What "Weigh" is Best?

(originally posted on May 29)

I started dieting and exercise on April 9.  (3rd attempt at this)  And started at 173 this time. 

Today I weighed in at 165.6 and coming to the end of my 7th week.  That works out roughly to a pound a week but I would like to make it 2 pounds a week and not sure how to accomplish this.

The hardest part is the fluctuations in weight each day.  It's maddening to step on the scale on a Tuesday and have it read 167.2 and then step on at the same exact time (early morning) on Wednesday and have it read 168.8...and then to further push the crazy train to its mental limits Thursday's weigh in reads 165.8.   Every weigh is the same, first thing in the morning, same time, same clothes, same variables, etc.

This happens to me daily.  I even tested an experiment earlier this week and made sure I ate the exact same thing, did the exact same activities, and got the exact amount of rest for three days and my weight still fluctuated 2-3 pounds.

Now I have noticed that when I do the eliptical for 30 minutes, I always weigh more the next morning.  Talk about discouraging!  Last week I did the eliptical for 3 days straight.  All three days I weighed in the morning at 168 and high 167.  Then I took 2 days off, watched my calorie intake and weighed in the following days in the low 166's.  Maddening!

Today was a personal "yay" moment by reaching 165 but now I'm afraid to get on in the morning and have it read 168 or something.  I want to continue to weigh in daily so that I remain accountable for the days I "fall off the wagon" but I just don't think I'm understanding the science behind the weight loss.

What's the best "weigh" to do this?

Look at a trend and don't get hung up on individual numbers.

UD

This happens to me too!  I thought I lost three pounds but the next day I was back up those three pounds.  I keep fluctuating between 127-129 and can't tell if i'm losing anything!  Then when I finally do see 127 again I'm scared of weighing myself next time cause I don't want to see it go back up

I'm a big fan of weighing every day - I find seeing the fluctuations helps me understand them, and sometimes even predict them - if I can see it coming, it isn't as bothersome.

However, they arent' for everyone - some people swear by weighing 1/week, and some people threw out the scale and only weigh every few months at the doctors or the gym.

You have to find what works for you. But I agree with ud - whatever method you choose, just focus on the trend line, and don't look at the individual numbers.

The trend line is the only thing that keeps me going...I was just hoping to understand the science behind the fluctuations.  Why I weigh more after exercising or not eating after 6pm...why I weigh less if I take a day or two off from walking or any type of exercise, etc.  It just wears me out mentally sometimes to jump as much as 3-4 pounds in a day.

I have made it a personal law to never step on the scale except in the morning because I can't even begin to understand how 10 hours, a bowl of cereal, tuna sandwich, tons of water and a light dinner can add 5+ pounds to the morning weight.  Insanity and it's now illegal for me to go near the scale after 9am.

It has helped me to remember that it is impossible to lose a pound of fat in a day. It is also impossible to gain a pound of fat without going 3500 over your maintenance. (did I get that right?)

anyway, mine fluctuates a lot. I weigh every day but only record it on one day. TTOTM will wreak havoc on the scales too. Either be prepared or don't weigh!

My trend is down, even though I've gone up and down by up to 5lbs.

Also, after working out my muscles retain water so I am always up on days following strength workouts.

I am in favor of daily weighing as long as you don't worry too much about the fluctuations.  Certain foods -- pancakes and syrup, pizza -- always push my weight up -- usually a day or two after the meal.  Certain activities -- a 60 mile bike ride -- will push my weight down temporarily.  So, if my children come for a visit and we socialize over pizza and beer and then have a big breakfast the next morning, my weight will shoot up 3 or 4 pounds.  When I bike commute the next day, those pounds will disappear.  Most of that fluctuation is fluid build up and release.

The weight that you are interested in changes slowly over time.  We get fat over years for the most part.  And it takes years for the excess weight to really go away.  If your weight suddenly shoots up or drops down, you will come back to your set point fairly quickly.

What you haven't mentioned is your per cent body fat (BF%) and your ideal weight.  If you don't know what your BF% is, you should find out and set your weight goal rather loosely -- within a couple of pounds plus or minus of weight that puts you say in the 15% to 20% body fat range.  In other words the weight fluctuations that you are fretting over have very little impact on your BF% or BMI.

Days you "fall off the wagon" should see no more than maybe .1-.3 pounds of weight gain, unless you just really pigged out. You can't remain accountable via day-to-day weigh ins, you are supposed to be making long-term weight changes here. You have to measure on the long-term as well.

Fluctuations will not happen nearly as much on a low-carb diet, if you really want to get rid of them though.

You should check out the 'Hacker's Diet' online.  You can read the whole thing online and it talks about smoothing out the ups and downs of daily weights.  Its really cool!

Hah, hah, that was cute. 

Focus on that trendline!  Weight varies greatly, especially if you don't have a top-of-the-line scale.  Actually, have you ever stood on the scale at the doctor's office, the weighted one, and had it move as you stood there?  What is important is that it goes down over time. 

It also helps to keep track of your body measurements and workout logs, so you have other measures of your progress when the scale is "weigh" frustrating.

No "Weigh"!

:)

Yes, I do know how scales can fluctuate...I bought a digital body fat memory scale a year or so ago and it actually registers about 5 lbs heavier than my "normal" scale.  If my normal scale reads 161ish then the hi tech digital scale will read 166.4.  Crazy but I don't let it get to me and I always go by the digital scale weight.

But I don't "weigh"st time worrying over those kinds of fluctuations...I just worry when the same scale weighs differently everyday when the variables haven't changed. 

Thanks for the insight though...I do plan to start taking physical measurements to help me determine if I'm losing weight.