maintaining and weight fluctuations

Is it just me or does maintaining and trying to keep your weight within a general range and seeing fluctuations kind of drive people crazy like me?

for example I weigh myself every Saturday morning in the morning (and that is it for the week)....generally my weight...over the past year I have eaten generally the same exact pattern everyday yet I have gotten weights ranging everywhere from like 135 to 147.....it goes up, up, down, down,up, down, down, etc.....I just don't get why my body does that when I again literally eat and exercise the same everyday....I mean I guess the important thing is that I have stayed in a range of about 10 lbs or so, so I guess that is maintaining, which is the point right? I don't know I thought several years ago when I lost the weight that you got to a point and just stayed there...evidently not

do others maintaining agree it is more about maintaining a specific weight RANGE rather than a specific NUMBER?....

just thought I'd see where others stand on all of this...I hope it isn't just me this bothers and confuses lol

Original Post by lalce1:

do others maintaining agree it is more about maintaining a specific weight RANGE rather than a specific NUMBER?....

Definitely it's the range that matters.  135-147 is quite a fluctuation, and you might want to think about what might lead to it (massive amounts of sodium?), but it's not realistic to expect to always weigh a certain number.

Ha ha!  That is exactly the way I am. I would suggest trying a couple of weeks of weighing every day, the same time of the day.  I have found out that when I weigh after eating 2-4 boxes of sugar free gelatin with some fruit like strawberries, blackberries, apples, or oranges; drink a pot of coffee; drink some water, and drink some juice--I can gain as much as 5 pounds.  But when I weigh sometime after riding the exercise bike, lifting weights, taking a long, hot bath--I can lose as much as 5 pounds. 

I absolutely agree that it is about a weight RANGE.  My "range" is supposed to be between 168-173, and on average I have been maintaining it, although sometimes it sneaks above the 173 because of the water weight. 

One thing that is a bit of a nuisance is that if your weight is fluctuatiing that much, I would recommend for 2 weeks that you write down accurately all calories that you take in daily; then compare that to your daily weigh-in.  I daily very carefully and accurately write down every calorie--this site has a good calorie counter.  Maybe that would help explain some of the weight fluctuation.

12 pound fluctuation seems a bit wide to me, but it certainly does not seem to change your overall weight, which shows you ARE maintaining.

I didn't mean it fluctuates that much at a given time...I am talking about over like a course of months I tend to go up and down within that range....

daily I fluctuate only between like 2 and 5 pounds

I was also a once a week weigher but i think I'm going to start weighing every 2 days or so, that way I don't freak when i see a fluctuation that is greater than desirable at the 1 week mark and assume that its "real" because i gave it a week from the last weigh in, which in reality i could wait the next day and i might be down 2 pounds...i don't know if that makes sense or not, but basically i think i get more worried when i weigh once a week and see a jump or loss on the scale and i am more likely to think that it's not due to water weight or something like that than if i see those fluctuations more often. 

lalce1:  Well, that still seems like a fairly substantial fluctuation; however, as long as you stay within a 12 pound window and are comfortable in that weigh window, it seems fine.  For me, I probably would panic if I gained 12 in two weeks, but that is because I have worked like a madman to lose 40-45 pounds over the last 4 and 1/2 months.   I still think that weighing every day and counting exactly calories/food consumed each day--and then comparing the two might tell you why you fluctuate that much.  But you seem to be maintaining--so whatever you are doing is working well. 

chrissy:  I definitely think that is the smartest thing.  Sure, I myself  probably weigh too many times a day, BUT I take the average of all my weigh-ins.  I think that is an honest message to myself as to how much I feel that I really weigh.  However, I definitely agree with people who say weighing once a day, first thing in the morning or after a RR break first thing in the morning is the best time to weigh.  I agree with you 100% that only weighing once a week in maintenance mode is suspect.  It would be too easy to gain 5-10 pounds in a week and not know it until the next weigh-in. 

We all need to eat healthy, exercise, smile, and hug the people we love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weighing yourself more often, just to understand where the fluctuations are coming from might help. My weight has fluctuated 8 lbs in the past few days due to meals, drinks, and timing. Up down Up down. It had to do with A LOT of fresh bread and chocolate. Water weighs a lot too.... 1 liter = 1 kg/2.2 lbs. It is pretty surprising what will fit into your digestive system...

caloriewarrior:  Yes, excellent point about water and weight.  I was looking at my different weights yesterday:

1st) 170.2  

2nd) (after a morning of water, juice, jello, coffee, breakfast and a snack) 174.6 3rd)

3rd) (early afternoon after spinning on the ex. bike, weights, and heavy bag--and shower) 170.8   

4th) (before going to bed)  172.4.  I think you point out two important things about weighing:  A) timing  B) water weight.

Yes - it is surprising. That 8 lb fluctuation surprised me too. Thanks. The morning is not always the lowest for me - like in yours it was after exercise - I think that is how it is for my weight as well. Will have to track it for awhile.