If you are a chronic weigher, be prepared to have your bubble burst.
Jumping on the scale multiple times a day, not only puts your motivation and piece of mind through the wringer, its also pointless.
Your weight fluctuates through out the day. I’m not talking tenths of pounds, I’m talking 3, 4, 5 pounds through out the course of the day. And it’s completely normal. Rationally, we know its impossible to gain 5 pounds of fat in a day (to do so you would have to consume 17,500 extra calories) so why torture yourself? A multitude of things effect your weight during the day, and none of which have anything to do with body fat.
Next time you freak out about a weight shift from one weigh to the next, ask yourself these questions:
When did I last eat?
If you just have a big meal, all that food hasn’t had a chance to digest yet, and is just sitting there in your belly. It’s just like you were holding that meal in your hands when you stepped on the scale; the food has weight and that weight gets added to yours.
What did I last eat?
Often, the healthiest foods are the heaviest in terms of weight. Fruits and veggies are great for your health and your waistline, but because they are so full of water and bulky fiber, they can temporarily add pounds to the scale.
If you ate a salty meal, like canned soup or a frozen dinner, the scale may also take a temporary jump. Your body retains water after you eat a lot of salt to dilute the excess sodium in your system, which can cause you to bloat.
Going light on carbs could explain a false lower reading. Carbohydrates, your body’s number one source of energy, are like a sponge- they hold water in your body. If you cut carbs, you risk dehydration, as there is nothing to prevent water from going straight through your system. The scale may read a bit lower, but it’s just because you are missing water, not from fat loss.
What did I last drink?
If you just polished off a bottle of water, the weight of that water will show up on the scale. A liter of water weighs about 2 pounds, so if that water hasn’t had a chance to get through your system, it’s going to add to your weight.
If you had a few drinks last night, or a few cups of coffee this morning, you are probably dehydrated, as both are a diuretic, and you may be weighing in a few pounds less that your actual weight. Once the missing water is replaced in your system, your weight should return to normal.
Water is on of the biggest causes of inaccurate scale readings. It takes 3,500 calories to gain or lose a pound of fat; that’s nearly impossible to do in a day.
Its best to weigh weekly, at the same time, first thing ion the morning on an empty stomach to get the most accurate reading possible. Or to save yourself a headache all together, focus on what matters: body fat. Handheld body fat devices cost about as much as your bathroom scale, and are a better way to track your progress.
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Comments
Olivia
July 14th, 2009 - 10:10:29 AM
I weigh myself first thing every morning, right after my shower. That way, I'm consistent. But yeah, I agree, it's not really necessary. Then again, I don't really get too worked up about it either. I dunno, no harm, no foul.
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Liz
July 15th, 2009 - 12:12:05 PM
Yeah Kelly. Happy to find where your writing now. Keep it up. The topics are great. In terms of weighing, I try not to do it. Rather I just go with how my clothes feel. Just a whole let stressful that way. Oh - I also commented on your write-up about healthy behaviors being instilled in kids. I forgot to mention it then: I WANT NUT BUTTER TOO!
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Jess
July 15th, 2009 - 12:18:55 PM
Really, I should just stop weighing myself at all. I want Artisan nut butter!
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Christin
July 15th, 2009 - 12:31:41 PM
The other day, I weighed myself before and after my workout and there was a difference of 1.3 lbs! Even though I was drinking water, I "lost" weight because of sweating.
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Hallie
July 15th, 2009 - 1:20:23 PM
I try to find the "perfect" time to weigh-in once a week, keeping all these factors in mind (did I eat Mexican food last night? Ok no weighing for two days). And I am still never happy with the number, haha. It's frustrating because I know I let that little machine dictate my mood/self-worth, yet although I no longer weigh daily, I just can't give it up. (although..if I win that nut butter contest, maybe I'll never weigh myself again...and that'd be OK!)
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SarahF
July 15th, 2009 - 1:30:06 PM
I never weigh myself- I gained 10 pounds when I started working out and it made me so sad...until I realized that I have muscle now. My boyfriend saw a picture of me from my first year of University, and although my weight hasn't changed since then besides the 10 pounds of muscle, he told me my entire body composition looks different (since my first year I drank 5-6 times a week and lived off of chicken fingers and fries...and now I try to eat healthy and exercise). P.S. I read this article before but I just never commented. However with the temptation of nut butters I had to. I've read all the articles on here Kelly-and I love them all :)
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Sagan
July 15th, 2009 - 1:39:44 PM
It's when my pants get tight/loose that I figure my weight must be changing. We put far too much stock in the scale.
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Laura
July 15th, 2009 - 1:55:45 PM
I've recently been trying to stop obsessing over the number on the scale and instead been trying to focus on how I feel, and how my clothes fit, regardless of the number on the scale. Your article helped me to understand that there are a lot of factors that go into our overall weight. Thanks!
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Kristie
July 15th, 2009 - 6:23:52 PM
I rarely hop on the scale anymore. It IS way too much of a headache. I just go by how I feel about my body and my eating habits and check maybe once a week (if that).The numbers just don't do much for me anymore. If my habits stay pretty much the same then so do the numbers. And I've definitely fluctuated up and down 1-2 lbs within the same day before when weighing multiple times a day. That's enough to drive anyone completely mental! If you eat healthy and stay active then who cares what some digital box reads.
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