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How often do you step on the scale?

Old 01-08-2010, 02:03 AM
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Question How often do you step on the scale?

I think one of my frustrations is that I want to see daily progress in my weight loss, so I get on the scale very day.

Sometimes my family will go out to eat, and I will end up eating more food than the current diet allows. For example, last night we went out to eat and I had a steak at Applebee's. Calorie-wise, I was still under 2000 calories (but not by much), so in a way it was a cheat day for me since I right now I usually try to stick to 1200-1500 until I am at my weight goal (which I am so close to, I can almost taste).

I stepped on the scale this morning and was 1.6lbs higher than yesterday. Then I got mad at myself for "eating so much".

But I didn't really eat that much. If 3500 calories is converted into 1lb of fat, that means I would have had to have eat an extra 5600 yesterday to gain 1.6lbs of fat, which is just ridiculous. I am assuming this weight comes from the actual food matter still being digested.

Am I shooting myself in the foot by weighing myself every day? Should I go to once a week, or once very few days instead?
wydok is offline  
Old 01-08-2010, 02:11 AM
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Also the amount of water in the body fluctuates, so even if you get on the scale every day, try to see the numbers as a trend. Your body weight numbers are not going to be a perfect linear progression. Or get on the scale no more than twice a week.
Good luck!
e
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Old 01-08-2010, 02:44 AM
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Yes, people generally recommend a weekly weigh-in. I, on the other hand, like real-time data. I weigh myself every morning so I can see the data on the Fitday graph. I also weigh myself most nights. I know I lose about two pounds over night, so I look at it as a preview.
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Old 01-08-2010, 04:17 AM
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I step on a scale about once a month. The reason being that when we gain muscle, our weight could temporarily go up - and that's discouraging.The results are better measured by how our clothing feels, body measurements and whether or not we're getting more muscle tone.
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Old 01-08-2010, 04:34 AM
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this week I have stepped on it every day because this is my first week back on the road to weight loss. I am very bad about weighing daily as I shouldn't do, but I am hoping to become more disciplined and only weigh once a week!

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Old 01-08-2010, 08:18 AM
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I weigh myself every day first thing in the morning, but understand that my weight will fluctuate based on water retention, time of the month, etc.

A handy tool for tracking long-term weight trends is https://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/HackDiet/ It smooths the daily weights statistically so you see trends rather than 'I ate salty popcorn and drank a gallon of water before bed'.
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Old 01-08-2010, 09:25 AM
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For some reason I weigh every day too. It makes me think of my diet more if I see the scale moving, hopefully the right way.
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Old 01-09-2010, 02:38 AM
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I am just getting back on track since the new year as many of us are. I am going to stick to weighing myself once a week. Always at the same time. I find it motivates me to wonder what is going to happen in 7 days. It's kind of like not peeking at your Christmas presents. If your calorie intake is accurate, you will know if you are succeeding by that. If I was not trying to lose and was just maintaining my weight, I would probably weigh more often. As another person said, there are many factors that affect your weight. Just try to be consistent. Think of it as a controlled science experiment.
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Old 01-11-2010, 02:16 AM
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Default Weekly weighing

I weigh myself once a week at the same time and under the same conditions so that I am comparing apples to apples (first thing in the morning, after I use the bathroom but before I eat or drink anything, and no clothes on).

I would drive myself crazy weighing once a day. Weight fluctuates depending on sodium intake, exercise (increased excercise can make you hold onto water), etc.

I also try to focus on my healthy habits instead of the scale. The scale is important, but the healthy behaviors are what get the scale to move down.
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Old 01-11-2010, 02:26 AM
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When I first started my diet in 1-6-09 I would weigh myself every monday or it would drive me crazy. I lost 44lbs. I am maintaing my weight now by weighing everyday if I go up 1 lb I watch what I eat more closely.
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