scale issues...

wa_tracy
wa_tracy Posts: 110 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do any of you have scales that go up after a loss? Like yesterday I was at 174.2 and today I was up to 174.8. I know it's just half a pound difference, but it's a lot when you're trying to lose a pound a week ;)

Just curious how your scales behave. Like mine does this often and it's fairly new. I'm wondering if muscle soreness could attribute to this...you know a day after a hard workout and you are sore? Am I just making this up to placate my mind? What are your thoughts? Should I get a different scale? Does this happen to you?

Replies

  • sweetybird09
    sweetybird09 Posts: 70 Member
    My scale can fluctuate by as much as 3-5 lbs in a day, from what I am gathering, it has a lot to do with time of day, water retention, exercise...heck even what you are wearing can make a difference, just make sure to weigh first thing in the morning, as long as you start to see a downward trend, that is what matters, some times its not so much the # but how are you feeling, like clothes getting looser and that sort of thing.

    Do not worry about a half a pound its ok :)

    Oh and one more thing, there is a lot of discussions on weighing yourself on these boards, some say weekly some say, daily some weigh monthly, I say do what works for you. I happen to be obsessive and weigh daily (or even more at times).
  • mangobadango
    mangobadango Posts: 294 Member
    Mine goes up and down, up and down. I always think about my weight as being in phases. The weight slowly goes down, but definitely down then up a little bit at a time. If I notice too much of an increase I take it as a sign of water retention and modify my workout for the day and how I eat accordingly.

    Just to give you an idea, these are my numbers from the past few days.

    Thursday: 193.1 Friday: 190.3, Saturday: 190.3, Sunday: 189.6, Monday: 190.3, Tuesday: 191.4

    My diary is open so you can see what I was eating and burning those days, but I guess the point is if you weigh every day you will almost always see a change. Just take the weight change as a whole and compare today's weight to your weight last Tuesday.

    ETA: I also never report a gain on MFP, just my lowest weight. Mainly because the changes are so small and I get excited when I hit a new low.
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
    My scale will give different numbers everytime I step on it. lol. and especially if I move it around the bathroom.
  • wa_tracy
    wa_tracy Posts: 110 Member
    Thanks. It's good to see I'm not the only one and it's normal. I only record my weight once a week, but I can't help but get on the scale just about everyday to see how I'm doing :wink:
  • mangobadango
    mangobadango Posts: 294 Member
    Thanks. It's good to see I'm not the only one and it's normal. I only record my weight once a week, but I can't help but get on the scale just about everyday to see how I'm doing :wink:

    It might help if you wrote down your weight somewhere every time you step on the scale. For me it helps to keep things in perspective, then I really can look at where I've been and where I'm going.
  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
    Friday I weighed in at 282.2, went for a very long walk, about 2 miles longer than my usual (exploring new trails.)
    Saturday morning I weighed in at 279.4.
    Sunday I weighed in at 280.4
    Monday I weighed in at 281.0 (ugh....)

    It didn't matter that I was drinking water, eating great, etc. All that mattered was all the water (I assume) I lost on my long walk that rebalanced over the weekend. Today the weight started back down again.

    I weighed in at 280.2. Since lasagna is whats for supper tonight I suspect my scale is going to bounce up again tomorrow, lol.
    But that's alright.

    Also- for less drastic up and downs it's usually too much sodium holding up some water. At least that's how it works for me. A daily weigh in routine will almost always have ups and downs, all you can do is make sure you are doing things right and keeping the going down numbers bigger than the going up numbers :)

    ETA:
    Also, what the prev poster said- log it on paper, in a journal or agenda so you can see the week trend, not just the day results. I know you only MFP log weekly, but it wouldn't hurt to keep track of the day trends since youre hopping on it anyway.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I've seen that myself...but I think it is just a natural fluctuation due to water retention or sodium intake, etc.

    one week last month was like this:

    Mon 215.2
    Tues 216.2
    Wed 215.4
    Fri 214.2

    I weigh in like 4x a week. As long as it is not a HUGE increase, I don't worry about it. I spent 3 months gaining and losing--I gained and lost the same 3 pounds from February 27th until May 7th. I made some dietary changes May 7th, and have lost 9 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I still have the ups and downs, but they are not as big. I'm happy with that!
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
    Perfect example of why not to weigh yourself everyday.
  • bubulka
    bubulka Posts: 4
    I am interested in your answers. I lose two pounds and then gain them back. I try to watch what I eat and I am doing weight lifting more and more so I am hoping it's a muscle gain instead of fat gain. But I really don't know. I guess the only way to tell woudl be measure??? I am currently trying to NOT weigh in everyday. I think it discourages me. Even if it is sometimes just a little weight, but I have worked hard the day before and to see a gain, it's depressing.
  • Anitamarhea
    Anitamarhea Posts: 14
    I always see the shows (Biggest Loser), the dietitian, and even my workplace losing competition weigh once a week. I step on my own personal scale, daily. Weighing myself once a week, at the same time, and in the same clothes will give me the number I take as accurate. The daily weigh is for my obsessive "I wanna know if I'm even on track" state of mind. Either way, how you feel will be the thing that matters. If it burns brain cells worrying about daily fluctuations in weight, cut back to once a week. Having a positive experience and piece of mind means you can stay on the path to better health and not give up. Keep going!!! You are doing great!!!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Perfect example of why not to weigh yourself everyday.

    Or if you do, then do a weekly average like I do. Weight is no different than tides in the ocean; has it's ups and downs.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Why do you weigh daily? You set yourself up for disappointment.
  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
    Why do you weigh daily? You set yourself up for disappointment.

    That is not entirely true. If you are insecure with the idea of weight fluctuation on a daily basis, then sure.. you are def setting yourself up for disappointment, however for quite a few people daily weigh ins have helped them figure out why the weight is not coming off, or staying off, or how specific foods impact your weight, etc. I have found it enlightening to do daily weigh ins. There have been NIGHTS where I weigh in just to get a sneak peek/idea about tomorrow's weight! But those are also times I feel like a kid peeking at Christmas gifts. =\

    If you know you are doing right, or are curious about how your body is dealing with the stuff you are consuming then daily weigh ins are not disappointing. More like an adventure!
  • mangobadango
    mangobadango Posts: 294 Member
    Why do you weigh daily? You set yourself up for disappointment.

    That is not entirely true. If you are insecure with the idea of weight fluctuation on a daily basis, then sure.. you are def setting yourself up for disappointment, however for quite a few people daily weigh ins have helped them figure out why the weight is not coming off, or staying off, or how specific foods impact your weight, etc. I have found it enlightening to do daily weigh ins. There have been NIGHTS where I weigh in just to get a sneak peek/idea about tomorrow's weight! But those are also times I feel like a kid peeking at Christmas gifts. =\

    If you know you are doing right, or are curious about how your body is dealing with the stuff you are consuming then daily weigh ins are not disappointing. More like an adventure!

    ^^^^Agree! I am actually using the information to figure out where my calorie deficit needs to be on a daily basis. I have figured out from daily weigh ins that a huge deficit doesn't work for me. I want something more along the lines of 20% from my total burn for the day.

    You HAVE to have the right mindset though. It was destroying me for awhile, but then my mindset changed and now it is beneficial.
  • naughtyfushsia_wechnaged
    naughtyfushsia_wechnaged Posts: 140
    i find easiest bein weighed 1st thing in morn when you get up after morning widdle (lol) as been told by my gp thats when your body is at its near truer weight (kinda lol) as thruout the day you eat and drink so i thort yea...could be true as being weighed on an empty stomach than half way thru day or at night your body is sifting the food you have eating if ya get what i mean.

    Pleae try not to jump on them too often as you may get dishartened by the results and end up doing a raid in kitchen (joke lol) n matter tempting it is, all it takes is 1 weigh-in a week to see your results

    Hope i made sence lol x

    ps kep up the good work chik :happy:
  • koen612
    koen612 Posts: 83
    I weigh my self once a week in the morning, but when i do, i try to make an effort to get as accurate as possible by: 1. makings sure i dont eat alot of sodium the day before since it will pack on water weight, 2. make sure before i weigh my self i have a BM and empty my bladder, since even though its first thing in the morning everything i ate and drank the night before is still in me. 3. i weigh my self in just boxers, clothes and shoes do add pounds, i weighed my self one morning with my shorts on and then with them off my shorts and belt added 1.7 pounds!!! hope this helps
  • susanne181818
    susanne181818 Posts: 32
    I weigh myself daily Tuesday thru Friday. I've noticed a pattern as well. I weigh myself in the morning and I notice that if I lift weights, I'm 1-2 pounds heavier in the evening. Then wake up the next morning and the scale goes back down. I refuse to weigh myself on Mondays though, because I'm usually filled with water (beer) weight! I'll take a water pill and it helps some of the bloating go down.

    I'm a person who has to weigh myself often. I don't get discouraged....it's more like putting myself in check!
  • wa_tracy
    wa_tracy Posts: 110 Member
    Why do you weigh daily? You set yourself up for disappointment.

    I do it b/c it's part of my personality. I'm not disappointed. Just was worrying that my scale might be out of whack vs. what our bodies do naturally.

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