When to weigh yourself

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abbeyb2012
abbeyb2012 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys, how often should I be putting my weight on here to track it? Should I do it once a week or something?! x

Replies

  • Vegetablearian
    Vegetablearian Posts: 148 Member
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    Once a week is sensible but I am naughty and weigh every morning (and no if they said I was 1lb heavier on the morning I wouldnt car) its just so I can keep a better check on my weight as my weight can go up 7lb before a period and it used to upset me but if I track weight everyday I can see it creep up and know I am about to have a miserable week (I get no other symptoms and im irregular) that works for me as I am no obsessed with the number just an overall downward trend suits me but if you're likely to get upset and hung up over it do it once a week
  • Flabberella
    Flabberella Posts: 15
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    I think once a week should be okay, although like twixygirl I do tend to weigh myself every morning before I have eaten or drank anything, mainly so I can keep track of my weight better. I intend to only track and long my weight progress every week on here though.

    Good Luck.
  • Luandanielle1979
    Luandanielle1979 Posts: 747 Member
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    Dont weigh everyday your body flutuates too much to be accurate. I would aim for weekly at the same time. On the same scale and wearing the same thing or naked!!! Good luck on here its a great place and motivation x
  • AshJasper
    AshJasper Posts: 51 Member
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    every week or two is best. your weight will fluctuate through out the week so it might discourage you. I do it on Mondays =) so just pick a day and stick to it! good luck!
  • DocMarr
    DocMarr Posts: 132 Member
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    It really depends on how hung up you are going to get about it. If you realise that weight fluctuates for all sorts of reasons (period, fluid retention depending on what you've eaten, how much exercise you've done, whether you are building muscle, what you are wearing, how much undigested food you have in your system, what you are wearing, time of day etc etc etc) then you will recognise that the scales are a poor instrument for recording weight loss in the short term. They are really only useful for recording long term trends in weight.

    If you get on the scales every day and see you are up 2 lbs from yesterday and feel miserable - then you shouldn't weigh yourself very regularly. You will feel miserable more often than not because of the way the weight fluctuates. I don't even own a set of scales - I weigh once a week at the gym. Also be aware that it may not come off in even sized bits. I Have found I tend to be stable for a couple of weeks then suddenly lose a pound or two, then it goes up and down for a week or two then more comes off. It isn't a smooth and gradual decline.

    I would suggest that as you start your journey, take measurements at key points round your body. I measured my bust, under bust, midriff, waist, tummy button, mid tummy, hips, thighs, calf and upper arm. I kept a record in a little book and once a fortnight or three weeks I measure with the tape. Over the past 100 days I have lost about 14 lbs, but more importantly I have lost 6 inches from round my tummy and two inches at midriff and hips and an inch from my upper arms.

    You can be losing inches even if you aren't losing weight. So I'd really recommend you measure as well, as that can reassure you that something is happening even if the scales don't budge for a few weeks.

    So my message is, don't get hung up on the scales - they are not the only measurement of success. Good luck with your journey!
  • Rachelito
    Rachelito Posts: 119 Member
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    I weigh myself every morning as soon as I wake up and go to the bathroom. Usually just in my underwear. It makes me think about everything I am eating. If the number is bad, I know to re-evaluate my food, if its good its motivation! I only track it "officially" once a week though.
  • marydb0000
    marydb0000 Posts: 43
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    Once a week, same day, same time, same clothing (or lack of). It will give you an accurate assessment of your progress.
  • kezziemc
    kezziemc Posts: 51 Member
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    I weigh every day but just update on here on a saturday morning before breakfast. I also measure myself as sometimes I gain 1 or 2 lbs but lose an inch or two!
  • jammasterduggs
    jammasterduggs Posts: 54
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    three times a week , in the evening before dinner - thats just me but it helps , everyone always says the morning after the toilet but i think thats kind of cheating as that weight is not a normal day to day weight after fluid intake and nutrients
  • KNarrainen
    KNarrainen Posts: 135 Member
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    It's fine to weigh yourself after the toilet in the morning, as long as that is when you always do it.

    I think it's about consitency of the weighing, not the regularity.
  • Jade17694
    Jade17694 Posts: 584 Member
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    I weigh myself every monday :)
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
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    Like most women, I'm obsessed with the scale - every morning in my jammies (I figure my scale doesn't want to look at my flab any more than I do! But I only record it once a week or so.
  • dpk1955
    dpk1955 Posts: 16 Member
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    Like others have said, weighing once a week is enough. You may show a gain but you need to remember that muscle weighs more than fat (but burns more calories). I have seen my weight flucuate 9 pounds in a day and I know I hdn't eaten much, just goes to show that the scales don't always paint an accurate picture. Good luck to you!
  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
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    I would suggest that as you start your journey, take measurements at key points round your body. I measured my bust, under bust, midriff, waist, tummy button, mid tummy, hips, thighs, calf and upper arm. I kept a record in a little book and once a fortnight or three weeks I measure with the tape. Over the past 100 days I have lost about 14 lbs, but more importantly I have lost 6 inches from round my tummy and two inches at midriff and hips and an inch from my upper arms.

    You can be losing inches even if you aren't losing weight. So I'd really recommend you measure as well, as that can reassure you that something is happening even if the scales don't budge for a few weeks.

    So my message is, don't get hung up on the scales - they are not the only measurement of success. Good luck with your journey!

    Ditto on the measuring! It's especially helpful if you want positive reinforcement on those weeks the scale doesn't budge. I usually measure once every three weeks. The general concensus brom MFPers is to measure once every 2-4 weeks.
  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
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    three times a week , in the evening before dinner - thats just me but it helps , everyone always says the morning after the toilet but i think thats kind of cheating as that weight is not a normal day to day weight after fluid intake and nutrients

    You're right in that your weight increases during the day with fluids and nutrients, but to be consistent, weighing after a 10-12 hour fast (meaning weighing yourself in the early AM when your last meal was 10-12 hours previous) gives you a more dependable result because you've taken fluid and food intake out of the equation. While the absolute number may be skewed (you call it "cheating"), your pounds lost is more accurate.

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