My bathroom scales show me at 163 lbs each morning buck naked. When I've dressed up, it's upto a 165 lbs. Just before bed, it's 166. Yes, I'm probably weighing myself too much, but these fluctuations have been noticed over the past week.
So which is my correct weight - naked / with clothes / after dinner?
More importantly, have you noticed similar fluctuations and how do you weigh yourself?
I weigh myself first thing in the morning (after peeing), nekkid. Before my shower. You're going to fluctuate a bit during the course of the day, considering food/water intake and stuff. I generally take my lowest weight out of a given week and call that my "current weight". You gotta learn to ignore the fluctuations, really; they're not that important. Don't get too sucked into the numbers game. I'd say weigh yourself no more than once a week.
Edited to add: When I saw the title of this thread, my first thought was "...with a scale, why?"
Last edited by Nikaia; 02-09-2007 at 02:03 AM.
Reason: I forgot to be a smartass
First thing in the am, after peeing, totally nekkid. And I have a favorite tile on which I place the scale I weigh ONCE a day, and if I'm forced to step on a scale any other time (doctor's office), I close my eyes and ask them NOT to tell me because I know what I weight at home and seeing another number (higher or lower) will just make me crazy). They think I'm but it works for me!
Pick a time and condition to weigh yourself- it doesn't matter as long as the conditions are conistent.
I also place the scales in the same position every day! I sometimes even take a "best of three" readings
I weigh every day, but only really compare weights every week. I've got a graph going on charting the day to day fluctuations. It's interesting if it doesn't make you crazy! I used to weigh once a month because I couldn't cope with it not going down. But I'm interested now!
and i thought i was the only one who had a favorite "tile"
its like after the first weigh in, somewhere in my head i think if the scale isnt placed in the exact same spot, it wont show that ive lost any weight.....oh how the human mind works
Pick a time and a clothing condition and be consistent. It really does not matter what the number is. The only think that matters is the direction in which that number moves over time.
Keep things moving and shaking and over time you will be heading in the correct downward direction, Chickie . . .
In the past 2 weeks I've ranged from 150 to 146, and not necessarily in that order. Yesterday I hit a new low of 146, but today I'm right back up to 147. Yesterday I ate 1883 calories, which is not more than usual, and I did cardio and weights in the gym. No reason to go up, but I've noticed after hitting a new low the scale will go up again for a few days or a week, but will then get back to that low and then hit a new low shortly after that. I've found by tracking the fluctuations on a spreadsheet, I dont need to worry about the fluctuations.
Like Mel, I dont even pay attention to my weight at the doctor's office because I have on clothes and have been eating before getting there. My real weight is just me not me plus food and clothing. If I want to weigh food and clothing, I'll do that separately
I do agree that the number doesn't really matter, its more the direction of the scale. Which is why its also important to go by the same scale as they do tend to fluctuate.
First thing in the am, after peeing, totally nekkid. And I have a favorite tile on which I place the scale I weigh ONCE a day, and if I'm forced to step on a scale any other time (doctor's office), I close my eyes and ask them NOT to tell me because I know what I weight at home and seeing another number (higher or lower) will just make me crazy). They think I'm but it works for me!
Pick a time and condition to weigh yourself- it doesn't matter as long as the conditions are conistent.
Mel
And here I thought I was the only one who gets down on the floor to make sure that the scale is on the same tile each day.
Ummm, let's see, I actually have MARKED my tiles in the bathroom so that it is in the same position every time. Nuts. I know. And this is from a woman who prior to this weightloss journey avoided the scale for close to 15 years.
And of course it's after I've peed and done anything else that needs to be done and without clothing.
I always put mine on the same tile, too...but that's more a function of it being the ONLY full tile that's accessible for the scale to go on in my teensy-weensy bathroom. I hate getting weighed at the doctor's and stuff. It's like, no, I KNOW I'm not that weight. You're weighing me with clothes and shoes and sometimes my purse, too. Those are not me and not my weight. But that's the weight they note down. Why can't they just take my word for it?
First thing in the am, after peeing, totally nekkid. And I have a favorite tile on which I place the scale I weigh ONCE a day, and if I'm forced to step on a scale any other time (doctor's office), I close my eyes and ask them NOT to tell me because I know what I weight at home and seeing another number (higher or lower) will just make me crazy). They think I'm but it works for me!
I do that too. Because one time I went to the doctor and weighed 7 pounds more than I did at home. I freaked. Yes, I took into consideration that not only was I fully dressed, but I had eaten and drank a bunch of water by then. So I expected at least a 3-4 pound difference. But 7????? Eeeeeeeeeek!
So I went home and dragged out my scale and turned it on. I took a 25-pound handweight and laid it on the scale. 25 pounds exactly.
So my scale is right and the doctor's is wrong! I say so!
As to the original question, I do the same as everyone else - in the morning, no clothes (except my underwear), after I've gone to the bathroom and before I eat or drink anything.
I do the same as all above - first thing after peeing, nekid, same time placement. I do want to know what the doctor's scale says, but I use my scale as my official number - mostly because it doesn't include clothes, shoes, etc. And, I agree, weight loss progress is a relative thing. Keep it going in the right direction, and you are doing fine.
I have to weigh more than once a week. I understand fluxuations, but I also don't want to spend a whole week going in the wrong direction and then find out about it. If more than one day in a row I gain, I make some sort of adjustment - increase exercise, increase water, etc.
Well, it looks like we all pretty much do the same thing. I have my favorite "tile" and I weigh myself there, naked. BUT I now only weigh myself once a week, on Friday morning. I was addicted to the scale and it's taken me a long time to break the addiction and stop making myself crazy. Friday morning is a good time for me because it helps keep me from going nuts on the weekend.
How do you weigh yourself?
but it works for me!
I sometimes even take a "best of three" readings 
