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By Jane Harrison, R.D., HealthAtoZ Nutritionist
To weigh or not to weigh, that is the question. Some experts recommend throwing out the scale and measuring progress by how your clothes fit. The more common debate: If you're trying to lose or maintain your weight, how often should you weigh yourself? Daily? Once a week? Once a month?
The fact is, your weight does change from day to day. This is mostly due to the amount of water in your system, which can vary by the hour. If you eat a big salad and drink a large glass of water, that will show up as a weight gain on the scale. Many women also notice changes due to their monthly cycles. This, too, is water weight, not fat.
Watching the scale drift upward from one morning to the next, even after a day of healthy eating, can be discouraging. This can cause some dieters to give up. Many experts believe that weighing in once a week is a more accurate (and wiser) reflection of your progress.
If weight fluctuations don't drive you crazy or make you sabotage your efforts, daily weighing is an option. Whatever frequency you choose, keep these tips in mind when stepping on the scale:
Wake up and weigh. Always try to weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Your weight will rise because of your intake of food and fluids. The morning weight will be your "truest" weight.
Mind the watershed. Weight usually drops the most in the first week or two. This is usually due to water loss. Don't be discouraged when weight loss slows down. It's almost impossible to lose more than 2 pounds of pure body fat in one week.
Track it. Keep a log of your weekly weight. Shoot for a weight loss of no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week - or 4 to 8 pounds in one month. The more slowly you lose weight, the more likely it is to stay off. Also, you're more likely to lose fat, not water.
Don't panic with plateaus. It's normal to hit a plateau after a few weeks as your body adjusts to a new weight. If you do strength training, your weight may stay the same for a while, even though you're still decreasing your body fat content and getting healthier.
Set goals. After you reach your weight goal, monitor your weight. When your weight creeps up by 2 or 3 pounds, it's like a yellow traffic signal. Stay calm! It's just a signal for you to watch your diet and physical activity more closely.
Remember that success is not just in the scale. Don't become addicted to the numbers. Make sure you base your success on more than what you see on the scale. Are you sleeping better? Are your clothes getting looser? Do you feel healthier? Are you less winded? These are just as important, if not more so, to long-term health and quality of life.
So, should you weigh in once a day, once a week, once a month? The answer is different for everyone. Think about what will keep you motivated. For most people, weighing in once a week is enough to see progress without becoming a slave to the scale.
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