Yvonne Glasgow
Weighing in daily can be discouraging. Weight can fluctuate by two or more pounds throughout the day, and weighing in too often may make it seem like you’re not having any success. So, how often should you check your weight?
Follow These Rules for Less Weigh-In Stress
If you’re weighing in because you’re tracking weight loss or gain, here are some tips to help you get the best results. And, of course, if you feel discouraged or stressed, take a break from weigh-ins, or try every other week or once a month. Are you tired of the scale altogether? Ditch it, and find out your weight at doctor’s appointments instead.
Weigh Yourself the Same Day Every Week
Consistency is essential when it comes to tracking weight. Not only should you keep a diary of your weigh-ins, but you should also pick one day a week to weigh yourself. Maybe you prefer Friday because it’s the final day of a busy week, and you plan to indulge on the weekends. Or perhaps you have more time for working out on weekends and want to weigh-in on Mondays.
Always Weigh-In in the Morning
Make your weigh-in the first thing you do in the morning—before breakfast and even before your cup of coffee. The first meal of the day is called breakfast for a reason—you’re breaking the period of fasting that occurs during sleep. That makes weighing in as soon as you wake up the ideal time. (Just remember, if you ate a heavy meal or snacked a bunch before bed, you might see some weight gain.)
Focus on Consistency
The day and time of weigh-in aren’t the only consistencies you should work toward. Wear the same thing (or nothing at all) each time you weigh yourself. Use the scale in the same place and on a hard surface. (Put the scale, for example, directly on the bathroom tiles and not your plush bath mat.) If you always weigh yourself right after you get out of bed, keep doing that. If you weigh yourself first thing after using the bathroom in the morning, keep doing that. However you’re weighing yourself, the goal is to keep the frame of reference stable, so once you get in a habit of doing it a certain way just keep at it.
Of course, if your doctor recommends you weigh-in daily because of health concerns, you should follow their suggestion. Otherwise, a weekly weigh-in, at most, is a reasonable compromise between tracking your weight and avoiding the frustration of daily variations.
