[Sara108]

How often do you weigh yourself when you're in the process of losing weight?

My friend told me that I should only weigh once a week while losing and then everyday after I hit my goal (for maintenence).

I have a horrible addiction to the scales.....I weigh everyday.....but I can see where I could get real depressed when I hit a plateau and the scale doesn't move and here I'm still following the program.

What do you think?

[pigginpodgey]

Hide those darn scales away and weigh once a week!! I got horribley obsessive with the scales, the problem is weight flucuates so much it can depress you if you see your weight go up by 2lbs one day then back down the next etc. By simply eating a little too much salt you can gain like 3lbs! Its not good for your sanity, so i would advise you to tuck them away and weigh yourself at the same time each week.

[Rafaella]

Ohh Iīm obssesed with scales too!! I think weighing once a week is the best, although itīs hard to resist! That way you donīt notice daily fluctuations and the stress and frustration involved!

I had to take drastic measures bcause the fluctuations frustrated me and I started eating again so I decided that for the first month I wouldnīt weight and only do it after 4 weeks.. thatīs this saturday!!

[Sara108]

Sometimes I think we sabatoge ourselves by putting so much importance on what number the scales say everyday. Fluctuations happen and it mentally drives me CRAZY when it does........better not knowing I guess.

I started Adkins last Friday and have weighed everyday.....losing 7 lbs. so far.
This morning I got on the scales expecting another drop and it weighed me 1/2 pound more. And I've been sticking to the induction phase foods and counting my carbs.

Called a friend and she thinks that I should only be weighing weekly......so I though I would just check in here with you guys.

I appreciate your imput.... I think I'll try and move my scales out of my bathroom and into the garage......it'll make it a little unhandy to jump on every day.

[nasus40]

going way back to the carb addicts diet they say weigh daily as if you weigh only once a week and that is the day you are pms ing or have eaten lots of salt then you will have a false gain but they say weekly then add them all up and divide by 7 that was the most sensible way personally that way you take in the highs and lows and get an even number.

[lady_adnerb]

Don't forget to take your measurements!! That way when (most people hit plateau's) the scale doesn't move chances are the measurements still will.

[vealcalf2000]

I'm a scale addict too. It's like I think by walking a mile I'm going to come home, jump on the scale, and I'm going to be a pound lighter!! It's hard but I'd definetly only do it once a week. I think if you do it more often than that you just get discouraged if the numbers aren't moving on a day to day basis. I definetly agree with taking the measurements too to keep you motivated and PROVE the inches are moving even when the scale aren't-you just don't want to do that too often either!

BTW, I weigh in this Friday and I'm SO excited. My scale at home broke recently (wouldn't give me an accurate reading if I paid it!)so I'm forced to a once a week weigh in. It's hard but for the best.

[nasus40]

Ok I confess I am a scale jumper.

But honestly to lose a lb of fat you need to do the math.

3500 cals for 1 lb of fat.

the body's basal metabolic rate if you do nothing but sleep will burn only about 1200 to 1500 cals daily.

now doing the eliptical hard for 30 min will burn a whole 200 to 300 cals (killing my self) but normal daily stuff will burn about 2500 cals total including basal stuff. so to lose 1 lb a day you need to burn 3500 cals more than you take in in one day.

The reason atkins is no limiting on fat is that it is really self limiting. not many people can eat a doz eggs and not may can eat 1 lb of bacon. most people have to strugle to eat 1200 to 1500 cals daily. because the fat will fill you up faster than a bagel.

so honestly do you burn 3500 +1200 = 4700 cals daily???? no I did not think so. neiter do i. if you eat only 1200 cals you will be lucky to drop 1000 cals daily and that is why they say 2-3 lbs a week if you are good.

on the other hand can you eat 4700 cals daily?? to gain 1 lb in a day??? Nlo that really is hard.

so the key is to burn more than you eat. if you drop your intake below the basal metabolic rate then you risk your body going into the "starvation mode" that is when the body sees that the intake is lower that what it needs to maintain the muscle mass you have and so it will start to burn up the muscles. so it will lower the metabolic rate with less mass that will burn. good??? NOT you need the muscles that is why you feel energy that is what keeps you warm that is what will burn the fat.

so you must keep the intake up to atleast what your basal metaboic rate is or you will stall. you will start to destroy your muscle mass. and you will get the pounch.

On the other had why weighing daily is important is not to watch the fat drop but to watch if you are taking in too much sodium. you can easily gain in fluid. and lose it. that is also why you should do what the carb addicts diet suggests weigh and take an average. what I do is weigh and if I see the weight for more than 2 days than I post it. that means it was not just a fluke of being too dry.


Ok I know that was too munfo for many and not asked but it sure helps me put things back into perspective.

[Puncezilla]

I weigh in every morning, I need to see the same # three times befor I consider it a true loss or gain. This works for me and I dont obsess about it if it goes up and down a little through the week as long as it goes down more often than up.

[kitkit]

i also try to weigh myself everyday, and so far it has been to my benefit. I don't know, but it makes me motivated when i do so.

[Sara108]

Thanks everyone for all your imput and especially to you Nasus for all the info you posted......very interesting!

I have finally completed my first week of Adkins; starting second week today....first week I lost 7lbs., and that seemed to happen within the first 3-4days. So I'm going to approach my second week differently......I weighed this morning, and won't weigh again until next friday.

I also will begin taking measurements weekly/or bi-monthly.......I totally forgot to do that when I started.

Thanks again!