When is the best time to weigh?

47 Comments

1. I weigh every Monday morning first thing after getting out of bed. It shows me my weekend indulgences and reminds me to slow down.

2. I tossed my scale years ago and will never buy another one! If I had one, I’d weigh myself no more than once a week, if that. I think, just my opinion, that women are different and tend to tie self-worth to a number, which is unfortunate and why I ditched the scale. If the number is low, we see ourselves differently from when the number creeps up. For many years I have been able to “know” where my weight is, based on how my clothes fit. Speaking strictly for myself, life is too short to obsess over numbers on a daily basis. This is just my view from my experience with scales. If a scale makes or breaks your day… not good.

3. That is a good reason and one Mr. B would agree with Nyla.

4. This is exactly what I have tried to explain to him, but he believes that there is power with understanding the numbers and that I must get over the emotional part of it. I am way better with not letting it ruin my day than I use to be, but still agree that once a week gets it.

5. I weigh every morning as soon as i get up and after i go to the bathroom. This way i still have on my pjs and no shoes. When I weigh at the Dr.’s office it is still higher than at home. I agree that it makes me feel larger than what I think.

6. I don’t think there is a ‘best time’ to weigh. I weigh myself when I get up most days. I’m looking for trends not actual numbers. Having said that, your weight is lowest in the morning, if that makes you happy. My “real” weight is probably about 2-3 pounds higher. How weight sits on our bodies is different from our weight. BMI, etc. are much better indicators of health.

7. Every day unless on vacation. Then a week or more can go by. I don’t get stressed by the number as it only fluctuates by a pound or so. Also think the doctor should give us a clothing weight allowance!!!! May look into this new scale. If only I could get my husband to use it even on a weekly basis.

8. Thank you for your thoughts, Maeve.

9. In the past, I let the doctor’s office scale really upset me, but I am over it! It should not control my day…

10. My husband loves it…but he loves gadgets that help his healthy journey…like his smart watch. I agree on the clothing allowance…but mine shows no mercy!

11. Can’t wait to see that new Talbot’s catalog. It looks luscious!
    I recently bought a new scale. I was using my parents, given to them as a wedding gift (can you imagine?) in 1950. You can reset it at the 0 mark with a dial. I would come home from WW and reset it to be what I weighed, and then my husband would set the starting point back to zero. I finally hid it. Anyway, I am usually a once a week weigh in person, first thing on Fridays, but lately I have been weighing in every morning just to keep my weight in my mind. I seem to eat less sugary items that way. I am also brushing my teeth right after dinner. Less temptations since I have 4 steps, ending with a water pick! Whatever works! I love all the numbers idea but find I have less patience these days. 🙃

12. When I had foot surgery and was in a cast, then boot, for 3 months each time, I was unable to weigh myself. I was scared to death to get on the scale, but (interestingly) my weight had not budged …doesn’t that tell you something about how each person’s body wants desperately to hold on to a certain weight? Otherwise, I go in spurts of weighing daily or weighing every few days. I have to tell myself not to weigh daily, because I’ve been on one diet or another since adolescence and I’m programmed to weigh all the time. I have a friend in similar circumstances who threw out her scale and only weighs at the doctor’s. That was supposed to be freeing, but now each visit is fraught and fearful. I’m a bit of a data geek too, but I don’t see what information Mr. B. is hoping to gain by weighing daily. So many factors impact daily weight that I think he is in the dreaded “data rich, information poor “ zone. I think logically and emotionally once a week, or less, is correct, though I don’t do it.

13. I weigh first thing in the morning. It helps me see what foods show gains, maintain, or help with losing.

14. I was weighed every morning and sometimes afternoon when in the hospital for chemo. I understood why (fluid retention, etc). So it got to be a habit when I got home to weigh almost every day. I see quickly if my weight is up or down and if I have to adjust something I will. I’m kinda between camps. There is power in knowing, but I don’t weigh every day. I almost always do it in the morning before shower. And since I have clothes in at the doctors office, I weigh more there. But not that much more..

15. I think that is Mr. B’s point is when we keep the numbers ever before us then we are more likely to make healthier decisions. Thanks Deborah.

16. As I said to Deborah, he believes more information leads to more accountability.

17. Thanks Shelia!

18. He would agree, Susan…there is power in knowing…good statement.

19. I’m with Mr. B; I like knowing the numbers! I weigh myself every morning and I’m very much aware of a certain 3 pounds that appear right after a heavy meal or too much wine. As someone who was an original WW member at 14 years old because of family history of obesity I can proudly say that at 72 my weight has not changed in 30 years. My happy weight is not unhealthy; it’s where I can still wear clothes I’ve owned for many years. What I have noticed about weight as I’ve aged is where it likes to settle; nowadays it’s around my belly and not my thighs. Since hitting my seventies I can not consume as much food as I used to; I don’t know if that’s a condition of something else but it certainly helps keep the weight off. Pam, you always have an interesting topic to address!

20. My doctor told me I did not have to be weighed at her office. Their scales are different from each other and would have to be calibrated too often for practical purposes. Doctors are looking at a general trend to assess your health, not a specific number. So I weigh myself at home and report that weight. Honestly! I too can get crazy about the numbers on the scale, but water weight is a real issue, especially with women! So maximum is once a week.

21. My husband weighs daily first thing in morning. He’s recently shed 80 or so pounds ( he’s tall- 6 ft 3; was once 6 ft 5).
    I weigh myself when I first get up in the am too- about once every two weeks, and it rarely changes very much. I’m short 5 ft 3 and stay around 126-127. I can’t eat much if the yummy stuff anymore with celiac disease And I don’t care for the new
    processed gf substitutes. Just not the same so I eat very simply. Boring!

22. I completely agree with Mr. B. All kinds of data help me. I weigh every morning and I weigh, measure and track all my food. I have been 25 lbs below my WW goal for over 3 years. Unfortunately due to my waist/height measurement I am still considered overweight. I am told that I am “skinny fat”. My doctor wants me to lose 10 more lbs. I have been unable to do so, but I keep trying. I ordered this scale. Thank you for this post.

23. I weigh in every morning after bathroom trip. I have finally found a scale that weighs me the same as the doctor’s office. It is made by Taylor and is digital. The best always,

24. I weigh everyday after bathroom and of course naked. I write it down in a pocket calendar. I do it for several reasons…to learn to realize it is just a number and that my weight fluctuates at anytime for known and unknown reasons, to catch a creep up and deal with immediately and to celebrate and be encouraged by a loss.

25. I worked for WW for several years as a leader and then training manager. I was responsible for maintaining records of staff weight and counseling staff regarding weight. I’m still in my official LTM goal range though I stopped my monthly official weigh in when WW made significant changes. Despite all that I still weigh myself first thing most mornings. I recognize that my weight can fluctuate a bit from day to day. But if I see more than a couple pounds gain that persists it tells me I need to be more careful with serving sizes, snacking, etc. I am an emotional eater and a gain that persists is my wakeup call.

26. I weigh in every morning after bathroom trip. I finally found a scale that weighs the same as the doctor’s office. It’s made by Taylor and is digital. Have a great day.

27. I’m with Mr. B! I weigh myself every day, first thing in the morning. I like seeing my weight trend and making adjustments in my eating habits. I understand that weight can upset some people and in that case, they shouldn’t weigh in often. However, I’m a numbers person, (not a CPA), and I’m comfortable with checking my weight. For reference, I’m 68 years old, 5′ 3″, and weigh 124 lbs. I love your blog! You cover a wide range of topics so there’s something for everyone. Thank you so much for all you do!

28. This is an interesting look at people’s psychology where weight management, health and body image come into focus. I believe we each arrive at our patterns and self-governance, if you will, based on what is important and salient to us. Most important to me is to wake early and get moving, be productive, right from the start. If I adhere to this, my weight takes care of itself both because I am burning calories early and then all day benefit from that and a natural desire to feed myself healthfully. So then my feeling is, why would I want to mess up all that positivity with a weigh in?! If I suddenly want to check in with myself, have a moment of glaring honesty, I can always hop on the old fashioned doctor’s style scale at the Y.

29. I weigh almost daily. Early, before breakfast… that being said, 4-5 days a week I fast until 11 am (a 16/8 fast). I’ve been on a low carb diet (HFLC) for a little over a year. In the first 9-months I lost 40 pounds, then the past 6-months I’ve done a maintenance plan and maintained the weight loss within 2 pounds! I plan to return to the stricter HFLC in July because I would like to lose another 25 lbs. This is the first weight loss diet I’ve ever been on that has actually allowed me to lose and then maintain the weight loss. The combination of fasting (which helps manage A1C And lower cholesterol and triglycerides) and HFLC has just become part of me. The HFLC is pretty easy to follow and I’m rarely hungry. I’m disabled, so I do chair yoga (30 mins) every other day and recumbent bicycle every other day (30 -mins to 1 hour). My doctor tells me she wishes every senior patient she has was as healthy as I am, which also makes me happy!
    I’m a work in progress, and quickly approaching 70, but my goal is to get where I want to be weight and health wise by my 70th birthday (about 18 months away). The biggest reason I think this regimen has worked for me is, I enjoying cooking and trying new recipes. My hubby enjoys the new culinary surprises, though I always have to add more carbs to his plate to meet his dietary needs.

30. I weigh occasionally, 2nd thing in the morning. But I see the advantage of Mr. B’s viewpoint, I trust numbers. I loved accounting In school, and worked at a bank in and after high school before I joined the airline. I am one of those people who painstakingly reconcile the bank statement to the penny.

31. I weigh every morning. I believe it’s the best way to keep your weight where you want it. I find depending on what I’ve had to eat the day or night before can make a 2-3 lb difference. Even though that can be from a salty meal or overindulging, I know I have to keep on track. I’ve been a slimmer person most of my life but at one time was up 20 lbs. As soon as I started weighing myself every morning it encouraged me to actually walk more and watch what I was eating, as believe me, I love to eat. Different things work for different people. P.S., I still hate getting weighed at the Drs office!

32. I weigh every morning as soon as I get up and go to the bathroom…it keeps me on track, unfortunately I’m still trying to loose the comfort food weight I gained after a long rainy winter…I’m usually not happy, but I can’t wait on a weekly weigh in, and yes my weight is tied to my self-worth and mood for the day………it’s just my personality….I’m not quite on board yet with a scale that gives me a lot of info. I use my WW recommended scale, just the weight…..I tried one with lots of info and it died, never replaced it…..I won’t get weighed at the Dr’s office….I know during the day I can go up to 5lbs, because I’ve checked…..have a great week

33. I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and have been for 30+ years. I am also a CPA. I weigh myself (most) every morning before I get in the shower. I’ve found over the years that a daily check in works for me and has kept me at my goal weight, within 3 to 5 pounds. I’m a petite person and weight can creep up and add up quickly if I don’t watch the scale.

34. I personally weigh myself once a week. Friday morning first thing and I keep track each week.

35. I weigh once a week, either Saturday or Sunday morning, and I record my weight and take all my body measurements. Sometimes the number on the scale doesn’t tell the whole story, and is not an accurate reflection of your shape changing, so I do both. I normally weigh as soon as I get up and have gone to the bathroom. I don’t even put on contacts or body lotion before I climb on that scale – L O L. I weigh without any clothes on and. George eating or drinking anything so that I get an accurate measurement. I wear granny panties now so surely those weigh at least a pound, right? My doctor’s office scale does tend to differ from mine so I weigh myself in my outfit before going to an appointment and then come home and re-calibrate my scale so that it shows exactly the same. It turns out my scale was adding pounds! My mother is legendary for responding to any announcement of weight lost with “You could lose that much just going to the bathroom.” She still equates thin-liness with Godliness even in her 90s, and is largely responsible for my being bulimic in high school. As a rebellious teenager I intentionally gained weight because that was the best way to annoy her. Hopefully as an adult I’ve developed a healthier relationship with my body and the scales, but it is hard not to equate my worth with the number on the scale because of the way she raised me. Years of running taught me that we all have a body type. At the height of my training for a half marathon in 2010 my thighs were still nothing but blubber from my knees to my hips. Turns out that even at a low weight that’s just how my thighs are shaped. That was a huge revelation, as I was down to a size 4 but still had “thunder thighs,” according to my mom. I think you and Mr. B are wise to handle this your own way. Data geeks love and need data, and some of the rest of us just need to check in once a week. It’s a very personal decision and as long as you’re still going in the direction you want to move, a once a week measurement tends to be more accurate, in my opinion and my doctor’s.

36. Body weight is just one type of measurement that may or may not indicate a good state of health. I would drive myself crazy weighing daily. I now weigh about weekly. I am far more interested in other indicators of health. I think we all know about these other indicators. I usually tell my doctor’s office what my weight was the morning of my appointment. They are willing to trust me on the number.
    Any good health plan will explain that what we are eating is far more important than the number on the scale. This also means that after just a day or two of better eating, we all start to feel better.

37. We have a balance beam scale just like the Dr’s office so we are same most times other than additional 2#’s for clothes.
    Really though, total accuracy isn’t as important as watching fluctuations. Daily weighing can be be very destructive to many, especially those with body image issues! Once a week is more than enough. Pick the same each day, wear the same clothes or none, easiest, and forget the number & focus on up or down from previous week if maintaining — if on weight loss journey, note your weight number once a month to track your progress.
    I was taught that by a weight loss specialist as I lost 63#’s in a year. That was 7 yrs ago! I also still log on My Fitness Pal to log my meals everyday — part of my nightly routine. Everyone must find what works for them!!

38. Pam, on just saw on the news it was 116 in San Antonio, please stay safe in that intense heat 🤞

39. I weigh in the morning sans clothes as was recommended to me by a nutritionist . I weigh weekly and pay attention to differences . If ive gained , I may check it more mornings but i know my weight fluctuates depending on activity and diet about 2-3 lbs so unless it creeps up to 5 i dont worry . The scale reminds me how fast I can put it on tho .im5’2” and in my70s and gain very easily all my life . I went on the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan a year ago to get off the extra20 lbs i gained during covid lockdown ! and that was a great great plan and i still use it ! it works for me to stop emotional eating and snacking especially at night or when bored or worried .. im nore conscious of what why and how much i eat now.
    Down to 125-130 lbs . My ideal is125 ! Im trying mostly to keep my joints knees and blood pressure healthy ! And not feel dumpy frumpy either (.i know dr officeweighs more as our clothes alone weigh at least 3 lbs🤨)

40. I do the same — every morning in my pj’s and after potty time. It helps me keep track because I gain very easily and try to keep it reasonable.

41. I used to weigh myself once a week & then would “forget”, with weeks (or months) passing only to -surprise! – find I gained weight. About a year ago I started weighing myself 2x a week (Mon & Thurs) before & after the weekend. I also started tracking my food. I lost weight slowly but steadily and realized I’m better off weighing myself as a daily habit. My weight fluctuates a couple of pounds after a big meal (especially at a restaurant) but the scale helps me be more accountable to myself & aware of what I’m eating/drinking. I do keep track, but I don’t obsess about it and it’s working for me.

42. I weigh myself a few times a week. I usually do it in the morning and naked. Clothes add weight which is why the doctors office show a higher weight (shoes, sweaters, jeans etc)
    I can tell by my clothes if I’ve gained or lost, but I am following WW and like to see.

43. Hi Lois,
    well, I am born and bred in Texas, so we are accustomed to this type of heat this time of year. A couple of years ago we went all summer under 100 degree heat, but this summer may be a record breaker. We do take precaution, but live with it as we have our whole lives.
    Thanks for the concern.

44. I try to remember to weigh daily naked. I have IBS and a weight gain usually means I am constipated. I have a very boring food regimen because of stomach issues since my youth. My set weight is 140 lbs. I am 5’2” and 78 years old. I am disabled so my walks are not as frequent as I like. It has started heating up here in Colorado as well. I measure myself once a month and have lost very little even though my set weight is down 5 pounds since January. I also do the 16/8 fast and am comfortable with it. It also helps my bowels to be more consistent. This helps me a lot. I bought M. Bs scale. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

45. You are welcome, Sydney…hope this will help everyone who decided to purchase.

46. I weigh myself every morning after a bathroom trip. It keeps me on top of things, and motivated to stay on track. I know weight varies from day to day, and that once a week is a better overview, but I can get in to a whole lot of trouble in a week (chocolate, cookies, cake, pie, etc. etc.) so I check every day.

47. I weigh everyday, first thing in the morning before I do anything. I guess I am rare because I don’t care what it says…I use that number to keep me honest with myself.

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