How do I count a loss? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Nitocris · 07-31-2009, 01:50 PM

Hello! This is my first post but I've been lurking for a few weeks reading all the incredible stories. Every time I got the urge to eat I'd just hop on here and get immersed in reading!

Anyway, so I've been keeping track of my daily weight (I <3 Google15) since Sunday and I have no idea how I can count a loss when my weight fluctuates so much!

Here are my weights since Sunday:

7/26 288.2
7/27 285.8
7/28 286.8
7/29 288.4
7/30 284.6
7/31 285.6

If it was just one pound fluctuation...then ok, I'd be more confident. But the daily change is driving me nuts because I can't ever feel like I've reached anywhere.

Oh, for a bit more info, I've been keeping a food diary and counting calories. Also go to the gym with with my husband 3 days a week for an hour. I haven't had the courage to do strength training yet so I keep it safe on the elliptical.

Thanks ahead of time!

Rebound · 07-31-2009, 01:57 PM

I pick a day (Friday mornings for me) and whatever weight I am on that morning, that is my "official" weekly weight.

I do weigh almost every morning, but those aren't considered by me to be official. Sometimes I see a lower number on the scale during the week -- doesn't matter -- I weight what I weigh on Friday. If I'm still trending down, I'll see and BEAT that lower number in the following week.

People do it differently, though. I know at least one person makes their lowest weekly weight their "weight."

I like to plot my daily weight (again, only my Friday weight "counts," though) because I like to see the fluxuations and how they relate to my diet, my activity, and my hormone levels.

I'll try and post my weight graph when I get home. The weekly one (with "official" weights) is a nice monotonically decreasing line. My daily graph goes all over the place!

I am careful to do a few things the day before my "official" weigh in, though. I try to make sure not to eat late, I try to keep the sodium down at dinner, and I try not to have a huge dinner.

jinna86 · 07-31-2009, 02:00 PM

One method that works for a lot of people that weight daily is to look at week to week progress... so pick a day of the week, and whatever you drop week to week, well that's your loss! It works for me, and keeps me from becoming discouraged

looks like we posted at the same time! I agree with what Rebound is saying

Aclai4067 · 07-31-2009, 02:00 PM

I have one official weigh-in per week. I'll step on the scale several times in-between weigh-ins to see how I'm doing, but I measure my loss on my official day. Also, make sure you are weighing in at the same time of day. You want as many conditions to be the same as possible. i.e.- I weigh in Thursday mornings before I eat breakfast

SweetMama · 07-31-2009, 02:03 PM

If you are weighing everyday, you could figure up your weekly average and use that. For the days you listed that would put you at 286.5. Or to keep yourself from being disappointed when you see those higher numbers, stop weighing everyday, do it only once a week and go with that number.

mayness · 07-31-2009, 03:24 PM

I use a moving average to keep track. Actually, I'm too lazy to do it myself, so I use physicsdiet.com to do it.

Weighing once a week drove me NUTS... I knew how much my weight varies from day to day, so I would always wonder if that one big weigh-in I'd been gearing up for all week was on a low day, or a high day, or a day that accurately represents what I really weigh. It seems to be the most commonly suggested around here, but I just CAN'T weigh once a week.

jendiet · 07-31-2009, 03:57 PM

sweetie, I do the same thing. I take the average of my daily weights for the week. That helps me see a nice weight loss trend.

so your avg for those six days is 286.6 rounded to nearest tenth. (I would use the avg's for the whole week though)

hope that helps. I weigh everyday. I try not to let the indivdual numbers get to me (sometimes they do) as long as I am getting a new low for the week, my weight is going down.

jamiewyn · 07-31-2009, 09:55 PM

Mine jumps around throughout the week like that as well. I keep in mind that there are always varying levels of water, food etc in my body. Therefore, I look for "lowest weights".

Example:
Mon- 213.4
Tues 214.6
Wed 212.7
Thur 215.9
Fri 212.5
Sat 214.6

My lowest this week would have been the 212.5. If I've been eating clean all week I know that the higher weights can't be increased fat, but water or something else.

Then the next week:

Mon 212.6
Tues 213.5
Wed 211.3
Thurs 214.2
Friday 210.5
Sat 212.5
Sunday 212.3

Lowest weight this week would be: 210.5. Therefore I've lost 2lbs! Get it? It also helps me as I used to allow the scale to really dictate my moods. Now, if I get on the scale and it's up a lb, I know that tomorrow I may see my "low number" for the week and it doesn't bother me so badly.

basically, you need to look for a weighloss trend.

My numbers fluctuate within 5 lbs throughout a week even though I weigh 1st thing in the morning every morning. As long as that 5lb window keeps moving down, I know I'm losing. Hope that makes sense!

giselley · 07-31-2009, 10:06 PM

I think once a week weighing is better.

Jo Kittibuck · 07-31-2009, 10:33 PM

Yeah, weight goes all over the place day by day. It's crazy. It's okay to keep track of it daily for your records (helps you see how your body reacts to things like binging and sodium), but don't let your emotions hinge on it.

I divide up my weightloss into weeks, and tally the total loss (or gain) for the week, based on my final score on Sunday. And I keep a graph of my Sunday weights. It helps me realize that, even though it feels like I've been stuck for months, I'm actually going down at a fair clip.