Just a quick tidbit.

Last week at weigh-in on Friday morning, I was just a tad over 216, which puts me at right around 15 pounds to goal. This morning I stepped on the scale, and was shocked to see 223.7! I KNOW I've been good, eating carefully, exercising a LOT (tons of cardio plus weight training plus calisthenics at home plus now yoga), so there was no reason for that much of a change.

On a whim, I stepped off and back on the scale -- hmm, 221.5. Somehow I'd lost two pounds in 30 seconds. Oh right, where you stand on a scale and what your posture is, etc., drastically affects the weight reading. Weighed a couple more times, same number, around 221. So then I thinks "oh wait, I've had one and a half BIG (22 oz) cups of coffee this morning." I know the old "a pint (16oz)'s a pound" adage, but just to be sure, I go weigh a full cup of coffee, and it's almost three pounds. So, I've drank four pounds of coffee -- check. Then I realize: oh, I usually weigh in boxers or in the buff before my shower, and I'm wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt; surely those can't weigh more than a few ounces? No -- they weighed nearly three pounds. So I chuckle, realize that the scale is just not super accurate, and go about my day. I do my morning calisthenics plus my cardio (30 minutes of intense sweating, probably losing another pint of fluid). I go upstairs to shower, and weigh again in the buff, after going pee, using my regular foot positioning and posture -- 216.7.

What does it mean? THE SCALE LIES. It's good to keep an eye on your weight, but you simply CANNOT get too hung up on little blips along the way. You can EASILY swing the number a couple pounds in one way or another just by standing differently. For the reading to have ANY use, you have to make sure that every damn thing is the same -- same amount of Fluid, same clothing, same time of day, same position and posture on the scale, everything. Even then, tiny Water weight gains can add or remove a couple pounds in a day, easy -- and when you're further along the weight loss thing, like me, it's good to lose a pound or two (of fat!) per month, so these "little" scale fluctuations can EASILY swallow up your "real" weight (fat) changes, and you simply can NOT let yourself get too hung up.

Better is to measure your body fat percentage, if you have access to a body fat scale (or best yet, a dunk tank) since what you really want is not for your weight to go down, but your FAT to go down. Also, measure your shape changes -- tummy, hips, arms, legs, etc. -- so that you can see where your body shape is changing even when your weight isn't (even though my weight has been stubbornly in the 215-220 range for a while now, I can tell that I'm getting *buff*, so it's still progres).

Bottom line, the scale lies. PLEASE don't get too hung up on the exact number. It'll drive you nuts! Just keep doing what you're supposed to do (eat lots of lean Protein, lots of good complex carbs, drink lots of water, get lots of exercise) and... live your life!

Edit: I should add that my scale is a good, high quality weight watchers scale; it's about as good and accurate (even for larger weights) as you're going to get in a non swing-arm scale (you know, the kind in the doctor's office). It's not just a case of a crappy scale, it's a case of all scales being imprecise, and other factors making as much of a difference as actual fat weight changes.

I think am going to ditch my scale it lies a lot lol.

Actually I think getting rid of your scale wouldn't be a bad idea. If you're like me, you have other places you can weigh yourself -- at the gym, at your doctor/nutritionist's office, etc. And getting rid of the scale at home will help you kick the habit of obsessing over tiny, normal fluctuations.

I do think when u are losing weight, your scale gets confused its not the same amount of pressure on it so it gets wacky....I had to adjust mine..some how it magically moved from -0- to like 3 pounds when I wasnt standing on it.

You are right...the scale lies to us sometimes!

One way to make it lie slightly less is to step on it with something heavy in your hands (I use the magazine basket full of reading material and extra TP in the bathroom) and then step on it again a minute later to actually weigh yourself. Even the digital ones can get "stuck" at a number, so using this method helps them get "unstuck"--my dad told me his doctor had told him this, and I definitely find it happens on my scale (no way was I actually exactly 197.2 for four days, for example...) So, try that!

After the pre-op diet, I weighed 243 going in to surgery. On day 2 post-op, I weighed 255. I had not had anything but tiny amounts of broth & jello, so I didn't know how this could be. I know they loaded me up with fluids, running 2 IVs at a time , but didn't seem like it could be that much. My dr said everyone's different, but that eventually, I'd pee it all out. I had surgery Monday 4/9 & today I am finally down to 243. I have not eaten food since last Sunday AM. I just wanted to share because it certainly alarmed me to gain 12 lbs in 2 days, but what he said is happening. I was so discouraged to think that after a week of clear liquids I hadn't lost even 1 pound, but my husband told me he can tell by looking at me that I have lost weight, especially in my face. So the scale can sure bring you down! I think I am going to follow the advice I've seen here & weigh only occasionally rather than every day like I have been.