So, you decided that you want to live a healthy lifestyle, which means getting rid of all that extra weight. Regular weigh-ins can help you check your progress in your weight loss journey.
A word of warning, though, the scale can be a double-edged sword. Oftentimes, stepping on a scale can be rewarding if you’re reaching your fitness goals. However, that feeling can easily turn into frustration when you hit a weight-loss plateau.
Weighing yourself can get a bit tricky. For starters, what kind of scale should you get? You can click here to see the best deals Medictronics are offering.
So, what is the right way of weighing yourself? When should you do it? How often? In this article, you’ll find what you need to know when it comes to weighing yourself—the right way!
Rule #1: Weigh yourself once a week
Most people are tempted to hop on their weighing scales every day, almost immediately after working out. But this is actually a no-no.
Regarding weight loss, weighing yourself once a week may be more successful than checking in with the scale less frequently. Along with the number on the scale, you can also take note of the changes in your body composition metrics, such as the changes in your body fat estimated percentage.
Rule #2: Weigh yourself first thing in the morning
When your weekly weigh-in finally comes with a drum roll, weigh yourself first thing in the morning—with an empty stomach. This practice is most effective when measuring your “real” weight because you already had sufficient time to digest your food the night prior.
Weighing yourself first thing in the morning can also help with issues that are more difficult to manage, such as age-related weight gains. You can strike back by choosing healthier eating habits as soon as you start noticing a spike in the numbers on the scale.
Rule #3: Be consistent
If you want to get the most accurate number on the scale, keep your “variables” to a minimum. This means that if you weighed yourself last week without any clothes on and layered yourself in workout clothes the next, the result on the scale is going to be different.
However, the different result has nothing to do with how much weight you’ve put on or lost. It is important to be consistent when you want to weigh yourself accurately.
Additionally, weigh yourself the same time you did on your previous weigh-in. If you answered the call of nature before you hopped on the scale the last time you weighed yourself, then do it again next time. Weighing yourself naked? Sure, you may do so and keep it that way the next time.
You can also try wearing the same clothes every time you are weighing yourself. Remember to weigh yourself in the same manner, every week.
Rule #4: Track your progress
You’re consistently weighing yourself once a week, and you see positive results on the scale as the numbers go down. However, you better track your progress if you really want to make the most out of your joyful relationship with your scale.
Tracking weight loss can help you get a clearer picture of what’s been going on with your body. It helps ensure your weight loss goals are moving in the right direction. When you keep track of the progress of your weight loss journey, you’ll more likely get motivated, especially when you feel like you want to give up on your weight loss journey.
Rule #5: Listen more to your body than your scale
Weighing scales can easily take over our fitness journey if we let them, and the numbers they are showing become the only thing we ever think about throughout the day. This is the common mistake most people make on a daily basis. But this bad habit can only affect your progress in a negative way.
Stepping into the scale and seeing the same result can also mean that your muscle mass is increasing and body fat is decreasing.
You can also ditch your scale if you think it’s not making you feel any better about yourself. If it’s only making you crappy and anxious, then it’s okay to give up the scale.
There’s no hard rule that scale should be the only measurement for progress. As we have mentioned, you should listen more to your body because sometimes, progress is the best measurement.
Conclusion
Getting healthier doesn’t necessarily mean getting skinnier. Getting healthier is more than just the numbers on the scale. Embarking on a weight loss journey is tough, but don’t let the scale define you and your progress.
Facing the scale and stepping on it each day without the rules to weigh yourself can only lead to frustrations and depression. Following the five rules above can help you weigh yourself without hating your scale.
