Should I be weighing myself every day?
This thread debates weekly vs daily weighing.
Should I be weighing myself every day?
I've seen that some people here do it and I'm thinking that maybe it will give me more accountability. Thoughts?
Mon. Nov 21, 8:13pm
Wellllll...
I find that it drives me a bit batty, so I weigh myself weekly. I used to skip the weeks I was pre-menstrual, but then I was skipping the week after my period, before my period, and then just skipping it. So even though I may see the scale fluctuate slightly pre-period, I know if it goes up a lot that it's not bloating, it's all the chips and ice cream I've been eating! :)
But you should also measure to keep track as well. Make sure you write EXACTLY where you're measuring, so you don't "misremember."
It's all downhill from here! :)
Sophie
Monday, November 21, 2005, 8:18 PM
Weighing in every day
There's two schools of thought on this. I was always taught that weighing yourself every day is not productive due to hormonal weight fluctuations if you're a woman. There was recently a study done that suggests that people who weigh themselves every day have more success in keeping the weight off. I think, for me, that it would be a bit too much to jump on that scale every day. I'm going to opt for once a week at the same time, in the same clothes.
Monday, November 21, 2005, 8:50 PM
I believe you should weigh yourself daily but do a weekly average. Don't stress about the daily fluctuations. The weekly average is a much more "realistic" number of what your weight is. Also, be sure to weigh at the same time each day (first thing in the morning is best).
Tuesday, November 22, 2005, 12:06 AM
Agree with Sophie
I weigh in every week on tuesdays.. I think it doesnt make me too obsessive and keeps me in check at the same time.. I too dont bother too much abt my Pre-menstrual weigh in, but I weigh neverthless to keep on track
Tuesday, November 22, 2005, 7:18 AM
I believe that you should weigh once a week, and around the same time. I weigh in the morning just before breakfast, preferabbly naked or just in your undies ;) Every gramme counts! :(
barbara.j
Tuesday, November 22, 2005, 8:00 AM
Taking your weight every day is a good way to get discouraged. If you decide to do it, I agree with the poster who says to take your average for the week. Take the number with a grain of salt and don't beat yourself up over it! Even men's weights fluctuate from day to day. I take mine once a week.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005, 8:19 AM
Eat Watch (hacker's Diet)
I weigh myself everyday, but I put it into a program, Eat Watch, that gives me a moving average. I can tell pretty easily if I'm gaining weight on average. Otherwise, if you weigh yourself once a week, who knows if weight gain or weight loss is due to a temporary glitch (premenstrual water gain, dehydration, etc.).
Tuesday, November 22, 2005, 8:35 AM
I actually very seldom weigh myself. I find it makes me focus too much on numbers rather than on general wellness and health.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005, 11:12 AM
Its actually true that people who weigh every day are more successful at keeping it off and staying motivated. It makes sense, if you o see it everyday you know your either still losing or at least the same. If you weigh once a week or once every 2 weeks the weight can creep up on you and you might end up feeling disappointed and slip back into old habits. I weigh everyday after waking up but average it out weekly.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005, 1:05 AM
I now am thinking.. Shud I start weighing myself everyday as well????????
Wednesday, November 23, 2005, 2:00 AM
I agree with the "Weekly Average"
I have been using the "weekly average" method of calculating my weight for almost 5 years now.
A few qualifiers:
(1) I am male, so I do not go through a monthly hormonal fluctuations of which I am aware.
(2) I drink beer, however, which can add 2-3 pounds or more of water weight to a daily weigh-in.
(3) I also usually get in a pre-dawn workout before I weigh in, which will sweat out the water weight I might have added the night before.
Simplest solution: weight in every day, and take the weekly average. It has worked for me for several years.
Digby
Wednesday, November 23, 2005, 7:50 PM
Yes, I think weighing yourself every day really works for accountability. I do this, I weigh myself every other day so I know if I have to watch it some days or really need a workout. Scales are great if they don't stress you out.
Friday, November 25, 2005, 9:37 AM
Web MD article
Please read both pages of the article and decide what's best for you.
Link
Saturday, November 26, 2005, 11:06 PM
Thanks for the link
Great articles in Web MD...I think balance is important and what works for you. I'm fairly analytical and number oriented. i can also tolerate a 2 lb gain in one day without freaking out. I am looking for the TREND, but find the daily or almost daily weigh-in keeps me focused. If this is a stressor or guilt-producer, skip it and focus on how you feel, how you look in general, etc.The goal is what we set, our pathways ther are many and diverse. Go for it everyone! Debs
Friday, December 02, 2005, 12:42 AM
Try Graphing Your Weight
I agree with the posters who emphasize the importance of looking at trends in your weight rather than obsessing about each day's number. An easy, low tech way to do this is to tape a piece of paper above the scale and plot your weight on it each day. I find that a scale of about 5lbs to the inch makes it easy to separate random flutters from backsliding... Then again I'm the kind of nerd who has graph paper lying around the house.
Saturday, December 03, 2005, 12:55 AM
Hey fellow nerd :) you reminded me that graphing the weight loss is the one biggest motivator I've had in successful diets. For anyone who is a visual thinker, it really is nice to 'see' the pounds step down! Hmmmm, off to the suggesting box!
Sunday, February 12, 2006, 11:01 AM
fitday.com
I use www.fitday.com
Enter your weighth every day or every other day and then you can run reports every week, 2 weeks, or month and it will show you how your weight has changed over time. It's nice to see the big picture.
Also, weight at the same time (mornings really are best naked before a shower :)
Sunday, February 12, 2006, 3:36 PM
Click on the link to see a review of the medical literature on this topic: "To Weigh or Not to Weigh...That is the Question."
Link
Sunday, February 12, 2006, 6:22 PM
I am weird
I really don't weigh myself but I look at the change by how my clothing fits. I check in the weight like once 1 month. If that...
Wednesday, July 05, 2006, 8:27 AM
I weight myself every morning when naked but only log once a week my weight lost. I find it keeps me on track. If I'm up 2 pounds and have 3 days to log my weight lost here then I get cracking to lose the 2 pounds I gained. I find just having to log here helps me stay on track.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006, 10:43 AM
I weigh myself every day as soon as I wake up. Then I plot my weight on a graph in an excel document I created. My weight graph looks like a mountain range with its peaks and valleys, but the general trend is down. When my weight is up from one day to the next, it works as inspiration to get my lazy butt to the gym or drink more water that day or something. Admittedly, when my weight is down from the day before, I get complacent and may not workout, but before long, I'll see the one pound "gain" and get back on the regiment.
Sunday, August 13, 2006, 7:00 AM
From Prevention Magazine
"Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular diet programs, but studies now show that daily weighing is the key to lasting loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. The reason: "The more often you monitor your results, the quicker you can catch the behavioral slip that causes weight gain," says Jakicic."
Link
Sunday, August 13, 2006, 9:03 AM
Weigh every day!
I can't tell you how much it helps! If the weight is not moving downward or is going up- that's the call to action! If you only weigh once a week or only record once a week it's not enough feedback. You could have gone 5lbs in the wrong direction if you only weigh once a week.
I agree wholeheartedly with the 7:00a and 9:03 posters! 7a poster, sounds like Hacker's diet program?
Sunday, August 13, 2006, 11:15 AM