Voice gets loud.
    After recovering from anorexia it can be difficult to accept my own knowledge regardless of how much knowledge I've gained around health and fitness. But hearing others really does help to ground me and reinforce what I already know while also filling in any blanks I may have . Thanks again everyone 😁

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