How Often do you Weigh Yourself And What Kind of Scale do you use

I have a Fitbit Aria scale. Its connected to my Fitbit account, can have multiple profiles. (So it also can track Hubs, adult daughter, etc.) If someone without a profile steps on it shows as 'guest' in my Fitbit app as I'm the primary on the scale. If 2 people of similar weights have profiles, you have to indicate which one you are.

I get on the scale most mornings - it is just part of my morning routine. I get up, use the bathroom, remove clothing, step on scale and then shower. If something throws off my routine where I end up eating or drinking before getting on the scale, I do not bother as the weight of the food/drink in me would throw the # off.

But I don't stress over the scale #. I know my weight fluctuates. When I was losing, I would only 'count' the most recent 'low' number. And if it went up (water weight due to TOM/hormones, sodium, muscle soreness, etc.) I trusted the science and knew that eating at a deficit results in a downward trend. And that the weight would go back down when the temporary water weight was gone.

Now I'm in maintenance and same theory. My maintenance goal area is 128-130. I don't fret if its a little above that, but if I see a trend upward then I can take it as a signal to improve my logging accuracy. (I allow myself a bit more estimation now, but I still log majority of days.)

My general rule of thumb while losing: I should be at a lower weight NOW than I was a month ago. And while maintaining, if I'm a more than a pound higher at this time next month than I am now, then I'll need to improve my logging accuracy.

jerbullamm wrote: »

I have the same question. I'm new to this and actually new to trying to lose weight. Anything would be helpful. I was thinking weighing in once a week. Is that too often or not often enough?

There isn't a universal best, just a best for you.

Personally I weigh daily (on digital scales) but I'm completely accustomed to my weight fluctuations day to day and only the trend concerns me rather than individual days. It's just a part of my morning routine and doesn't rule my emotions anymore than brushing my teeth does.

Experiment to find what suits you best.

Daily and a Tanita.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Daily every morning and I like it. Its just you have to put in to perspective what you are seeing on the scale. You can't get too high or low with every number. That is why weighing everyday is not for everyone. I could see it setting people off if they see a number or numbers over a few days they do not like. Sometimes even I have to fight that.

everyone does what works for them. there is no 'correct' way.

i have a basic digital scale. i weigh daily and log it in happyscale on my phone. once logged, I tend to forget the number (weight fluctuates day to day and can be up or down). I log once a week on mfp. i take my measurements and log them in mfp on the 1st of every month. often, the measurements are more telling of progress than numbers on a scale.

I was weighing weekly, but due to cyclical monthly shifts upward (woman problems, smh) I have just changed to the first of each month. I will be taking measurements on that day as well, because those tend to better reflect results.

Happens to be Omron hand/feet BF% scale, but rarely use that aspect since as commented - inaccurate.

Weigh and log on valid days without known water weight fluctuations, I don't need 10 lbs down from prior long bike ride day to carry over into stats, nor the high sodium meal.
So maybe 3-4 days a week logged.

Measure about monthly, 8 spots used in BF% calc.

Ddsb11 wrote: »

I weigh daily when I wake up, I use a Renpho. I love that I have more data to follow my weight trend, and I can account for what used to be scary fluctuations. Now I’m like, “3 lbs jump, no big deal, I’m ovulating”. When I eat overly salty food for dinner and see the weight increase the next morning, I know it’s water. And I can also track how long it takes for me to lose the water weight, so it’s encouraging! Knowledge is power 😊

I also have the same scale and also weight daily after I wake up and use the bathroom. I really like this scale. I also use a body trace scale that links to a health program through my insurance and that gives me no other measurements except weight and I only use it as part of the program to show that I'm keeping up with it

The Krups scales were made in Ireland. That Krups weighing scale company dates back to 1846; I'm not sure if they have anything to do with their German namesake. I'd set the Krups spring scale immediately after returning from a doc visit one day... wearing the exact shoes and clothing I'd worn at the docs - and with no bathroom visits along the way. I didn't get the digital one until about a month into trying to lose weight. The first week, it wouldn't give me the same reading twice when I got on and off. But I figured maybe that was because I'd stored it on egde for months and months. Now it is more consistent - but ~2-3 lbs. more than my trusty old Krups.

I weigh everyday. I find it keeps me motivated. It’s a basic digital scale

I weigh daily on a WW conair digital scale. There are daily fluctuations. I just try to stay within a healthy range. Too far to either side means I make adjustments to dIet and/or exercise.

I weigh every day on a "doctor's" type upright balance beam scale.

Not so much for the information, though I do track it here, but I need the consistency or I'll forget to weigh. I really like being retired and able to forget what day of the week it is.

So far I've known ahead of time if the weight is going to fluctuate. So when it does that doesn't bother me at all.