I'm curious about everyone's weighing routine. Are you as um...irrational, I guess is a good word, about it as I am? When I am trying to lose weight, I have to weigh in daily where possible. I have to do it first thing in the morning, totally nekkid, and preferably after I've used the facilities. I do not have anything to eat or drink before weighing.
When I went to WW, waaaay back in the late 90s, I weighed in once a week. I found that doing so was NOT good for my behaviour. It was just too easy to eat poorly on Monday, because hey, I wasn't weighing in till Thursday! As well, if that Thursday weigh-in was bad, hooooo boy.
I weigh in whenever it occurs to me (often in the bathroom) or when I feel like it, but generally not more than once per day. There's not much point to me weighing more than once per day since my lowest weight is in the morning and I'm not going to punch a higher weight into MyFitnessPal later in the day, because it would just override the previous number (although on the rare occasion I weigh less later in the day, I'll override it—why not?)
I'm not fussy about what time I weigh, or whether I've eaten, and so on. I know my lower numbers are more accurate and my higher numbers and big jumps on the chart are just water weight from my salt intake.
I make sure I record a weight every day I weigh in, regardless of how high/low it is, and regardless of what else is going on. I weighed in every day while I had the flu (followed by bronchitis) a couple months ago and there's a weird little spiky part on my graph there, but I just remember it as "oh right, that's when I had the flu." All the data is useful to me, as long as it's taken in context. Next time I have the flu, I should have a better idea of what's normal for me.
One thing I don't do is tie any of my motivation to the scale. I do have a few goals for the future about my body fat percent (which is related to my weight), but for the most part my goals are based on logging calories consistently, which is something I have much more control over than my weight.
In contrast, my sister is calorie counting and weighs herself every week or so, but will only record her weight when she has lost weight. She says she feels bad about herself if she records any weight gain, but personally I think she's missing out on the extra enjoyment of losing every pound put on, and hitting a "lowest weight yet" despite the trials.
I'm more like you Chrissy Bean. I mostly weight myself daily when I'm losing. I am currently in a downward trend, so I am weighing myself daily. But I'll plateau soon or at least slow down and then I will try to weigh myself weekly.
I am currently trying to lose 10 pounds before 3/17. I'll probably lose the first 5 pounds the first week and then take the next 2 months to lose the next 5 pounds.
I weigh myself when I have access to the scale and when I think about it. I do try and strip down to my underwear though, even though I'll do it any time of the day. (The scale is at work, don't have one at home except the Wii U fit board. Don't get me started on that!) I don't weigh every day, maybe twice a week, maybe once. Sometimes its a game... How long can I go without weighing? If I just went through some massive dinner parties though, I weigh every day just to keep tabs. (Christmas and new Years was some of these)
I count calories, but I'm kind of like faiora's sister that I don't enter in every weight (and I'm just starting my journey and hadn't had any relapse higher weights or anything. Hoping I can stay strong and avoid them!). But I don't feel I'm missing out on anything... If I suddenly gained five pounds I'd add it, but since I'll weigh whenever it seems pointless to add that tiny fluctuation cause I weighed before lunch this time or weighed after lunch. I don't like to record it unless its about 4-5 pound difference, because then I'm more confident that its actually going in a direction and not just your average weight fluctuation in the day.
I can understand the need to not want to record the negative especially if its gonna make you obsess about it. I'm working to never have to record a weight gain and I'd like to keep myself positive.
Last edited by SenseAndSensibility; 01-14-2015 at 03:45 PM.
I truly find it's the only "weigh" (hahahah) I can keep myself honest. I'm a slippery devil, but this seems to keep me going.
I have to say, that I get a disproportionate amount of pleasure out of updating my tickers. That is SUCH a huge reward in my mind. I'd forgotten though that you can't do halves on these ones, so I just round UP to the closest pound, as my scale isn't that sensitive--if you're a tiny bit over the lb. mark, it gives you a half rather than a .3 or whatever. I don't get excited one way or the other if there's a .5 change in either direction.
Theoretically, every tuesday. Life has been bonkers lately, so I haven't weighed in about two months, maybe more like three. One cup of tea, go to the loo, same jogging pants (I have two pairs) and a t-shirt.
Next tuesday, I'll weigh in. I fear it won't be pretty, but since i have to crank up the wii board to weigh in, I just can't be bothered sometimes. Y'all have me thinking I might benefit from doing it more often...
I generally weigh once a month right now, with an occasional mid-month scale peek if I think about it. I weighed this morning, for instance, because it was convenient and I hadn't yet eaten anything and the scale was right there handy. But as time has gone by I feel alot less compelled to step on more than monthly -- but I love charts and data, so I keep up that monthly weigh-in.
If I start gaining weight (which I'd KNOW without the benefit of the scale any way, by what I'd been eating, how my clothes fit, etc.), however, I'll weigh at least weekly (and possibly daily) so see if what I'm doing is stopping any backsliding until things stabilize again.
Every morning. I also weigh myself fully clothed, with keys, phone, money and wallet in pockets. But no shoes. That may sound crazy but it's for consistency with the 294 peak which was at the Drs office, with you guessed it, clothing on and full pockets.
I think daily weighing helps me stay motivated and on course. I'm a red-pill kind of guy, I want to know the results whether good or bad. If good I am happy, if bad I am determined to make it good again.
I truly find it's the only "weigh" (hahahah) I can keep myself honest. I'm a slippery devil, but this seems to keep me going.
Haha! This describes me too! I am also daily weigher. I find that weighing myself daily is the best way to be accountable to myself. I have been weighing myself almost daily for almost 5 years. I know, I can't believe I've been actively losing weight for that long either (I avoid the word "diet" because it seems to bring up all kinds of discussion around here, ).
Anyhow, I look at my history and trends and I have found that when I don't weigh myself daily, that is when I gain. Any points along the way where I gained the most back, my graph flat-lines..... meaning I wasn't weighing myself. I wasn't following a plan, keeping track of my food or standing on the scale.
I bought a Fitbit Aria this year. I love, love love it! It transmit my weight automatically to my laptop. I also use Fitbit.
I think the most important thing is that you are constant.. whether you weigh yourself clothed or naked. I weigh myself with my sleeping clothes on. It's pretty much the same clothes every night... PJ shorts and an oversized T shirt, so the weight of the clothes is consistant. I don't strip down to nothing. I roll out of bed, use the toilet and then stand on the scale. I shower at night, not in the morning, so this is what works for me. I don't find that the difference in weight clothed vs unclothed is enough to get excited about.
How often do you weigh yourself and why?
