How long is it before your body registers weight loss and gain

[NineToTheSky]

I weigh myself immediately after working out at the gym, and, obviously, my weight changes each time. Equally obviously it reflects how much I have exercised and how much I have eaten. But how long does it take after eating and/or exercising for that gain/loss to register on the scales?

[A_Lurker]

@NineToTheSky- Okay, step away from the scale. 

Weight loss is not 100% linear.  I'm not sure how much you have to lose, but your weight is going to fluctuate every day up/down.  The more you have to lose likely means the more fluctuations you will have.  There are so many things that can affect it, the most obvious is water.  Most people find that weighing themselves first thing in the morning (after a trip to the bathroom) gives the most consistent number.  If you're weighing yourself before and after a workout all you're going to pick up is possibly how much sweat you've released.  A very strenuous  can actually cause your weight to go up slightly as your muscles may retain water for a day or two while they make their repairs.

I spent six months of daily weighing along with detailed tracking of food intake.  I couldn't make a correlation between what I ate in a single day to a weight loss or gain.  So, for now, step on the scale each day or week at roughly the same time of day and see how it goes.  You can also link your fitbit account to trendweight.com and it will give you an idea of which direction your weight is going.

[NineToTheSky]

Thank you. I lost ten stone last year and I am just maintaining my weight now. I'm just interested to know what happens generally.

I'm just interested to know if there is any any way of approximating how long it can be for the weight lost due to exercise or gained from eating (or any other way) to affect your body weight wise. I know it can't be an exact science. but I'd just like to know what happens weight wise between putting the food in my mouth, digesting it and excreting it. Equally, through my heart beating - at rest and through BMR and exercising and sweating - at what rate it can go.

[MagsOnTheBeach]

I would change when you weight yourself to when you first wake up or at the latest in a similar outfit each day before you work out.  Then you would see your weight the next day.  Weight doesn't just come off with exercise - your muscles might be holding more water and there can be inflammation after you workout.  You aren't going to see anything accurate if you exercise and then run to the scale.  I count my weight as my weight after the scale changes and then stays the same for a few days.  

[Dominique]

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@MagsOnTheBeach wrote:

I would change when you weight yourself to when you first wake up  

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Add my vote to this suggestion. My other suggestion would be to link your Fitbit account to TrendWeight, as discussed recently in another thread.

[NineToTheSky]

Thanks for all your replies, but my query doesn't really refer to when I weigh myself. Sorry if I haven't made it clear. It's more about how long it takes for someone's weight to change. About how long for what is put in to and taken out from a body it takes for weight to change.

[Dominique]

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@NineToTheSky wrote:

It's more about how long it takes for someone's weight to change.

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OK, so you’re asking: if I do this exercise or eat that food, what impact can I expect and when? If so, I’m afraid I fail to see the point. It’s a bit like day-trading vs. long-term investing. I personally don’t eat or exercise in order to see results tomorrow, or the day after. I do it with a longer term perspective, without worrying too much about day to day fluctuations.

[NineToTheSky]

Again, I'm obviously not making myself clear. I'm not asking this to achieve any goals. I just what to know out of idle interest.