The old saying that you should never weigh yourself more than once a week looks like it is not the best way you should do things if your goal is to lose weight. A 2015 study in the Journal Of Academy Of Nutrition And Dietetics concluded that weighing everyday led to a greater adoption of weight loss behaviors than weighing most days of the week. The study also concluded that the daily weighers lost significantly more weight.
At the end of the 6 month study the daily weighers lost an average of 6.1 kg. more than the non-daily weighers. The adopted weight controlling behaviours was an average of 17.6 : 11.2 daily weighers : non-daily weighers. Not a bad return for stepping on the scale every morning!
I have noticed with clients that there are some people who refuse to weigh themselves. I have to argue with them all the time, because not only do I know that this will help them diet, I want to know the numbers to see how they are progressing.
What I have found is that it is the people who are not following the diet who tend to avoid the scale. It is a self-coping strategy. Out of sight out of mind. They will tell me stuff like “I forgot to weight myself again” or I didn’t have time!” This is where I happily call them out on their BS.
These “copers” know that if they step on scale and it is up then it will cause them stress, which they want to avoid. So they do this every day thinking, “my diet isn’t that bad, I don’t think I am gaining any weight.” Then when they finally do step on the scale they are 10lbs. up and then repeat the whole process. On the flip side I have found that my best dieters are the ones who do weigh every day. Also, if you see that the scale is up, it will make you think twice before eating something that you know that you shouldn’t be.
I am a big believer in weighing every day and have been doing it for some time with my clients. If you are looking for a simple way to help you lose weight then all you have to do is step on the scale every morning!
Note: It surprises me how many people do not know how to weigh themselves correctly. It should be done first thing in the morning, after you go the bathroom, and naked. This is the only accurate way to weigh yourself.
Also you want to take your weekly averages as it will allow for water fluctuations.
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25683820/?i=2&from=/23512320/related
