The scale...

[nikkiperezcassar 36]

So I just started my 6 mo documented diet plan required by my insurance and my scale is driving me insane. I can't tell if it's no longer working or if I really fluctuate this much from day to day. I just find it hard to believe I gain or lose around 2-3 lbs a day! Does anyone have any recommendations for a accurate home scale? I know mine will always differ from my doctors but to at least see some consistency would be nice.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Swampdoggie 477]

Hmm. There are folks who will advise to abandon the scale. I use my scale but i try not o get too hung up on it because the body does indeed fluctuate and sometimes in a big way. So At home we have a big old physician scale with the weights and slides etc. But at work I have a little eat smart scale (which weighs lower than the one at home) and measures fat content Water percent muscle percent and bone mass. I know it sounds crazy to have 2 scales but it actually helps me because I can see positive changes even when the weight itself might not be giving me news I want.

[ANewBeginning15 41]

You're going to drive yourself crazy weighing every day. I would lose weight for 2 weeks after my cycle and then 2 weeks before, it stagnated. So I worked extra hard to get as much off as possible during my "favorable" weeks. Once weekly weigh-ins is what my doc advised.

[jane13 2,256]

@@nikkiperezcassar - I just went to first f/u visit with doctor and his scale at that particular office (he has three) weighed me about two pounds less than mine at home. I went home and weighed myself for an idea of a difference if there was one.

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

Agree with @jane13. When I know I am goin to be weighed at the doctors office, I weigh before going so I can see how my scale compares to theirs. In the end they will be comparing apples to apples anyway because they will always be using their scale.< /p>

Try not to let the scale drive you nuts. We are all just so excited to see the weight come off we can get a bit crazy.

I weigh every couple days but when it hasn't moved I am not as happy but I know the next time I get on it will.

Make sure you are getting your fluids in, it really does make a huge difference! Good luck!!

[JamieLogical 8,727]

Weight can definitely fluctuate a LOT from day to day. If you plan to weigh daily, make sure the conditions are as consistent as possible. I always weigh myself first thing in the morning, naked, after peeing. Even so, some days I'll be retaining some Water or be constipated or whatever and my weight will fluctuate from the previous day. The key is to watch for TRENDS, rather than worrying about the differences from day to day.

[Teachamy 1,042]

I only trust the scale at my doctor's office and the scale at my dietician's office. I will pop in either place occasionally to check my weight there. They are calibrated, so I trust them.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

I am one of those people who weighs every day. It helps keep me on the straight and narrow path, and keeps me out of trouble. For others, it would indeed be a crazy-maker. I am also one of those slow losers who, if I gain 2-3 pounds of weight overnight (Water or not) it takes me nearly a month of intense struggling to lose it. Ugh!

[AvaFern 3,516]

I weigh every day first thing in the morning, and sometimes if I'm feeling a little obsessive at night too. I only write down what I weigh in the morning though. Oddly enough before the sleeve I easily fluctuated anywhere from 2-4 pounds almost everyday. Now that I have the sleeve, for the most part I weigh roughly the same thing everyday and over the course of a week I fluctuate maybe 2-4 pounds depending upon how much I eat and work out. I also weigh on two scales. The first scales is the one I had when I started with the sleeve and the second is my Aria scale which I got because it seemed cool that it syncs to MyFitnessPal. It is also anywhere from 0.8-2 pounds heavier than my first scale. So...I weigh on both every morning and then if one scale says I somehow gained 2 pounds while the other one says I gained nothing, I know that I may not be as bad off as it seems. I love my scale...it keeps me focused on the goal and aware of my weight every day. The only times I have gained significantly in life were time I stopped weighing myself every day. It keeps me accountable.

[IcanMakeit 1,319]

I only weighed myself once a week during the weight loss phase. Weight fluctuates so much from day to day that you will drive yourself nuts if you weigh daily while trying to lose weight. But now that I'm in maintenance, I do weigh every day. I want to be able to spot and deal with any problems as early as possible. I make sure I weigh in, wearing nothing, first thing in the morning before my first glass of Water every time.

[DavidK 19]

Yes your weight can really fluctuate that much or more per day. On previous diets, particularly low carb diets, I saw my weight fluctuate between 5 and 10 lbs per day. One thing which may help is to only weigh yourself once per day, and always at the same time. First thing in the morning seems to give me the most consistent weights. The fluctuations also decrease as your body adjusts in my experience.

[kathousefl 62]

I am one of those-weight-myself-everyday-people. I don't recommend it for everyone though, especially if the fluctuations drive you bonkers. All scales are slightly different, so pick one and use the same one all of the time. My internist actually suggested I weigh myself every day, so I could keep a close eye on things. I think she has seen a lot of people gain weight back, so I have stuck with her suggestion as well as my surgeon's food recommendations.

That being said, my weight does fluctuate throughout the day and a bit from day-to-day. It usually stays within a three-pound range though.

[Miss Meg 199]

I also weigh myself daily, and same as JamieLogical I do it first thing in the morning, naked after a toilet visit - religously. Some days I weigh myself every time that I walk past the bathroom. However, I only record my results every Thursday. The reason I do it daily is the same as everyone else, just trying to see how my body deals with things on a daily basis, and to remind myself constantly why I am doing this. Throughout the day, I can go up and down as much as a couple of kg's, but I fully believe that my morning weight is the most accurate. I've just been through a bit of a stall with not losing anything for a couple of weeks, and I really believe that because I weighed myself daily, was part of the reason that I was able to make it eventually shift...

[B-52 7,113]

If you're doing a documented 6 month diet program, don't they keep accurate records...weigh ins?

I know I had to go weekly......

Later on, after your surgery, you'll want to weight yourself often...it is a positive motivational tool to see the weight coming off....

I did, and even though I am done loosing I still weight myself everyday, sometimes twice...it's a positive reinforcement.

[nikkiperezcassar 36]

They do, I'm just scared if I don't weigh myself daily I'll get off track! Sounds like weekly will be the better option for now at least. After surgery will be a different story!