How Do You Know When to Weigh Yourself? (Burned Out)

[greenocelot]

I have been eating salt free for about a week now, but on Wednesday I went above my normal deficit, and went on a little bit on a health food binge (food I had prepared before with no added salt, low fat, and low calorie). After I started eating on that binge I made a conscious effort not to eat anything with a lot of sodium or high in calories. I want to weigh myself tomorrow morning because I want to see if I made my final goal of 185.

Keep in mind before I weigh myself to see if I achieved my goals I usually stick to a week at a normal deficit of calories, drink a lot of water throughout the week, do a lot of exercise before to make sure water weight and consciously prepare food without added salt.

My questions are:
1.) Since I had a bit of no added sodium binge, but I did drink a ton of water throughout the week, did a lot of exercise today and have not eaten any added sodium for a week, do you think I would have a bit of water weight or added glycogen from the small binge?

2.) Should I wait so in case I do have water weight from that small no sodium binge, so water weight would not discourage me? Or since it was four days ago would it make any difference?

Sorry, this seems like a dumb question, but I have been at this for 9 month, and I want to go to a flexible eating and calorie maintenance approach because I am burned out.

 

[Marfa]

I like to weigh myself in the mornings, after having eaten breakfast and just before taking a shower.

Stick to the same moment since weight fluctuates throughout the day.

You'll always have some water weight if you are alive.

 

[anaconda]

You can weigh yourself as often or as infrequently as you like, as long as you're not obsessive.

Personally I weigh myself every morning, and sometimes in the evening too. I like doing the daily weighing because it gives me a good handle of how my body is reacting to certain things. I also am very aware and ok with the fact that my weight will fluctuate like crazy, even 5+ lbs depending on my training and eating habits.

It's easy to manipulate your "weight." Your goal is likely body recomposition, but if you want to lose weight then having a daily weight allows you to better see trends over time.

 

[Lanx]

just wake up, pee and weigh once a day or less, but just stick to the "time" or activity, like wake up then pee, weigh.

 

[smart.feller]

This may not seem like the "nicest" advice...but you have a serious mental barrier/misunderstanding regarding weight.

Weight is a number. You are restricting your sodium and increasing your water intake in order to invoke a flush so you can meet a number. That's fine if you are water weight cutting to meet weight for some sort of competition, but is no way to live a sustained life. What happens if you have a high sodium day? Your weight will jump up multiple pounds the next day due to water retention. How badly will you punish yourself to "make up" for that? Honestly, the day to day fluctuations DO NOT MATTER. I understand having a goal, but in my opinion goals should be performance/health based. You could be 185 lbs. and 25% body fat or 195 lbs. and 12% body fat. Which would you rather be? Your weight isn't truly "your weight" unless that is sustainable level for you.

 

[TheLuckiest]

You need to step away from the scale for a bit and look in the mirror and go by how you feel. As far as restricting sodium intake, be careful.

Intense exercise and extensive sweating depletes your body of sodium very easily. I also thoroughly enjoy sitting in the sauna. Sodium is a very important electrolyte and you WILL end up hurting yourself (cramping up, shortness of breath) if you flush yourself with tons of water and restrict sodium intake. The water weight fluctuations are not true weight loss in regards to losing mass, so doing this to yourself is 100% psychological. It doesn't help anything and in fact can hurt you in the long run.

 

[Codger]

What's the point in meeting a weight goal if you're manipulating the result through water mass before you even get it?

Just weigh yourself every day on waking and write the number on your bathroom mirror or something. You'll know when you've really hit the goal when it's stays relatively stable for a week or so. One day's weight is only accurate to a few pounds.