The Best Time to Weigh In You should step on the scale first thing in the morning. That's when you'll get your most accurate weight because your body has had the overnight hours to digest and process whatever you ate and drank the day before. And you should try to turn that step into a regular part of your routine.
The best time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning after you've gone to the restroom but before you eat or drink anything. The reason for this is that your body has had enough time to digest all the food and drinks you've consumed from the day before all while you were getting your beauty sleep.
People tend to weigh less when they wake up because breathing and sweating as they sleep causes them to lose fluids. A study also found that adults burn around 50 calories an hour during slumber.
Weight is not the same from morning till night, it changes from hour to hour. It has been proven that the weight can fluctuate by as much as 3 lbs within a one hour period. Because the body has a natural circadian rhythm, the weight also changes during the day.
While 69g in a night doesn't sound like much, you also lose weight from your sweat, the saliva you dribble onto the pillow, and from the skin flakes you shed into the sheets.
In the morning our stomach is empty and the body's water is lost through sweat, respiration and urination. Due to these factors, we feel lighter.
That means you'll get the most accurate read of your weight first thing in the morning before you've had a chance to eat or burn off too much of the day's energy [4].
Rapid weight gain or swelling in particular areas of the body (edema) can be due to fluid retention. According to the American Heart Association , weight gain of more than 2–3 pounds (lb) over 24 hours or 5 lb in a week could be a sign of heart failure.
Muscle is denser than fat, meaning a kilogram of muscle takes up less space in your body than a kilogram of fat. So, even if you gain muscle and your weight on the scale increases slightly, you can appear slimmer and more toned.
It is best to weigh yourself at the same time of day (in the morning is best), after going to the toilet, before eating and without any clothing to achieve comparable results. Wait about 15 minutes after getting out of bed so that the water in your body is evenly distributed.
Weighing weekly helps you manage your weight
The weight-loss benefit was evident with weekly weighing; there was no added benefit with daily weighing. Self-weigh-ins are an essential tool for weight management as we age. Adults tend to gain weight progressively through middle age.
If you're exercising regularly and doing a mix of cardio and strength training, it's likely your body composition (ratio of muscle to fat) is changing for the better. “If the scale isn't moving, but your clothes fit better, and you feel stronger, that's a win,” Pelc Graca says.
Most experts recommend aiming for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week, which equates to roughly 4-8 pounds in a month. Those with more excess weight may see slightly faster loss initially. The key is losing at a gradual rate through calorie deficit rather than drastic measures.
“Your skin is the largest organ in the body and absorbs fluid easily,” says Dr. Keith Kantor, a leading nutritionist and CEO of the Nutritional Addiction Mitigation Eating and Drinking (NAMED) program. “After a swim or a shower, your body can absorb 1 to 3 cups of water, increasing your true weight by a few pounds.”
Understanding your true weight on a scale can be complicated due to a number of factors that can affect the measurement. To get an accurate measurement, it's best to weigh yourself at the same time each day, ideally in the morning before breakfast, in minimal clothing, and on a properly calibrated scale.
Drinking Too Much Water
A quart of it weighs about 2 pounds. If you just drink it -- and you don't exercise -- that'll show up on the scale right away. That doesn't mean you should give up H2O. In the long run, drinking water (especially instead of high-calorie sugary beverages) can help you lose weight.
Water weight is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable and recurring. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.
The best time of day to weigh yourself
Most experts — including pros at the Cleveland Clinic, Consumer Reports and Noom, an online weight-loss and coaching platform — agree that hopping on the scale first thing in the morning will reveal your most accurate weight.
Key takeaways: Working out can cause short-term weight gain as your muscle mass increases. Post-workout inflammation may cause temporary weight fluctuations. Workout plateaus, supplement use, and dietary changes can also stall your weight-loss efforts.
How Much Weight Is Lost Overnight. Ever step on the scale in the morning and think, “Where'd those pounds go?” Well, you can drop about 1 to 3 pounds overnight, but hold on, most of that is just water taking a hike—not fat. As Healthline mentions, water loss accounts for over 80% of this mysterious vanishing act.