The scientist and data-loving part of me wants to weigh myself every morning ... but a more realistic part of myself thinks I should limit it to once a week, to account for daily fluctuations. Any thoughts?
My scale broke, so now I only weigh myself sporadically. When I did have a functioning one, I weighed myself every day, multiple times a day. The ones in the morning, without clothes, before breakfast, after bathroom, were the only ones I considered accurate. The ones during the rest of the day were just pure curiosity/entertainment. (I found it fascinating, not scary, that I could gain 6 lbs in one day just by eating and drinking water).
Anyway, nothing wrong with being a daily weigher. You just have to be rational about the fact that you WILL see daily fluctuations upward and recognize that they often have nothing to do with you eating poorly or consuming too many calories.
If you think that would be demoralizing to you, maybe weekly would be better.
I weigh myself daily, first thing in the morning. This helps me stay on track.
But the scale is just a tool in this whole weight-loss process. You must not let it rule your life. If weighing yourself daily is unsettling to you, don't do it! Weigh weekly, or monthly, or never.
There are many ways to determine your progress without using the scales. Use whatever method suits you best.
I get weighed once a week, usually Thursday. I was weighing myself at home but my scale and weekly program scale dont read the same. So tempted and all as I am only weigh once a week (The odd time I will weigh mid week, but rarely). I feel if you are up or down slightly when weighing everyday, it can be disheartening. Only my opinion though and everyone to their own, just for me a nice supirse (Or not so nice suprise but havnt had one of these yet) getting weighed once a week and seing the result.
For me it's a constant reminder of the things I need to do throughout the day. When I weigh myself in the morning and it's up, I think about what I've been eating the previous day (was there too much salt, did I not have the right sorts of things, did I get my workout in). I do realize that the numbers will fluctuate, but for me it's a great motivator.
I'm sort of a numbers geek and weighing myself daily makes it more like a game to me.
I weigh everyday, and track everyday. I use a site that provides a moving average - even if the scale has spikes up and down,t he moving average is consistently in the right direction (or if it's not, I know there's a problem). I weight daily *in order* to account for the daily fluctuations - I can see how what I eat, what meds I'm taking, being sick or well, haing PMS or being on my period, etc affects my daily weight. I know, for example, that if I eat out I will always be up a couple of lbs the next day (probably due to sodium content) even if I stay in calorie range. If I was only weighing once a week and I ate out the day before I weighed, how would I know I had lost any weight that week? It would look like I stayed the same or gained, even if every other day that week showed a loss. To me, weighing weekly is discouraging. I weigh everyday knowing that I might see a higher number than the day before. If you're a daily weigher, you have to let go of the expectation that every time you step on the scale you'll see a lower weight than the previous time.
There's a very active daily weighing thread on the 100 lb board. I see that you have less than that to lose, but I'm sure no one would mind if you wanted to jump in with is. Many of us don't have 100 lbs to lose anymore, either. I credit a huge part of my loss to keeping on top of my weight via daily weighing. I plan to continue it indefinitely, even after I reach goal.
I weigh in every day, I try not to, but I just automatically go to the scale, I am going to make an effort to try and do no more than 2 or 3 times a week. I think do what ever works best for you, if you do weigh in every day make an account for fluid gain, as well as other factors. Have a blessed day.
I weighed everyday at first to stay motivated...and that was great till the scale stopped moving daily. Then I had to stay off of it or I'd be tempted into bad eating since I felt like denying myself wasn't working anyways.
Now, the scale isn't moving much but I've accepted it and can weigh each day without struggling with the number.
I weigh hourly. J/K! I do weigh several times a day though. I just find it interesting to see how it changes throughout the day. I think it all depends on how much you can handle. If you are going to obsess about the number you might want to limit the times you step on the scale. If you are just going to weigh, consider the number, and move on then weigh away.
i weigh myself everyday when i wake up. i weigh myself naked and after i pee. i dont weigh myself after that cause i know just eating breakfast ill gain 3 lbs some how LOL
I am a daily weigher too. I record the information in an excel spreadsheet and then I can analytically analyze fluctuations. It helps me get through the days when I have been on plan and working my butt off and the scale does not move. I can look back and see that when the scale stays stagnant or bounces up a bit for a certain amount of days, it is always followed by a woooooosh!
Every day works for me but, I need to be careful and not let an upward spike influence my day. I have had 3 pound gains and 2 pound losses for no good reason. I seem to hit my lows on Sun. morning, that work out perfectly since it is my official weigh in day. I would do what works best for you, there is no right answer. I would add that if you are keeping on track with a good plan the only direction you can go is down.
I dont have a scale at home, but i donate plasma twice a week and they weigh me each time... so even if i didnt want to know that often, i get told lol.
Last edited by OregonLady; 06-04-2011 at 09:31 PM.
Reason: had a typo on word weigh
How often do you weigh yourself?
