Stepping on the scale throughout the day?

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  • justanotherguy2020
    justanotherguy2020 Posts: 223 Member
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    So for the ones who say that stepping on the scale multiple times a day is stupid...... what would you say to the ppl who say stepping on the scale more than once a week is stupid...?
  • jpearson1289
    jpearson1289 Posts: 26 Member
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    So usually when I do this it's because my stomach has been messed up and I want to know how bad it's been as it gets better
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,890 Member
    edited January 2020
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    So for the ones who say that stepping on the scale multiple times a day is stupid...... what would you say to the ppl who say stepping on the scale more than once a week is stupid...?

    I don't think anyone said that stepping on the scale multiple times a day is stupid.

    Just did a search and I'm right. No one said that stepping on the scale multiple times a day is stupid.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,202 Member
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    lgfrie wrote: »
    I find it interesting to audit my numbers periodically. My favorite is getting on the scale right before bed and then getting on again in the morning *before the potty break* to see how much my weight changed with just 5-6 hours of respiration. It's usually a greater loss in the winter than in the summer, and sometimes over a pound. FROM JUST BREATHING. o_O Usually, I end up resolving to get a humidifier for my bedroom, and then forgetting about it during my first cup of coffee. ;-)

    Me too. For months I loved doing the comparison of the scale right before bed, versus as soon as I woke up before bathroom break. I've gotten a little bored with it lately and don't do it much anymore as I kinda get how it all works now, but for a while it provided much entertainment B)

    I usually lose 1.2 lbs overnight, before bathroom break, and for a while I was truly perplexed as to where it was all going. Perspiration and respiration, of course - I know that now. What really interested me was how some days it would be 2.0 - 3.2 pounds, I mean, that seems so huge for 7 hours later while doing nothing but sleeping, where did it all go!!???!!

    My most interesting finding was when I would drink a lot before going to bed. Like, a huge glass or two of water that weighed 1 + pounds. That weight would just ... be gone in the morning. No retention of that water at all regardless of not taking a pee break during the night. It just ... evaporated off, or occasionally I'd retain maybe 0.2 or 0.4 pounds of it, but never more than that.

    I find it all pretty interesting, actually. Also, I learned that a good night's sleep is when I seem to lose the weight. Those 3+ pound overnight losses are usually the real weight loss - that weight never comes back, that's the woosh for me and it establishes a new lower baseline from which my weight bounce around for a week or so until it happens again. When I'm sleeping less or more irregularly, the weight loss slows down considerably. There's some kind of tie-in between sleep and weight loss that I don't think is fully understood, at least by me LOL

    You understand that roughly 80% of the fat weight you lose leaves your body as exhaled gases, right? And the other roughly 20% as water, a small fraction of which is also exhaled as vapor or leaves as sweat? (Humidity of exhalation is typically near 100%.)

    Sleep: A period of hours in which we have no food or fluid intake, but substantial exhaled gases and water. Of course we lose weight (and see loss most clearly) overnight.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,890 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    lgfrie wrote: »
    I find it interesting to audit my numbers periodically. My favorite is getting on the scale right before bed and then getting on again in the morning *before the potty break* to see how much my weight changed with just 5-6 hours of respiration. It's usually a greater loss in the winter than in the summer, and sometimes over a pound. FROM JUST BREATHING. o_O Usually, I end up resolving to get a humidifier for my bedroom, and then forgetting about it during my first cup of coffee. ;-)

    Me too. For months I loved doing the comparison of the scale right before bed, versus as soon as I woke up before bathroom break. I've gotten a little bored with it lately and don't do it much anymore as I kinda get how it all works now, but for a while it provided much entertainment B)

    I usually lose 1.2 lbs overnight, before bathroom break, and for a while I was truly perplexed as to where it was all going. Perspiration and respiration, of course - I know that now. What really interested me was how some days it would be 2.0 - 3.2 pounds, I mean, that seems so huge for 7 hours later while doing nothing but sleeping, where did it all go!!???!!

    My most interesting finding was when I would drink a lot before going to bed. Like, a huge glass or two of water that weighed 1 + pounds. That weight would just ... be gone in the morning. No retention of that water at all regardless of not taking a pee break during the night. It just ... evaporated off, or occasionally I'd retain maybe 0.2 or 0.4 pounds of it, but never more than that.

    I find it all pretty interesting, actually. Also, I learned that a good night's sleep is when I seem to lose the weight. Those 3+ pound overnight losses are usually the real weight loss - that weight never comes back, that's the woosh for me and it establishes a new lower baseline from which my weight bounce around for a week or so until it happens again. When I'm sleeping less or more irregularly, the weight loss slows down considerably. There's some kind of tie-in between sleep and weight loss that I don't think is fully understood, at least by me LOL

    You understand that roughly 80% of the fat weight you lose leaves your body as exhaled gases, right? And the other roughly 20% as water, a small fraction of which is also exhaled as vapor or leaves as sweat? (Humidity of exhalation is typically near 100%.)

    Sleep: A period of hours in which we have no food or fluid intake, but substantial exhaled gases and water. Of course we lose weight (and see loss most clearly) overnight.

    Exactly! :)

    So my lowest weight will be in the mornings, just after I've used the toilet.

    During the day, I put on weight with the weight of food and water, and by retaining water from exercise, heat, sunburn, and all sorts of thing. So for me, there's no point weighing myself during the day because I'm just going to see a weight gain from the morning weigh-in (yes, I've tested this years ago).


    However, the one time I will weigh myself during the day is before and after a really long bicycle ride or run to check how my water intake fared. If I've dropped weight after a long bicycle ride or run, I probably didn't drink enough and I'm going to have to take steps to remedy the situation.

  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    I don’t understand the disagrees. Really, what is the purpose of weighing several times per day? What does it tell you? Please explain. To me, it seems a bit obsessive, actually, quite a bit.

    It doesn’t hurt anything to do it and it satisfies some people’s love for numbers and science, like me. What’s wrong with that?

    What could be wrong is that you say that there is no harm in it and you can only speak for yourself. It could be quite harmful for another person. It could even be quite harmful for you if you continue the practice beyond initial curiosity.

    I am not sure what loving numbers or science has to do with it. There is no practical application for this data. Just like there would not be a good reason to weigh yourself wearing various combinations of outfits from your closet. It would produce numbers though if you just like seeing them.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
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    My scales is right in front of the microwave, so I step on it several times a day, rather than straddle it. For a while it was interesting, I am a numbers person, too. But the novelty has worn off. I’m a large lady, about 220, but I’m still amazed how much I can gain in one day and lose overnight.
  • unstableunicorn
    unstableunicorn Posts: 216 Member
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    I sometimes hop on after work to encourage myself to go straight to bed instead of snacking. It actually was kind of interesting learning how my own weight fluctuates, but the whole observing trends thing got boring after a bit.
  • justanotherguy2020
    justanotherguy2020 Posts: 223 Member
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    I sometimes hop on after work to encourage myself to go straight to bed instead of snacking. It actually was kind of interesting learning how my own weight fluctuates, but the whole observing trends thing got boring after a bit.

    Yes, there’s been several occasions when I have stepped on the scale in the evening and it encouraged me to go to the gym or to not snack in the evening. Good insight!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,890 Member
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    My scales is right in front of the microwave, so I step on it several times a day, rather than straddle it. For a while it was interesting, I am a numbers person, too. But the novelty has worn off. I’m a large lady, about 220, but I’m still amazed how much I can gain in one day and lose overnight.

    I agree, weight fluctuations can be significant throughout the day!! Only one way of discovering this... weighing yourself more than once in a day. 😉

    But ... so what? Yes, we all know that weight fluctuations can be significant throughout the day, but once you've established that for yourself why do you need to keep establishing it? And for what purpose?
  • unstableunicorn
    unstableunicorn Posts: 216 Member
    edited January 2020
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Lol, that's like people that watch the stock market throughout and don't trade or take out money. Just watch your BP and anxiety go up and down for no reason.

    Stress from weighing in more than once in a day is a pretty individual thing. Being up 2lbs after work is about as worrisome for me as forgetting to use a $0.50 coupon. 3 litres of water on top of inflammation from ten hours of manual labour, damn right the scale is going to be up before bed. I’d be worried if it wasn’t, lol. :) But tracking fluctuation trends gets boring pretty fast when you understand the range of factors involved in that number.
  • justanotherguy2020
    justanotherguy2020 Posts: 223 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Lol, that's like people that watch the stock market throughout and don't trade or take out money. Just watch your BP and anxiety go up and down for no reason.

    Stress from weighing in more than once in a day is a pretty individual thing. Being up 2lbs after work is about as worrisome for me as forgetting to use a $0.50 coupon. 3 litres of water on top of inflammation from ten hours of manual labour, damn right the scale is going to be up before bed. I’d be worried if it wasn’t, lol. :) But tracking fluctuation trends gets boring pretty fast when you understand the range of factors involved in that number.

    I like how you put that. Honestly, if someone cannot weigh in often because they are afraid it will harmful may show that there is need to strengthen the mental game :)
  • justanotherguy2020
    justanotherguy2020 Posts: 223 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I can't really imagine why I would care how often someone else steps on the scale (or why they'd care about me), unless it's relevant to advice sought.

    I mean it's fine to be curious, and it's fine to be concerned if someone sounds bothered by their own practices.

    Otherwise, it's as irrelevant a detail as how often someone glances out the window or something.

    I like your analogy. I actually i was thinking it’s kinda like looking in the mirror. One look in the mirror would suffice to ensure everything is properly in place... but after that it’s just not needed right...? Wouldn’t it just be vanity if a second or a third or more were taken? I mean unless the person just wanted to. I don’t care if someone looks in the mirror often. So I will gladly keep my position on top of my pedi stool ... I mean scale
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,658 Member
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    Thread purpose is to spark conversation... which it seems to be doing well!

    Conversation to establish what?

    Something helpful to people? Correct forum!

    Chit chat? There's a place with that name for that! 👍