Should I Weigh Myself Every Day To Lose Weight?

There is more and more research showing that those who weigh themselves daily have better weight loss results. So should you be getting a new scale? 

For some, stepping on a scale takes a lot of courage. You need to talk to yourself and convince yourself that you will be happy with whatever number you see. Or maybe you’ve been eating perfectly and exercising more than usual and are so sure you will lose weight this time. And then…disappointment. After days or weeks of following a meal plan,  going to the gym 5 days a week, no alcohol, no dessert, etc. you either maintain your weight or gain a few pounds. All that effort for nothing. So what happens? You say “screw this” and go back to your old (maybe not so healthy) habits. Sound familiar? 

So should someone who recognizes themselves in the above scenario weigh themselves everyday? Maybe not. 

The studies showing that daily weigh ins result in better weight loss results fail to include those with eating disorders. And those that didn’t want to be weighed to begin with also backed out of the study. So really, we see results in those who already have a great relationship with food and who don’t eat their emotions. 

If you still decide that your are going to weigh yourself daily, these tips will help:

• Weigh yourself at the same time every day. Weight can fluctuate by about 5 pounds due to water retention, hormones, what you ate the night before, how you slept, etc.
• Track you weight using an app or an old-school Excel sheet (I can’t believe Excel is now considered old-school!)

But always remember, if the number on the scale is going to dictate your mood, why put yourself through that stress every day?