[OC] 3 years of daily weigh-ins: I'm heaviest on Mondays, lightest in September, and my birthday shows up in the data. Statistics

April 13, 2026
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AC
By Alex Cartwright
[OC] 3 years of daily weigh-ins: I'm heaviest on Mondays, lightest in September, and my birthday shows up in the data. Statistics
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Data Analysis

What This Visualization Shows

This data visualization displays "[OC] 3 years of daily weigh-ins: I'm heaviest on Mondays, lightest in September, and my birthday shows up in the data." and provides a clear visual representation of the underlying data patterns and trends. The visualization focuses on I weighed myself almost every morning for 3 years. Here's what's actually going on.

I'm heaviest on Mondays (weekend eating), lightest around Thursday, and the cycle repeats every single week like clockwork — about ±0.35 kg. Turns out this isn't just me: studies with thousands of people found the exact same pattern.

There's also a seasonal swing of about 3 kg. Heaviest in January (holidays), lightest in August–September. And if you look closely at the seasonal plot, there's a little bump in June. That's my birthday.

The long-term trend is its own story: gained about 5 kg over two years,now losing again. Not linear, more like a slow wave.

The fun part: after removing all of that, the leftover signal still has mysterious cycles at 70 and 113 days that I can't explain. Something is driving them but I have no idea what.

Method: GAMs on the irregular time series (31% of days are missing — no imputation), Lomb-Scargle periodograms to find the periods. Done in R. Full write-up with code if anyone's curious:

[https://jbogomolovas2.github.io/Julius-s-Blog/posts/weight\_fluctations/](https://jbogomolovas2.github.io/Julius-s-Blog/posts/weight_fluctations/), which allows us to understand complex relationships and insights within the data through visual storytelling.

Deep Dive into the Topic

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Data Analysis and Insights

The patterns revealed in this visualization demonstrate the importance of systematic data analysis in understanding complex phenomena. By examining different data segments, time periods, and categorical breakdowns, we can identify trends that inform strategic planning and decision-making processes.

Statistical analysis of this data reveals variations across different dimensions that provide insights into underlying drivers and relationships. These patterns help identify areas of opportunity, potential risks, and key performance indicators that can guide future actions and resource allocation.

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Significance and Applications

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The broader significance lies in how this information contributes to our understanding of complex systems and relationships. This knowledge helps predict future trends, identify potential challenges, and develop more informed approaches to problem-solving and opportunity identification.

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About the Author

Alex Cartwright

Alex Cartwright

Senior Data Visualization Expert

Alex Cartwright is a renowned data visualization specialist and infographic designer with over 15 years of experience in...

Infographic DesignData AnalysisVisual Communication
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Visualization Details

Published4/13/2026
CategoryData Analysis
TypeVisualization
Views26