It always amazes me...

[VitoVino]

... that I can weigh myself just before going to sleep, and then in the morning after dropping cargo the scale reads (3) pounds lighter!

And no, for anyone thinking it, I'm not

[vabeachgirlNYC]

Overshare....

[VitoVino]

Well, maybe, but only if you focus on the "it". It's meant to be humorous, besides, the point is how you wake up lighter, not having done anything but sleep, and the scale reads a few pounds less, even before one does the deed.

You ladies never discuss these kinds of things?

[handcycle2005]

You do dehydrate overnight, you burn some glycogen, releasing the water it binds to, you pee(maybe).

[VitoVino]

But 3 pounds... it's amazing. I've seen this consistently over the weeks.

And the question begs, what is the TRUE weight then? They say to weigh after the morning constitutional, which I do. But is that my real weight, the one that I determine if I'm overweight or not? Or is it the weight before I go to bed that I should be taking into account?

Really, I'm about this and haven't found any answers.

[handcycle2005]

That you weigh on the same schedule is what's important. The actual number is secondary, what you're looking for is a change over a period of weeks/months.

If you maintain a steady schedule of eating, exercise, etc., the change will reflect the true weight loss/gain.

[VitoVino]

Thanks HC.

But I gotta ask, so what weight do I say, "OK, this is a healthy BMI, the one I'm going to maintain." Is that the weight before I go to bed, or the one 3 pounds less in the morning?

If it were a 1/2 pound, even a pound difference, I doubt I'd be asking this. But 3 pounds is kinda a lot. And the point where I plan to maintain is right on the border of "fit" and "overweight". A three pound swing puts me on both sides of that equation.

Sorry, I don't mean to be a pain. But I've gotten no definitive answer on this, searching the interwebs. I really don't think anybody knows.

If I had to pick one, I'd go against conventional wisdom and use the night time weight instead of the morning weight (which is what everyone says to use). Either way, the Calorie Police won't come a'knockin... but I'll sure know.

[almeeker]

I usually count the measurement I take first thing in the morning, naked, after I pee. I'm a woman, we usually want to weigh as little as possible and if I've seen that weight today, then that's my weight dammit! But you're right, at my doctor's office my official weight is at whatever time they deem it necessary to see me, fully clothed, shoes off, minus my purse, plus right after I pee (if I get the chance). So typically they weigh me 5-7 lbs heavier than I consider myself. Fabulous... My strategy has been to select a goal weight for myself that is smack dab in the middle of my suggested healthy range. So for you maybe you need to drop your goal weight by 3 lbs and just deal? Dude it's just a number, do you feel good, do you look good, can you keep up or even ahead of your life? Then screw the scale you don't need to sweat the little stuff and the number on the scale is surely little enough. And yes, we ladies discuss this stuff, only more so.

[VitoVino]

nuff said.

[SHDenver]

I think at some of my heavier weights I could drop 5lbs in a night. It's crazy.