Hitting the scale often - is it counter productive?

cedarhurst2006
cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I used to weigh myself all the time......... I mean, all the time. But it got me to thinking, if I weighed myself and saw a lower number in the a.m. would that make me more inclined to have something a little extra or a treat during the day?

Replies

  • Elle_Jamaicangirl81
    Elle_Jamaicangirl81 Posts: 418 Member
    i dunno... would it?


    i jump on mine everyday... but it keeps me in check... and i'm not influenced by the scale if its out a pound or 3..
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    I do weigh a few times a week (cursing MFP as I was always so good about weighing in just once a week before I arrived here!)

    I only take my weight once a week though - tomorrow is WID for me.

    I would find seeing daily / hourly fluctuations counter-productive to be honest. I mean how demotivating to see yourself 3lbs up on yesterday when in reality if you waited the full week you were actually 1lb down!!

    I too tend to have a little treat on weigh-in day (not purposely as a reward - more because it is a Friday as opposed to weigh-in day!)
  • ckriegs
    ckriegs Posts: 21
    It’s so hard because when I weigh in the morning and I’ve dropped from the day before, I’m all motivated to be extra good. But on days like today when I gained from the day before even though I was under my calorie limit, I feel like it’s all worthless. It’s hard!! I need the motivation from the good days but the bad days kill me! Any suggestions anyone??
  • bwalters82
    bwalters82 Posts: 95
    Weighing every day is not helpful at all. Your body is doing many different things and the scale is just measuring your weight. It doesn't take into account muscle, water retention or how you feel.
  • cjjones007
    cjjones007 Posts: 602
    i dunno... would it?


    i jump on mine everyday... but it keeps me in check... and i'm not influenced by the scale if its out a pound or 3..

    I like how she put this - it keeps her in check

    Notice bwalter feels that it is not helpful

    I think every person has to decide for themselves if getting on the scale is a motivation or a fear... For me - it's a fear - I'm down to once a week and that is fine - I used to do it every day but found it counterproductive... now once a week is plenty lol
  • samu0034
    samu0034 Posts: 2
    Granted, I've only been really making a serious effort to lose weight for a month, and only just bought my scale a week ago, but for me it has the exact opposite effect so far. For me, if I get on and it's a lower number than it was yesterday it makes me feel like I'm doing something right, and gives me incentive to keep doing it. Much like going to the gym every day keeps me in line with eating more healthily because if I pig out then I've just wasted all that effort of going to the gym. But I've been letting myself just pig out one day a week so far, just to keep myself happy. So far it's working out okay.
  • Caperfae
    Caperfae Posts: 433
    once per week, first think in the morning, naked .. that's the only way I've ever done it, lol
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Weighing every day is not helpful at all. Your body is doing many different things and the scale is just measuring your weight. It doesn't take into account muscle, water retention or how you feel.

    Weighing every day is not helpful for some people. Some of us find it useful to understand how our bodies work, and to see the natural fluctuations of our weight. It helps us cope better with the bad weigh-ins.

    I think only you know whether weighing regularly or intermittently would be good or bad for you. It depends how *you* interpret the meaning of that number on the scale. For me, frequent weighing works very well. It isn't for everyone.
  • alexis92
    alexis92 Posts: 64
    i don't think it's good to weigh yourself more than once a week. it's normal for your weight to fluctuate a little bit every day- some days we retain more water, sometimes certain food groups take longer to "pass through", etc. but when your trying to lose weight, that 1 or 2lbs of fluctuating weight can be discouraging. i used to weigh in daily or more than once a day and this is what i found to be the case. that's why i now restrict myself to weighing in once a week when i get up in the morning. it becomes something i look forward to and aim to do "better" in the days before my weigh in. also, if you allow yourself a little extra treat during your weigh in day, you have a whole week to work it off!
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
    I weigh in every morning - but I am well aware of the fluctuations that can occur. It has helped me see how certain foods (or types) effect my weight. It's just a way to keep myself in check to weigh everyday. And I only record it once a week (same as was said previously).

    I would say to start a trend chart and track it daily (at the same time) and then you can see the fluctuations visually but that the overall trend is heading down.
  • Runninginafatsuit
    Runninginafatsuit Posts: 78 Member
    I think it's an individual choice. Some people, like myself, need to weigh everyday. During certain times of the month, my weight can go up as much as 7 lbs just from water. Weighing daily helps me become aware of my own body. Now, when those times of water retention occur I will sometimes stop weighing for a few days until it goes down, but weighing everyday keeps me on my toes. If I'm not doing it, I'm usually not losing weight or gaining.
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    I've been wondering the same exact thing. In an effort to not be depressed by those gains caused most likely by water retention or whathaveyou, I'm challenging myself to a month of very limited weighing, on the 1st and the 15th. Hoping that seeing a loss on weigh in day will be more encouraging than seeing a small loss and seeing it back the next morning.
  • _Rainbow_
    _Rainbow_ Posts: 9
    I like to wiegh myself first thing in the morning after I've been to the loo. The numbers show whether I'm on track or if I need to cut back a little and increase my exercise.:smile:
  • anthony438
    anthony438 Posts: 578 Member
    Depends on the person
  • uniquesoul73
    uniquesoul73 Posts: 151 Member
    typically I weight once per week very early in the AM...there are times that I weigh myself a few times a week, but that is rare. I never weigh myself in the evenings, because I know that the # is always going to be larger than it would be in the morning. I dont think weighing yourself often is counter-productive, however if you become a slave to the scale, thats where the problems come in.
  • lolamichele
    lolamichele Posts: 1
    yes hitting the scale often can be counter productive. in sept. 2003 i began to loss wieght on the slim fast shakes . i went down from sizes 24 to 22 to size 10 by june 2004. ( i also prayed and walked at least 5 miles four days a week) i never got on the scale. i measured my wieght by the size of my close as i began to lose wieght. so even on this plan i will not be getting on the scale i will know if ive reach my goal when i am able to fit my size tens once again
  • Jenscan
    Jenscan Posts: 694 Member
    I'm very influenced by the scale. I used to weigh in about 1-2 times a week; now, I'm weighing every day. I am the type of person that SHOULD NOT weigh every day because the # on the scale determines my entire day's mindset. "good weigh in" = happy day. "bad weigh in" = bad day. I haven't had a good week on the scale and I'm in a bad mood today and will be until that # goes down. It doesn't help that my next mini goal is in severe jeopardy.

    So yes, for me, hitting the scale often is very counter productive. I will say that if I have a good weigh in, I tend to be stricter (not that I can get much stricter with myself than I already am) than if I had a poor one. In fact, I'm kinda tempted to pig out because I've had such a poor result this week. That's not good either.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I think it's all about your mindset. If you see the scale is high, are you more apt to get down on yourself and give up for the day, or work that much harder? If it's low, are you more apt to give yourself a few extra calories, or to keep at it so it keeps going down?

    I weight myself at least a couple times a day... I wight myself each morning, right after I get out of bed, but before I shower/dress/eat and that's the weight I record and monitor... the other weigh ins over the course of the day are just for my own curiosity.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Only you can answer that question for you. I weigh myself pretty much anytime I am near a scale. Several times a day usually. It doesn't matter what time of day or what I'm wearing. Or even where I am. If I'm at a friend's house and they have a scale in the bathroom, I usually use it.
  • sweetsapphire85
    sweetsapphire85 Posts: 386
    I weigh every day (sometimes 2x) for me standing on the scale and seeing a number is a reminder of what i'm doing. I only record weight on official weigh in days for challenges etc but everyday I"m seeing that number to help me stay accountable for what i eat.

    I still have bad days and still eat out but i'm more conscious if that side of french fries or the side salad is going to show up on that scale number the next day. I got to be the highest weight ever by not looking at the scale so if this works for me I'm happy to do it.
  • catherine1979
    catherine1979 Posts: 704 Member
    I get on the scale every morning at work. I know there are going to be days I am up and there are going to be fluctuations. I record the numbers and compare to the day before. Did I eat too much sodium? Drink too little water? Did I over eat or under eat? I don't let fluctuations bother me in the least, but it keeps me in check and helps me learn what I am doing right and what I am doing wrong.

    The scale doesn't tell the whole story, and I know that. I don't let the numbers bother me, it's just my way of staying on point.
  • audram420
    audram420 Posts: 838 Member
    I weigh every day (sometimes 2x) for me standing on the scale and seeing a number is a reminder of what i'm doing. I only record weight on official weigh in days for challenges etc but everyday I"m seeing that number to help me stay accountable for what i eat.

    I still have bad days and still eat out but i'm more conscious if that side of french fries or the side salad is going to show up on that scale number the next day. I got to be the highest weight ever by not looking at the scale so if this works for me I'm happy to do it.

    Same here...by weighing daily, it reminds me to keep working hard and motivates me to keep doing good or to do better if I need to...I'm in the same boat as megan, by NOT looking at the scale for so long I got to my highest weight too!!
  • npatel160
    npatel160 Posts: 233 Member
    I weight myself multiple times a day just to see how my weight fluctuates but I only record my weight once a week - ie Tuesday mornings. If i see a lower number it gives me more motivation to maintain the weight and ultimately a boost to loose more weight...its a great feeling to know that all the hard work is paying off :)
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
    Not at all! I find it extremely helpful to weigh myself twice a day! For example yesterday I weighed in at 166lbs and this morning I weighed in at 169lbs. I haven't pooped, I feel bloated and my pants are tight so I know I didn't actually gain weight/fat but rather I'm retaining water and have to go #2!!! had I weighed in once a week and saw 169 this morning I would have freaked out!
  • toinel
    toinel Posts: 28
    I weigh myself every day in the morning, after I do my business :)

    I find it helpful, and it keeps me on track, and motivated. When I gain, I'm motivated because I Want to "beat the scale," when I lose I'm motivated because I want to keep going.

    The engineer in me sometimes wants to take measurements (oooh, TMI coming) before and after certain events.

    :)

    Toine
  • sunshineshica
    sunshineshica Posts: 277
    I weigh myself twice a day as well. Once in the morning and after I workout. It lets me keep up with if I gain weight from snacking. Being lighter in the day doesn't make me feel as though I can treat myself. It lets me know that whatever it is I'm doing without eating snacks and treats is working and that I need to keep doing it. Everyone should have a cheat day. Most times it's not about the treat but how much of it you consume. If I did treat myself than I know I need to burn those calories off that night. But that's just me.
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    My doctor told me to weigh myself every 4 to 6 weeks... Don't think so! I weigh myself maybe two or three times a week and on my weigh in day I weigh myself just before bed time because I'm at my heaviest of the day and I feel great if I'm down more weight than the previous week.
  • Missy0104
    Missy0104 Posts: 77
    It’s so hard because when I weigh in the morning and I’ve dropped from the day before, I’m all motivated to be extra good. But on days like today when I gained from the day before even though I was under my calorie limit, I feel like it’s all worthless. It’s hard!! I need the motivation from the good days but the bad days kill me! Any suggestions anyone??

    That's how I am. I say to myself that I won't let the number affect me but I'd be lying if I said those mornings where I don't budge at all (or even gain) that I feel a little deflated. I track my calories to the very last bite and even walked almost 4 miles yesterday and nadda this morning. I KNOW my WID # is all that matters but I can't help that it does influence my steam to see no downward movement in the number (even by .1).
  • sweetsapphire85
    sweetsapphire85 Posts: 386
    If the number goes up one day it definitely brings my mood down, don't get me wrong. But in my head I know that hamburger or piece of cake is only going to make that number higher the following day so I'll walk away from it because it's a step in a direction I don't want to go. Instead I'll get on here and look at some posts or maybe try to find reassurance it'll go down in a few days from my friends.
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