To Weigh or Not to Weigh
I either have clients that get on the scale too much or others that shun the scale completely. So what's the best thing to do when you are losing weight?
Newer studies indicate that dieters should weigh themselves daily. I'm personally not a fan of weighing daily because people expect too much, but I do think a few times a week is acceptable.
But weighing in once a week is a MUST. You know the saying that "ignorance is bliss?" For some reason not getting on the scale keeps people in denial of what's going on. How do you know what you are doing is working if you don’t get on the scale? I would hate to waste a whole month and then find out my plan isn’t doing a thing! The flip side of weighing daily is that weight may fluctuate from day to day for various reasons and discouragement can set it.
And then there are some people who have a favorite pair of jeans and they gauge themselves by that. If that works, great!
I think in the end it really depends on the person. If you discourage easily then stay off the scale. If you need the scale to stay on top of things and it doesn’t disappoint you then by all means get on it more often.
Readers tell us what your thoughts are on this subject. What have been your experiences?
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Posted by: Steve Parker | Apr 23, 2008 1:12:26 AM
I tend to favor the daily weighing routine. It's a reminder that you should be watching what you eat. Weights normally fluctuate up or down 1 or 2 pounds within 24 hours. And that's not a change in fat stores. I like the idea of a "moving average" weight. Google offers a free widget that incorporates the concept. I blogged about it recently:
http://advancedmediterraneandiet.com/blog/?p=29
-Steve
Posted by: DailyMan | Apr 21, 2008 5:33:33 PM
I weigh and take body fat readings daily. I then plug my data into a tracking website called PhysicsDiet. The website uses an exponential moving average to show you the trend of your data points.
I find that if I don't weigh daily, I can easily undo all my hard work. The trend line shows me when I'm slacking off or cheating. The bodyfat measurement lets me know that my whether my weight loss is due to fat loss (good) or muscle loss (bad).
Sure the "fit in the pants" trick is okay for some people, but I find it doesn't give a concrete (hard number) result because pants can stretch. :)
Posted by: Meg Meyer | Apr 20, 2008 7:41:22 PM
I weigh myself whenever I look at a scale. This keeps me from obsessing about it. If I look at my scale once a week, I weigh once per week. If I look at it and wonder what I weigh mid-week - it's usually a good idea to check.
I used to be a regular once-per-week weigher, but I found I got discouraged when I was eating right, going to the gym, and still not losing anything. Mentally, I knew I was gaining muscle, but seeing the number go unchanged began to take the wind out of my sails, so I would switch up the analysis. Instead, I'd focus on being stronger and able to lift more weight or do more reps each week. That seemed to help keep my morale up!
Glad to find this site!
Meg Meyer
