The Right Way to Weigh In
Jul 23, 2020Weighing in at home is a great tool to help assess your progress. While we know the scale is not the only indicator of success, it is excellent data to collect and trend overtime. There are a few different ways to go about it, so pick the option that you think will work best for you. If you do not have a scale at home, check out this one on amazon!
What's the best way to weigh in?
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Weigh in first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
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Wear little to no clothing each time you weigh in
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If the number seems off, try 3 times and take the average
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Make sure the scale is on a hard, flat surface
How do I track my weight?
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Via the health app that comes on your smart phone
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In a notebook or an excel spreadsheet
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Or use a smart scale that links up with your phone
How often should I weigh in?
This will vary based on the person, so pick which of the following 3 options seems like the best fit for you:
1. Daily weigh in
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This option is best for you if you do not get obsessed with the numbers, but rather see it as data to assess your progress
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When you weigh in daily, you WILL see fluctuations up on some days (water weight changes every day)
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You will also see smaller losses
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The best thing to do is keep track of your WEEKLY AVERAGE
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This is the most accurate method
2. Three times/week weigh in
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This is a great middle ground option
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It allows you to get more accuracy without daily weigh ins if it's not a good fit for you
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Pick 3 days each week and follow the guidelines above for how to weigh in and track
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Take the average of those 3 weigh ins each week to best assess progress
3. Weekly weigh in
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This option is for you if you feel weighing in more than once/week would be a stressor
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It may be less accurate than the above options, but it is still excellent!
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Pick the same day each week and follow the guidelines above
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Note, with this option you may randomly have a high or low day on the day you weigh in without being able to tell that it is an outlier. This can cause frustration at times
Non-scale indicators of progress
Remember, the scale is one of many tools we can use to assess your progress, and you should use it to your advantage! It is very helpful data to collect. There are also other things that can show progress even if you feel the weight is not going down every week
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Improved lab work
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Increased energy
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Less cravings/better control of hunger
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Eating more healthfully
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Exercise is getting easier/can walk or run farther, use heavier weights, etc
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Digestion is normalized
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Skin looks better
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Clothes are fitting looser
