Scale fluctuations

shelleysykeskeene
shelleysykeskeene Posts: 110 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all
My question is regarding that b!tch the scale. So I weighed last week Monday and was 89.7, Saturday I weighed again and was 88.9, Monday I was back up to 89.7 and today's weigh in is 89.3. My question is how to determine the average loss /gain when it fluctuates like this? (sorry if TMI but started my monthlies on Saturday, finishes on Wednesday - had to add this as it does affect my weight) I do measure as well but my cm loss is always marginal (a cm in some places and no loss in others) Thanks everyone!

Replies

  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
    I use HappyScale (iPhone only) to get a moving average of my weight. I weigh daily, record it, the app smooths out the fluctuations.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,090 Member
    I make my own trendline in Excel, using a weekly average to smooth out the bumps. But I am a data geek :smile:
  • Pickle107
    Pickle107 Posts: 153 Member
    I cheat and only log my weight when I hit a new low (assuming I'm actively trying to lose weight by mfp). Went to the gym twice this week and my weight shot up 2lbs from starting but today, soreness receding and I'm now at a one week and a day loss of 2lbs. You just have to accept TOM and heavy exercise are going to temporarily cause gain but try to see the overall trend not the mini points in between.
  • braves3134
    braves3134 Posts: 64 Member
    It’s taken me about 2 months to see a real downward trend but even in that 2 months, you can see large peaks and valleys with day to day fluctuations in my graph below. Logging daily has helped me see what types of foods/exercises etc cause more water retention and I’d imagine a couple of months of logging would also help you better anticipate how much water gain to expect during your cycle
    ebtda6z9b3as.jpeg


  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    The more data you gather the better idea you'll get of the trend - it takes at least a month of data to see the overall trend.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    After frustrating / different readings on scales I am now only using the electronic scales at the gym. It is calibrated every 6 months which should guarantee a reasonably precise result. I have also stopped jumping onto some scales every 5 minutes and only weigh myself after gym visits.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,090 Member
    Long-term trends are very interesting, either through one of the apps mentioned or in an Excel graph.
    I don't consider the scale a "*kitten*": I weigh myself everyday to see how daily changes happen (linked to exercise, salt, carbs, TOM,...) and with all of the data I've collected already, it allows me to not freak out or worry (too much) when the scale moves in the wrong direction.

    My journey so far:
    edsx56vtn6xj.png
  • jhanleybrown
    jhanleybrown Posts: 240 Member
    edited November 2019
    Shortgirlrunning wrote: »
    I use HappyScale (iPhone only) to get a moving average of my weight. I weigh daily, record it, the app smooths out the fluctuations.

    This is basically what I do after having the exact same frustration. And it was also at the advice of someone here. (It may have even been Shortgirlrunning's advice...or she may have told me to suck it up buttercup...don't remember!).

    Once you get in the habit, fluctuations are less irritating.

    But - for me - this was only after almost taking my fancy looking glass scale and smashing it repeatedly on the bathroom floor. So, you are totally normal.
  • OAS5
    OAS5 Posts: 374 Member
    My weight fluctuates like crazy. Last weekend on Saturday I was 200.2 and Sunday 202.2 and then Monday 203.2. Man it's annoying especially when goal weight is so close at 190. Yesterday I was 203.2 and today 202.6. Its crazy this stuff.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    Shortgirlrunning wrote: »
    I use HappyScale (iPhone only) to get a moving average of my weight. I weigh daily, record it, the app smooths out the fluctuations.

    This ^^^^^

    Seeing the trending is what keeps me calm.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,935 Member
    I know this isn't directly answering your explict question (how to determine loss/gain amongst fluctuations), but it's more about a way of thinking about it that helps me not be as frustrated.

    We all know that water-weight fluctuations can be pretty large, and seemingly random, even as fat loss is going on steadily in the background**.

    In that context, it helps me to think of my body weight not as "a number" or "one true weight" but as two separate but interrelated things: A current weight range, and a long-term weight trend.

    Over the course of a day, and up to a couple of weeks or more, my scale weight will fluctuate up and down within a range of a few pounds (water weight, digestive contents, mostly). That's the current weight range. So, for example, right now I weigh around 132-136 pounds.

    Over the course of several weeks, to months and even years, I have a longer term weight trend. That is, the weight range gradually goes up (weight gain), down (weight loss), or keeps cycling around the same numbers (maintenance). That long-term trend, which is mainly about changes in stored body fat, is what defines weight loss, gain, or maintenance for me; the short-term range is just sort of random noise, considered on its own. For example, lately I've been working on losing very slowly (even though I consider myself "in maintenance" overall ;) ). A month or so ago, my then-current weight range was around 135-138 pounds. This month, my range is lower, 132-136 as I mentioned above: I'm losing weight.

    Like others who've posted, I use a weight trending app to more clearly visualize what's going on. Thinking of my weight as "current range" and "long term trend", for me, helps me stay calm and keep things in perspective, while following the process that I know will lead me in the direction of the results I want.

    I don't know whether this idea could help you, or not, but I thought I'd share it just in case it could.

    Best wishes!

    ** Those who don't know that would benefit from reading this article:

    https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations
  • OldHobo
    OldHobo Posts: 647 Member
    Scanning the replies I saw several references to Excel Spreadsheets and graphs. I think that's a good idea even if you're using an app to track weight as well. Most of us will live longer than these weight management apps. When they die or wilt from neglect it's nice to have the data you've accumulated over the years in a format you control. Personally I'm using Google sheets at the moment but have migrated from MS Excel and Apache OpenOffice. Know quite a few people who use LibreOffice. OpenOffice, LibreOffice, and Google G-Suite are all free. Once you have one of these set up it is easy to track a rolling average to smooth out the trend lines. All that amounts to is when you enter your weight from first thing this morning, the program uses your instruction (formula) to average the weight from the last three to five days and inserts that number into a separate column you labeled "Wgt 3 day roll." If you're not used to spreadsheets, get a nerdy friend or relative to set it up in exchange for casseroles or dating advice or something.

    Assuming I'm weighing in first thing every morning if my weight fluctuates very much it is always because I'm eating, drinking, or weighing erratically. Big calorie surplus, excessive salt, and alcohol more than "one or two," all can cause spikes in the graph line. But it is the long run that matters.

  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
    Weighing daily, I have as many where I gain or have no loss as ones where I actually lose. The fluctuations are frustrating, but does show a net loss of 1.7 lbs. per week. So I look at the big picture and don't sweat the daily fluctuations.
  • braves3134
    braves3134 Posts: 64 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I know this isn't directly answering your explict question (how to determine loss/gain amongst fluctuations), but it's more about a way of thinking about it that helps me not be as frustrated.

    We all know that water-weight fluctuations can be pretty large, and seemingly random, even as fat loss is going on steadily in the background**.

    In that context, it helps me to think of my body weight not as "a number" or "one true weight" but as two separate but interrelated things: A current weight range, and a long-term weight trend.

    Over the course of a day, and up to a couple of weeks or more, my scale weight will fluctuate up and down within a range of a few pounds (water weight, digestive contents, mostly). That's the current weight range. So, for example, right now I weigh around 132-136 pounds.

    Over the course of several weeks, to months and even years, I have a longer term weight trend. That is, the weight range gradually goes up (weight gain), down (weight loss), or keeps cycling around the same numbers (maintenance). That long-term trend, which is mainly about changes in stored body fat, is what defines weight loss, gain, or maintenance for me; the short-term range is just sort of random noise, considered on its own. For example, lately I've been working on losing very slowly (even though I consider myself "in maintenance" overall ;) ). A month or so ago, my then-current weight range was around 135-138 pounds. This month, my range is lower, 132-136 as I mentioned above: I'm losing weight.

    Like others who've posted, I use a weight trending app to more clearly visualize what's going on. Thinking of my weight as "current range" and "long term trend", for me, helps me stay calm and keep things in perspective, while following the process that I know will lead me in the direction of the results I want.

    I don't know whether this idea could help you, or not, but I thought I'd share it just in case it could.

    Best wishes!

    ** Those who don't know that would benefit from reading this article:

    https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations

    “CURRENT WEIGHT RANGE!” Yes!!! I’ve totally grasped this the past few weeks and it has helped me tremendously! I felt like I was plateauing but was really just bouncing around my current weight range for that week and a week/week a half later my current weight range dropped a couple of pounds. It’s one of the reasons Ive started say “about x pounds” when anyone asks how much I’ve lost.

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