Silly question, but curious what you do...

At this point in my weight loss, the scale fluctuates daily anywhere from 1-2 pounds, and I understand this.  What I'm trying to determine is how long do I wait to actually declare that I weigh that amount?  For example, I just changed my weight to 134 even though I've fluctuated between 133-137 over the last week.  I'm still in losing mode brain wise and will probably always stay that way.  For me that is low carb, but not realling counting calories.  I know, I could have already lost it all if I'd counted calories as well, but I don't feel deprived so I'm ok with the time it's taken me.  Just curious how others decide they're at a specific weight. 

And yes, I weigh everyday b/c that's what works for me.  When the scale went up to 137, I started thinking about what food choices I'd made and cut out extra salt for the day.  It keeps me accountable.  Every time I've lost weight and quit stepping on the scale every day, that's when the weight came back.  Can't keep doing what I've always done!

I weigh daily, but take my weekly weight one day/week, which is on Sunday. I use that for my marker and write the weights on a calendar, so that I can see weekly and monthly trends. Sodium definitely is a factor in daily weight  fluctuations. My weight was up 1.3 lbs this AM, but I certainly didn't eat an excess of 3500 calories yesterday. I had some cheese, which is high in sodium and may account for the increase. I plan to drink more water today.  I just don't drive myself crazy about it, as long as I stay within a 2 lb range.

I decided on 110 lbs as my goal weight, after my PCP thought that I should aim for that weight, since I am only 4'11." I just kept doing what I was doing and when I hit that weight, I started increasing my calories. I am currently in the middle of my BMI range, which I am happy with. I don't need to be at the bottom, especially, since I have put on some muscle from the weight training.  I don't change my ticker with every lb change. That would drive me crazy. I just leave it at 110. I range from 108-110 lbs.

I log my food and exercise everyday, as well as weigh daily. Doing those things keeps me accountable and mindful. I have been maintaining within this 2 lb range, since mid-April. I plan to continue these behaviors, because when I have stopped them in the past, I always regained the weight, due to becoming less mindful and less accountable.

Pick a weight range and do your best to stay within it. I do count everything and with my exercise, my good carbs have gone up to about 100 per day, which I need for fueling my workouts. If I workout less, I cut my calories for that day. My range is about 1250-1550 cal/day, which is what my dietician also came up with. All my carbs come from Plain Greek Yogurt, non-fat milk for my latte, some fruit and veggies, and roasted edamame. I also eat a small amount of a certain crackerbread once/day. Good carbs aren't the bad guys. The refined carbs are the ones that we tend to get into trouble with.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Gail

I take it you are not quite where you want to end up so I would start counting calories and food journaling and find the level you can lose a pound a week or so on and keep that up until you get to goal. Its a small amount of effort for where you want to be. I still weigh everyday and fluctuate up and down a little but stay in a range where i want to be and set goals to still be there every 6 months. Low carb is a good thing and I think I will do that for life so its a good habit. I'd worry more about calories than salt as water is always going to fluctuate and good hydration is important.   diane

Diane,
I'm about 4 pounds to my goal, and I'm ok with weight loss, etc. I really am just curious how long others wait to claim a particular weight!

I mostly focus on a range, but to claim a certain weight, perhaps a week. One's weight changes day to day, so I suppose, you could average your weight for the week, and claim that.

The scale is always going to bounce around.  I change my number in my signature every now and then, but it's really not too important.  I check in with my weight daily, so even though mt signature says 123, today I weighed 120.6 .  So really, for me, it's more about staying within my "happy" range, rather then one set number.

When I was losing, I posted my weight on Mondays as my official weight in my ticker and other places.

Now I just pick a number close to the average of where it fluctuates and stick with that. So, my ticker says 120 but I can see anywhere from 117 to 124 on my scale. 120 is just easier than changing it all the time. Plus, my weight is 120 or 121 most days. The lower and higher days than that are generally abberations.

I never really set a goal, although I needed a number for my ticker.  I decided to just keep doing what I was doing and my body would decide when it was at its optimum weight.  I'm now at that point, so I'm setting my weight limit (naked first thing in the morning) at 148.  I'm at 144 now.  I belong to TOPS, and weigh in weekly there.  My goal weight there is 150.  I weigh 4-5 pounds more at TOPS when I weigh in clothes late afternoon, so my "home" weight must be no more than 148, or I will be over my goal at TOPS.  I'm allowed 3 pounds above goal and 7 pounds below goal at TOPS.   I really don't want to ever get above 150 on the TOPS scale again.  If I worked at it, I know I could lose another few pounds.  But I don't want to diet all my life.  I want to be watchful on what I eat, but dieting - NO!  I'm comfortable with how I eat now and want it to stay that way. 

Like you, I weigh daily.  I have to.  If I avoid the scales, I go into denial about what and how I'm eating.  I can't do that.  It's dangerous for me.  I still journal my intake too and plan to continue that.  It's the only way to keep me accountable and it helps me analyze my ups and downs on the scale. 

Having some turkey chili for supper tonight.  Looking forward to that!