How Often Should You Weigh Yourself?

In the midst of losing or trying to maintain weight, it’s natural to want to know how frequently one should weigh themselves. Some experts proclaim that we should do it everyday, while some say we shouldn’t do it at all. The reality is that it all depends on what your goals are. The key thing to remember is that becoming obsessed with the scale can be counterproductive and demotivating because weight fluctuates as a result of factors like the clothing we’re wearing, the food we ate and our hydration level. We sat down with Dr. Cory Harow to provide some insight into how often we should check our weight. In this post we take a look at why you should weigh yourself and dig deeper into the specifics of when to check the scale.

Benefits Of Weighing Yourself

As Harow explains: the key thing to remember is not to become obsessed with the scale, but, weighing yourself comes with benefits in itself. In general, your weight is much more than a number, your weight is also an indication of your health. Self-weighing van help you with

• Weight gain
• Weight loss
• Weight management
• Detect issues associated with rapid weight gain or weight loss.

Most experts agree that everyone should have a good estimate of what their current weight is, regardless if their goal is to diet, lose weight or improve health. The most common ways people weigh themselves include weekly, monthly and daily check ins.

Daily

In general, it’s recommended that you don’t check your weight daily. Hitting the scale on a regular basis can lead to demotivation because weight fluctuates. As such, it’s common for people to wake up with a weight number that’s 2-3 pounds less than average, only to hit the scale again the following day and see that it’s still the same. The initial weight loss they experienced may have been as a result of dehydration. This is why it is not recommended to check your weight daily.

Weekly

Most experts like Cory Harow suggest weekly check-ins. But, this method works best with individuals who have made their weight loss goal and is in the process of maintaining their weight.

Monthly

Some people weigh themselves every month. This isn’t an effective way to track progress, so it isn’t ideal for dieting or building muscle mass, because it doesn’t give you the chance to identify something that’s wrong in your exercise routine or calorie intake.

Never

Believe it or not, another approach some people use to measure weight, is to not measure it all. Men are especially known to this because of their muscle mass. Muscle mass weighs more than fat, so when a person who is muscular goes on the scale and doesn’t notice a change, they tend to feel demotivated. But, experts recommend that you can do other things to determine if you lost weight such as to take tape measurements, determine your body fat percentage and to consider your bone structure in relation to overall height.

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