As you work on your goal to lose weight, you may wonder how you can accurately track your weight loss. Should you weigh daily? Invest in an expensive scale? Is weighing yourself even the best option to track loss?
“Being able to track real weight loss is important for motivation and progress,” shares Susan Mills-Gray, nutrition and health specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
Research shows that weighing regularly tends to help more of us be successful at losing weight and maintaining weight loss. Weighing once a week is usually enough because you can become discouraged by the minor fluctuations that you may see day to day or even throughout a day. If you do choose to weigh daily, check your weight at the same time each day – right after you wake up and use the toilet is a good time – then take an average over the week. If your average weight increases for two straight weeks, then its real weight that you need to address.
“Various factors can cause your weight to fluctuate throughout the day and week, such as sodium intake, fluid intake, even medications,” adds Mills-Gray. “So focusing on weighing weekly or figuring an average for the week gives you the most realistic snapshot of your weight.”…
In your weight loss endeavors, you may be increasing physical activity, so keep in mind as you gain muscle that you may also gain weight.
“Judging progress toward better health solely on your weight number on a scale may be disheartening for many. I suggest you use the waist measurement method for tracking true progress,” says Mills-Gray…
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