How often should you weight yourself?

How often should you weigh yourself?

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40%

 (12) 

Daily

56%

 (17) 

Weekly

3%

 (1) 

Monthly

30 Members voted

[meghanjo91]

I want to know everyone's out take on this. I weigh myself daily just to see if any progress is made. Some people say this messes with motivation. What do you think?

[Barb135]

It's a personal preference, mostly.  I usually weigh daily, because I can stay alert to problems that might arise.  The biggest thing is not really take it all that seriously, because weight can fluctuate immensely, from day to day or even within the same day, depending on when you last ate, went to the bathroom, exercised, etc.  A one pound increase overnight is probably not fat, but fluid.  My weight can fluctuate as much as 5-6 pounds in the same day.  

Just remember that it takes 3500 calories to gain a pound.  If you didn't eat 3500 calories in the last 24 hrs, chances are you won't gain a pound of fat overnight.  Exceptions might be illnesses that affect metabolism, etc.

That said, it's still a matter of balancing calories between exercise and diet.

[amyee81]

I weigh myself every morning and take notes on how it can fluctuate. For me its usually 1-3 lbs depending on what I ate and the time of the month.

[Trinitysyeyo]

I weigh myself every Monday. Too many fluctuations daily to give you an accurate view of weight. Looking at clothes and how they fit is also a good indicator on what I'm doing. So if one week I gain weight on the scale but my clothes are loose than I know it was most likely water weight or swelling from exercise.

[Barb135]

It's also a good idea to take your measurements, in inches, because if you are exercising, etc, you could be building muscle that might keep the scale from going down, but a pound of muscle takes up less room than a pound of fat, so you could still be losing inches, even if the scale isn't moving.

[ducky406]

I've been weighing myself once a week for the longest time. But then I jumped up nearly 2 kgs due to bloating so I decided to weight myself twice a week. I figure that if there is too extreme of a change I'll average the numbers, and if there is only a couple hundred grams I'd just ignore it. Still I don't put too much in store by the scale.

I also measure myself once a month, although I think I did a mistake when I first started because this measurement falls on my monthly cycle. To counteract any bloating, I just worry about big changes.  

Honestly though, I'm not really fussed about the numbers. Part of it is because my current health. I'm waiting on surgery and seeing specialists- so I'm afraid of doing too much. But most of it may be because I've been obese nearly all my life. For the first time in my life I'm loosing, so why stress myself over the speed?  

[amyee81]

Thank u  all.  I am trying to lose  forty pounds but not fast. Maybe eight lbs a month.  That seems ok.

[Barb135]

Safe weight loss is considered to be 1-2 pounds/week, so 8 pounds/month is a very reasonable goal.

I, too, have about 40 pounds to lose, so when you figure out the magic method, please let me know............lol    Or maybe we can just all join up and work at it together.  

[ducky406]

Lol me too? That magic method will be very helpful! I've got almost 70 I'm trying to shake off. *Sighs* Guess we should look at it as character building?

[toughilou]

I've lost 60 lbs so far. I started out weighing 210. I weigh in every morning naked after I tinkle. Haha. I figure I need all the encouragement I can get. 150 is my current weight.

[babe4chevy]

I weight daily. I am 160lbs right now & want to be 120lbs by Aug. I like it as a motivator to see however some people say that it can be discouraging. I just understand that my body may change by a few pounds but at the end of the a week I can usually always see progress I have been losing about 3lbs a week & it's felt great! The changes I have made would possibly seem small but for me they are HUGE steps toward my goal! I am drinking nothing but water & I take a "shot" of vinegar a day. I eat more times a day but less food & I make healthier choices. I am also wearing a pedometer to see the average I walk a day & tracking everything!! (:
I wish you lots of luck in your weigh loss "journey"!

[kaclark]

I just started my journey for the second time, and I have a difficult time not weighing myself every day, however I only weighed myself twice this week and seeing the weight loss of 3 lbs is a lot more motivating then just a couple of ounces just overnight, this counting calories had done wonders for me

[steel83]

i weigh my self about 2-3 times a day, lol, my mum and girlfriend thinks im getting obsessed, the thing is i was just over 20 stone this christmas just gone and i was getting depressed being fat.  so my new years reselution was to lose the fat so i set myself a target and im still sticking to it now, i have lost 5 stone in 5 months and without weighing myself everyday i dont think i would have got this far. im so happy when i get on the scales and see i have lost something, even an ounce.  it gives me the confedene and will power to carry on with what im doing. i keep trying different diets and if i dont lose any weight in 2 weeks i change the diet. its a bit like using ketone sticks to see if your bodys in fat burning mode but im using the scale. i totally agree with you and anyone who thinks different, well its there loss, let them get on with it. thanks.