Trend or actual weight?

Hey everyone,

I was just curious as to which way you all like to evaluate yourself when it comes to weighing.  I know that there are a lot of people who weigh in once a week.  I've found this doesn't work for me.  Not that I'm crazy about whether I fluctuate half a pound or more each day.  I have just found that using the trend number on the weight log is probably more accurate to what I actually weigh.  Is this something that others are doing as well or am I the only one?

I weigh every day and use the trend to gauge my progress.

Definitely daily weigh-ins and the trendline as the main focus.  But I'm a chart junkie...I also do workout logs and weekly body measurements, so I have three measures of progress to fall back on when one seems to stall.

I weigh every day except the day after eating out.

I always gain due to salt.  Then that day I cut down all salt, then weigh myself the next day.  If I am still over by 1 or 2 pounds, no more eating out for a while.

Even "healthy" choices have too much salt and hidden fat.

But if I weigh myself everyday no matter what, I panic, when I go up, and then become discouraged. go figure

the  chart trend is ok if used over a few months or more.

but weighing daily is best for me.

once a week is not enough, as pounds can creep on.

Everyday and I use the trend line.  As long as both keep going down I am a happy camper :)  I like to see progress as I am a results driven person and if that scale doesn't go down even .2 lbs each day I work harder and count my calories even closer the next day.  It doesn't always go down but makes for very good motivation for me.  My only worry is what am I going to do for motivation when I get to my goal, I need to figure that part out yet.

I weigh every day.  When I used to weigh in once a week, I had higher expectations.  I really wanted to see a loss every time I got on the scale.  When I weigh in every day, I know my weight is going to go up and down, and this way, I get to see the new lows when they happen.  I love finally seeing a number lower than all the previous ones, and even if the number is higher the next day, I still know I reached the lower one, and it will be back.

Somebody answered a question like this here on CC and had a link to a research article.  I KNEW I should have saved it!  The gist of the article was that people who weigh themselves at least weekly - daily is better - were able to lose more weight and more likely to keep it off.  The key is just to not get discouraged by tiny fluctuations.

this one? http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/weighing 111605/home.html

or this one? http://www.myjanee.com/livelight/eat/weigh.ht m

Original Post by amethystgirl:

I weigh every day and use the trend to gauge my progress.

 Ditto while I'm losing, but when I'm maintaining I find that once a week is enough.  Funny thing though, I hardly ever weigh when I'm gaining.

Original Post by trhawley:

  Funny thing though, I hardly ever weigh when I'm gaining.

hmmm -- THAT explains why I haven't been on the scale in months...

I weigh daily and log it weekly.  This way I keep myself amused by trying to cut down on salt and up on fiber -- just to change the next day's reading by a tad.  Logging it weekly let's me see a more accurate trend -- where all the little cheat tactics are ironed out.  You should only weigh yourself daily if you are mature enough to handle the fluctuations -- otherwise you will drive yourself loony

i started out focusing on the weight line, but now pay attention to the trend line. it's all relative. if you can gain/lose up to 2.5 lbs a day due to water rentention, etc, it makes sense to pick a time in the day and stick with it. i weigh in in the AM, every day, in order to keep my numbers up to date. since the trend line averages your last ten weigh-ins, it's a more complete way to guage your progress.

I simply weigh once a week and its almost like clockwork that I will have lost 2 lbs.  Actually getting a bored with the magic number 2 but its a lose so I ain't complaining.

I find that by only weighing weekly I can adjust if I have a terrible week and don't lose and also it gives me a update so I know I am on track.  Couldn't stand the idea of weighing daily as my weight could fluctuate too much

I hear ya. Now that I'm maintaining I weigh everyday to keep the trend-line up to date. At first I weighed myelf only every two weeks, but as I got closer and closer to my goal I changed it up to keep closer tabs.

One day I would like to forgo weighing in all together, but that's a ways off.

I weigh every morning when i get up before i get in the shower.  The trend line is the one to watch for sure.  My weight goes all over the place, especially if i've eaten out or am about to get TTOM....

Looking back at the graph over the 4 months or so i've been doing it is really interesting, there's a definate pattern emerging and the trendline is slowly but steadily going in the right direction.  If i'd have just used the weight itself i would be so depressed and would probably have given up altogether!

Really, focus on your measurements and how you feel more than your weight.  You don't "REALLY" care how much you weigh, you just want to look better, right?

I have to keep track of my measurements and workouts, and average my daily weights for the week(which the trendline basically does, just 10 days instead of 7), to really feel like I know how I am doing.