How to Weigh Yourself
When starting a new nutrition program many people want to weigh themselves every day (if not every hour!). It is very exciting to see the pounds drop off. However, it really is best to wait and measure your success once a week. Weight can fluctuate dramatically from day to day (often 1-2 pounds or more). One day you might weight yourself and be down 2 pounds only to find that you are back up 3 pounds the next and this can be very disheartening. If you weight yourself once per week, you will get a much more accurate reading of how much weight you have lost. It is also very important to make sure that you weigh yourself properly. Below is a list of ten things to do when stepping onto the scale.
1. Always use the same scale - each scale will weigh you a little differently.
2. Weigh yourself once a week and at the same time (example: every Wednesday morning after waking, it does not have to be exactly 9:02 am every time).
3. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning after you have used the bathroom. For the most accurate reading, weigh yourself without clothing or wear the same thing every time.
4. Do not weigh yourself if you are menstruating. Women hold a lot of extra water weight at this time and you will get an inaccurate reading.
5. Make sure to calibrate your scale every once in awhile.
6. Make sure you are standing up straight with your weight evenly distributed on the scale.
7. Make sure the scale is resting on a firm and flat surface.
8. Stand still while the machine gets the proper reading.
9. Do not weigh yourself multiple times per day. Weight can fluctuate 3-5 pounds from morning to evening.
10. It is best to use a private scale - gym scales tend to be inaccurate due to overuse.