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Weighing
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Day 7 - Is Weighing Myself Important?
Day 7 - How important is it to weight yourself?
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The very first question you need to ask yourself is: “Will weighing myself (daily, weekly, monthly etc.) help me or harm me?” Since there’s no magic answer for how often to weigh yourself, figuring out what is helpful and motivating for you as an individual is how you decide.
DAILY WEIGH-INS
Many people find weighing daily provides a sense of accountability and is helpful for having a good idea of where they are with their progress. However, does a 1-2 pound weight gain upset you? Or, are you absolutely elated to see that you’re down 1 pound? If the daily weigh-ins powerfully affect your mood and behaviour, then you might want to reconsider how often you weigh yourself. The number on the scale should not have the power to dictate your mood, the events of the day or your overall quality of life — it’s just a number. Fluid, salt intake and hormones will fluctuate your weight day to day!
WEEKLY WEIGH-INS
Weighing weekly can have its advantages, it allows you to track progress while still having six whole days to not focus on your weight.
For best results, pick a consistent day each week, and weigh yourself in the morning. Look for trends and recognise that it will take a few weeks to get a picture of where the trend is heading. This can be a good tool to help you feel accountable without making you ride the daily emotional roller coaster that is (or can be) the scale.
OCCASIONAL WEIGH-INS
Some people opt for the occasional weight check-in. People may do this at home or rely on the scale at the gym or GP surgery to get an idea of where they are. People who opt for the occasional weigh-in often have alternative ways of identifying weight shifts, like the way their clothes fit or how strong they feel while exercising.
NEVER WEIGHING
There are many people I have advised to remove the scales from their home as they become obsessive about weight. Weighing multiple times per day can be very problematic and affect your mood. If you decide to weigh yourself, the scale should be a tool that helps you, not harms you.
I ask my patients to focus on; how they feel in their clothes, the balance of their meals and snacks and how they perform with their exercise rather than focusing on the number. This can be a valid way to approach health. I personally don't let a number on the scale dictate how I feel.
To find out how I can detach you from the scales, why don't you book in for a discovery call?
