You’ve been trying to lose weight for (insert time that feels like forever) and, so far, the scale has only delivered disappointment. You may have dropped a few ounces, or maybe even a few pounds, but now the scale is refusing to budge. Or, maybe worse yet, the scale has somehow crept up again.
A quick Google search for “Why aren’t I losing weight?” or any similar search phrase will bring up plenty of forum posts and desperate questions of frustrated people who are determined to lose weight and get healthy, yet the scale isn’t cooperating with them.
Having a love/hate (but mostly hate) relationship with the scale is a common problem with people who want to shift some excess weight. So how often should you weigh yourself when trying to lose weight?
Free Report: 6 of the Best Exercises for Fat LossThe Scale Doesn’t Matter!
That might sound very counterintuitive to your weight loss goal, but it’s important that you understand a scientific fact: your weight is always fluctuating, and those fluctuations have a lot more to do with uncontrollable water weight than they have to do with fat loss or gain.
Even if you were to weigh yourself first thing in the morning and then go straight back to bed, when you got up again, you’d find that the number on the scale is different–sometimes slightly and sometimes drastically.
That’s because your body is a complex system. Water intake and internal levels can change your current weight by +/- 10 pounds or more, and that makes the scale a very inaccurate measure of your weight loss progress.
Instead of using the scale at all, most professionals recommend using measuring tape, progress photos, and the mirror itself. That’s because these methods are much more tell-tale ways to measure how you are progressing on your weight loss journey.
Too many people get caught up with the number on the scale. Some even get discouraged when the scale isn’t moving like they want, even if they realistically feel better or think they look better in the mirror.
When Should You Weigh Yourself When Trying to Lose Weight?
Don’t become a slave to the scale! If you do want to know your weight for some reason, weigh yourself once a month so you can average out your progress. While you may weigh on a day where your water weight is particularly high for some unknown reason, over time, you’ll see your weight trending downwards.
Between weigh-ins, measure your progress by thinking about how your clothes fit and how much more energy you have. That will be a hundred times more accurate and motivating than a near meaningless number on the scale.
The Best Exercises For Permanent Weight Loss
Weight loss is a difficult thing. But you will lose weight faster with exercise. If you’re looking to change your habits, replacing sedentary activities with exercise can greatly improve your weight loss and long-term outcomes. And, some exercises actually burn more calories than others. To learn more, download my free report 6 of The Best Types of Exercise for Weight Loss.
