Frequent (daily) weigh-ins: what have you learned?

I have stopped weighing every day and have gone to 2x/week. My body is changing in ways that the scale will not show and I refuse to let a number dictate how I feel about myself. I am stronger and have more endurance, more muscles and more definition. Here's what I wrote in my blog a couple of weeks ago:

I think we need to stop seeing each other, for now
It's not you, it's me. Well, it actually is you. I feel smothered. I feel controlled. I feel powerless. People are telling me to just walk away but it's not that easy. Do they know how I feel? You have been defining and directing my feelings every day. When you give me what I want, even if I'm not deserving because my own behavior would have led me to think otherwise, I am jubilant and happy. When I want something so desperately and strongly believe that I deserve it and you don't follow through, I feel so betrayed. And even when I know what you’re going to say even before you say it, that cold slap in the face hurts so, so much. What are you trying to do to me? In the end I suppose I am part of the problem. I rely too much on what you tell me. I have a very difficult time reading between the lines of information you give me. And it’s not healthy. I think we should have one final rendez-vous tomorrow and then we can perhaps check in in a week. This is very difficult for me to do, as you’ve been such a huge part of my life for so long. But that’s not healthy. I am trying to get to a new place and while you can be a help to me along this journey, you are also a burden and the moments when you weigh heavily on my mind outweigh the small victories I have with you. Please know that all of this is in an attempt to have a healthier, more positive relationship with you. I know we will stay in touch, but it’s time our interactions changed. I wish I could say I love you, but I can’t. It’s not true right now.
From me, Allison to you, my scale.

I've learned that if my muscles are sore from a hard workout - I weigh more.

I've also learned that poop weighs more than muscle or fat .... run with it - you are welcome.

It both keeps me in check and drives me crazy LOL I do it to check my progress and revalidate my work, but like today it said I gained a half a pound, but I was well within my calories yesterday. I did have salami so that has a TON of sodium so days like this make me upset, But I know I am doing well.

when I first started diet and still ate wheat but calorie counted I could fluctuate between 4-5lbs a DAY and then when I had monthlies it would go up 6lbs +

After going low carb and gluten free my daily water retention only varied by a 1 lb by the end of the day and my monthly cycle I would gain around 4-5lbs instead of 6-10lb. I prefer this so will stick to this way of eating, though I can now cope with one treat day a week just after sat morning weigh-in knowing that I will have lost excess water again by mid week weigh-in (now only weigh-in twice a week)

It stopped me panicking every time the numbers went up and have better understanding of my body.

I've learned I don't need to do it lol. I try to make myself stay off of it but I want to weigh every day. I've also learned not to weigh anytime other than the morning. I've learned that if you eat a lot of sodium the day before the number can do up. I've learned that if you weigh the morning after having some drinks, the number will be less due to dehydration, which is a cruel joke because it is usually back the next day. And I've learned I always weigh 2-3 lbs more during "that time of the month." I've learned too much lol.

But I like to weigh daily, it's probably the control freak in me.

100% Agreed. Its absolutely the control.

It's a huge motivator to stay on track, too. I think if you defined by the number on the scale, daily weigh ins would be torture. But I take it in stride, and if I flucuate up I stay focused on eating healthy that day. If I'm down, I'm motivated to eat healthy. Win-win - and I'm in control. HA!

I weigh myself in the morning and at night.

I've learned that if I only gain a pound or so throughout the day, I can expect a loss in the morning. If I gain MORE than around 2 pounds during the day, I can expect to maintain or gain a bit.

So far, this has been true EVERY time.

HOLY COW I thought I was the only one that did this!! Glad to see I am not!

Could that be b/c you're dehydrated from the alcohol? Try drinking tons of water when you drink alcohol next time. I don't find that I weigh less the morning after alcohol; I am pretty sure it's b/c my body is holding on to fluids as I'm dehydrated.

Eating restaurant food or anything loaded with sodium would make me "gain" anywhere from 1-3 pounds for about 2-3 days

After a night of drinking, dehydration will make me "lose" 1-2 pounds for a day.

I'd never connected restaurant food/ high sodium with the upped weight - good work on linking those!
Although that may be because I'm more likely to cheat on weekends, which is when I'll go to restaurants.


And as for the alcohol - lucky you! I put on up to 2kg for the next day or 2 :grumble:

Sodium! Of course!
Learned something new today

The difference in weight before I do my exercise DVD (Ripped in 30 for now) and after I am done in the morning is approximately 0.5 lbs.

I used to weigh myself daily and I find it too discouraging... I am doing once a week so I can see a big change!! :happy:

I weigh myself every morning, after a pee, because it motivates me and encourages me. I realize that fluctuations will happen and I don't let them get me down. I only track the weight each week (Monday morning), but I like to see the little fluctuations that occur based on what I did the day/week/night before. If, on any given day, my weight is down, I get excited to keep going. If my weight goes up a bit, it's motivation to work a little bit harder that day, or be a little more careful about what I eat.

I measure both weight and inches. I only weigh myself twice a week but only record my weight on Tuesdays. I measure myself also and I always measure a couple times. Ex: if I'm measuring my hips/lovehandles then I measure three times, trying to get the largest part possible and then keep the largest measurement and I keep the measuring tape lose and don't pull it together. I like keep track of both, especially since I started weight training. Last week I only lost 2lbs on the scale but I lost 1.75 inches off my body. When you start building muscle but it's hidden under a bulky fat layer inches will tell you more then pounds regarding your progress.