How Often Should You Weigh Yourself?
Our weight fluctuates daily. Based on the food you eat, fluid retention, amount of sleep or sodium intake your weight may shift up or down within a small range of time. When it comes to how often you should weigh yourself, there are generally three types of people: those who weigh daily, weekly, or occasionally.
When to Weigh Yourself
If you’re following a weight loss food plan and activity regimen, one of the most rewarding moments is standing on the scale to see proof of your hard work. But when those number don’t shift the correct way or as much as you’d hoped, it’s deflating. Finding the happy medium between those two possibilities is where the answer lies to how often you should weigh yourself.
- Daily: For those who want to keep exact record of their weight, a daily weigh-in may be the best option. However, if a gain of .5 ounces will throw you into an ice cream eating marathon, throw the scale out of your daily routine.
- Weekly: Weighing weekly is a good way to set goals and not have to think about your weight each day. Weekly weigh-ins can help you keep the big picture view of your progress and allow you to make modifications to food or exercise when needed.
- Occasionally: For those who rarely step on the scale, they may use other ways to recognize weight gain or loss – like how clothes fit or how they feel during exercise.
The Answer
How often do you prefer to weigh yourself? The American Journal of Preventative Medicine released findings of a weigh in study. Researchers determined those weighing in daily lost more weight and didn’t have as many adverse psychological outcomes.
So does that mean you should jump on the scale each morning? Not necessarily.
While it’s important to be aware of changes with your body, weight is just one piece of the progress puzzle. If the scale is a mental stressor, there’s no reason to deal with that every day. Choose a frequency that works well for you – once or twice a week – and stay aware of trends. If the numbers begin to increase, take inventory of your food and activity. Use the scale as a weight loss tool, not the final judge.
