When, How and Why to Weigh
Weighing yourself when trying to lose weight is necessary so you know if what you are doing is working or not. It's also necessary when you are in maintenance mode so that you can catch any weight gains before they get out of control. It's a lot easier to lose 3 or 4 pounds than 5 or 10.
For some the number on the scale is an obsession, for others it's an embarrassment they want to avoid altogether. What you really want is for it to be a tool. One that helps you keep on track and focused.
The first thing to remember is that all scales are different. As much as you would think it would (and should be) an exact science, it just isn't. Maybe the more expensive ones but I can vouch for the fact that if you weigh yourself on three different scales, you are typically going to get three different results. I always weigh more on the doctors scale than I do on my home scale. Like every thing else in weight loss, consistency is the key.
- Use the same scale all the time. The weight fluctuation on the same scale will be accurate as opposed to the different readings on different scales.
- Calibration is necessary. You will need to weight yourself every day for about two weeks at various times of the day to see when you are consistently lightest. For whatever reason, I weight the least on Wednesday mornings. After that ONLY weigh yourself once a week at that time to keep tabs on where you are. If you weigh yourself more than that, you will drive yourself crazy.
- You are typically going to be lightest in the morning. It's best to weigh before you've had anything to eat or drink and if possible after you've eliminated. Every little bit helps.
- Weigh yourself naked. No socks, no robe, nothing. This adds to the consistency. If you weigh with nothing but a t-shirt one time and wear a robe the next time, you are going to alter the numbers. The only way to know if it's actually your weight is to be naked with no food in your stomach.
Weight fluctuates, it just does. Don't beat yourself up over a pound or two either direction. It could be that you ate a lot of salty food and you are retaining water, or you haven't digested that last hamburger all the way. If your weight is down, you could be dehydrated. There are all kinds of variables and again......consistency is key.
Try the Calorie Counter at MyFoodDiary.com
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