Weighing? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Quirky Chick · 03-30-2013, 09:35 PM

So after having a talk with someone I know - who is also dieting - something made me wonder... What do you think is a healthy frequency to weigh? I've been doing it once each morning. But the person I spoke with said they do not weigh at all because it can be stressful. I have read that stressing while trying to lose weight (whether about the losing weight, or in general) that it can cause weight loss issues. I'm not obsessively weighing.. I just want to make sure I am keeping on a steady pace and not falling on a slump or plateau. So weighing seems easier to me. Though I do have a mini weight loss goal of going down 2 clothing sizes by June . . . So that's why I am trying to keep on track, and not go backwards here and there. I have mainly made that goal because I want to get back into my cute and comfy summer clothes. But my main weight loss reason is to get down to the mid 100's for my health. So what do you all think?

IAmTheGlue · 03-30-2013, 09:41 PM

I think it is entirely personal. I weigh once a week or so. If I weigh myself daily, I get nutty about it.

IanG · 03-30-2013, 09:54 PM

I weigh every day, sometimes lots. The one I take note of is the first taken in the morning, naked, bladder empty. The rest are just for fun. I can easily fluctuate 2lbs (up) in a single day!

It all depends on how the scale affects your motivation. Daily is good for me because I don't care too much about the ups. But I get a real kick out of the downs. Some people get upset by any up and they should weigh less regularly e.g. weekly only.

terichelle · 03-30-2013, 10:43 PM

Personally, I weigh once a week officially, with maybe an occasional check mid week. I can't do the weighing daily, because I don't really gain anything from it. I know my weight will fluctuate throughout the day, or even the week, and I'm not really interested in tracking the ups and downs. I'm of the mind that as long as I keep doing the right things, the results will be the same no matter how many times I check my weight.

It all depends what would work best for you, obviously just because I get nothing out of weighing everyday doesn't mean other people don't.

AlmostMe · 03-31-2013, 07:45 AM

Right now I weigh daily. It's the right frequency for me and helps me stay on track. It's also helps me understand why I didn't have a weight loss this week...or at least I know I went way up and now I'm back down to where I was this time last week. Otherwise I might have been quite discouraged (this despite a big drop the previous week...really the line is going down)

What I really MUST do when I get back to a decent weight is make sure that I weigh AT LEAST once a week....and perhaps more often. I've had periods of weight gain where I was "blissfully unaware" of my weight creeping up.

Crow · 03-31-2013, 07:54 AM

I weigh daily too. I like knowing that daily fluctuations are part of my natural pattern, and I find that the lows give me increased motivation while the highs give me greater drive.

If it works for you then don't let what works for your friend derail your plan.

elvislover324 · 03-31-2013, 08:00 AM

I weigh daily just to see what the scale says, I only record Monday mornings from my doctor's scale.

After learning so much here at 3FC and from my doctor's office, I don't freak out anymore about the scale.

If I am perfect on my plan (I'm medically supervised so about 1000 calories a day less exercise), there is no way my scale could really be up a pound or 2 or 3 during the week. Well, it could, but it's just water from sodium or exercise. Unless there is a medical condition, your body can't magically gain weight unless you eat excess calories.

So weigh away, I say!

LRH · 03-31-2013, 10:00 AM

Absolutely depends on the person. Your friend stresses if she weighs daily. You don't.

I agree with you. For me, daily weighing keeps me "honest" with myself and my plan. I know that if I don't weigh daily, it's too easy to slide (to the tune of twenty pounds, last time).

Marms · 03-31-2013, 10:18 AM

I weigh daily and keep track of it in an excel spreadsheet along with my food journal. I tried weighing once a week but when I didn't see a loss I got frustrated. Weighing daily and writing it down helped me notice patterns so I don't stress if the number goes up. I know I gain 2 lbs at ovulation and 3-5 at my tom. The big weight woosh happens between days 7-10 of my cycle. It's like clockwork.

Zeke · 03-31-2013, 12:44 PM

I weigh daily on waking and have been doing that now for over three years - whether I am dieting or not (only when I am at home though - I'm not obsessive enough to pack the scales!). It has been very successful in stopping my burying my head in the sand about my weight and being able to clearly see that maintanence is more of a challenge to me than weight loss. It has also stopped me from reaching ever increasing 'all time heaviest weights'. I have a graph that shows those three years.

I find daily weighing easier than weekly and I cope with periods of slow loss/sts/small gain much doing that then weekly weighing when dieting. Also, it is a habit - it would be very easy to skip if I were only doing it once a week when not dieting.

Quirky Chick · 04-04-2013, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

I weigh daily on waking and have been doing that now for over three years - whether I am dieting or not (only when I am at home though - I'm not obsessive enough to pack the scales!). It has been very successful in stopping my burying my head in the sand about my weight and being able to clearly see that maintanence is more of a challenge to me than weight loss. It has also stopped me from reaching ever increasing 'all time heaviest weights'. I have a graph that shows those three years.

I find daily weighing easier than weekly and I cope with periods of slow loss/sts/small gain much doing that then weekly weighing when dieting. Also, it is a habit - it would be very easy to skip if I were only doing it once a week when not dieting.

I can totally identify with most of that. I know I won't gain or lose a mass amount and see it in one day, but it helps me see progress and what amount of calories and exercise work the best, as well as it keeps me on track and mindful of what I am supposed to be doing, but doesn't stress me. I also notice patterns of when I retain water weight and exactly how much, so it makes it easier to know how much I am really losing through those periods. Since I am able to understand these patterns through keeping track, it sets my mind at ease, so I don't worry much at all. Much easier to trouble shoot your diet and exercise as well, if you are going through a plateau - or it is to me, anyway.

I imagine what helps each individual is different. I just got to thinking, and I see loads of articles also and some suggest daily weighing, then others are totally against it, like there is no grey area here . . . I guess I shouldn't think too much about those.

MonteCristo · 04-04-2013, 02:27 PM

I weigh twice a week. Once Friday morning so I can see how I've done for the week and hopefully to give me motivation to stick to the plan over the weekend, and once on Monday morning to see the damage the weekend caused, lol.

sunster2 · 04-06-2013, 06:20 PM

once a week

AnnRue · 04-07-2013, 07:47 AM

I weigh every day.. sometimes more than one time per day. I weigh with clothing on... off, etc.

I think it is important to weight a lot so you get a sense of your body and how it works. So you get a sense of what happens before TOM, what happens when you are drinking all day. Etc. Once you get to know your body well, any fluctuations will not bother you because you will be able to connect what exactly they are. And see what is really happening.

Quirky Chick · 04-07-2013, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnRue

I weigh every day.. sometimes more than one time per day. I weigh with clothing on... off, etc.

I think it is important to weight a lot so you get a sense of your body and how it works. So you get a sense of what happens before TOM, what happens when you are drinking all day. Etc. Once you get to know your body well, any fluctuations will not bother you because you will be able to connect what exactly they are. And see what is really happening.

Yes, you have some good points. I have weighed in the morning then later in the day to see how much intake and such causes fluctuations. I don't weight twice daily ever day, but I have before just so I'd know. And it did make me feel at ease to really know how it works, or more so.

I have noticed the increase after I've eaten, drank, and before TOM, at TOM, and a few days after. I also notice at times if I have eaten something with salt, and so on. Amazing what little things like all of those can cause. For instance, in the mornings I weigh, then if I wait and weigh after I have drank a pint of water and a couple of meals, I will weigh 2-3 pounds heavier, but it goes down again the next morning. So I eventually learned how inaccurate mid day weighing can really be.