If you’re trying to lose weight then the very best way to stay motivated to meet your goals is to track your progress. The weighing scale is a great way to see progress, but you want to get accurate results. Here are some tips for weighing yourself the right way.
Don’t Weigh Yourself Every Day
Even though you’re probably really excited to see results right away, it’s a bad idea to weigh yourself every day. Why? Because you might not always see a change. Worse, you could find that your weight has even increased from one day to the next. This will interfere with your training and your progress, because it stops you feeling motivated to continue.
Remember, just because the scale does not show it, your body can tell the difference. Eating more healthily and exercising on a daily basis does a lot more for you than simply lowering the numbers on that scale. It’ll make you look and feel better, not to mention the fact that you could be building muscle, which actually weighs more than fat!
Instead, try weighing yourself every seven days. Pick a day of the week and don’t weigh yourself on any other day. That way, you’re still tracking your progress, but you won’t be doing it to an obsessive level. You’re far more likely to see real results once a week than you are by weighing yourself every day.
Weigh Yourself When You Wake Up
A good time to weigh yourself is as soon as you wake up, firstly because you have no food in your stomach, so you’ll get a more accurate reading. Did you know that you also lose weight by expelling moisture as you sleep? This is another reason to weigh yourself in the morning. Note that when you do weigh yourself, it should be after urinating. You should stand on the scales naked, as the clothes you wear can also have an effect on the number on that dial.
In the morning, we’re also less prone to the circumstances that can make our weight fluctuate throughout the day. However, if you work on night shifts your body clock will be different. Also, if you’ve been drinking the night before you may seem lighter the next morning due to dehydration. Or, if you’ve been eating in the night, you may appear heavier!
The scales never show 100% of the true story, so it’s a good idea to combine them with measuring your body fat, and also being in tune with the way you feel. Weighing yourself regularly is a fantastic way to stay motivated, however, as long as you follow those tips above for the most accurate readings.