Sydney, Few topics are more debated in health than the value of the humble bathroom scale.
Some experts recommend weighing ourselves daily to promote responsible weight management, especially when following a diet and exercise program to lose weight.
Others suggest abandoning self-weighing altogether, arguing that it can trigger negative psychological responses and unhealthy behaviors when we don't like or understand the number we see on the scale. Many, like me, recommend using a scale to weigh ourselves weekly, even when We are not trying to lose weight. This is why.
1. Weighing yourself weekly helps you control your weight
Research confirms that weighing ourselves regularly is an effective strategy for weight loss and management, primarily because it helps increase awareness of our current weight and any changes. A systematic review of 12 studies found that participants who weighed themselves weekly or daily for several months lost 1 to 3 more BMI (body mass index) units and regained less weight than participants who did not weigh themselves frequently.
The weight loss benefit was evident with weekly weighing; There was no additional benefit to daily weighing.
Self-weighing is an essential tool for managing weight as we age. Adults tend to gain weight progressively until middle age. While average weight gain typically ranges between 0.5 and 1 kg per year, this modest weight gain can lead to obesity over time. Weighing ourselves weekly and tracking the results helps prevent unnecessary weight gain. Tracking our weight can also help identify medical problems early. Drastic weight changes can be an early sign of some conditions, including problems with your thyroid, digestion, and diabetes.
2. Weekly weighing takes into account normal fluctuations
Our body weight can fluctuate on a single day and between days of the week. Studies show that body weight fluctuates by 0.35 percent during the week and is usually higher after the weekend. Daily fluctuations in body weight have several causes, many of them related to the water content of our body . The most common causes include:
The type of food we have consumed.
When we have had a dinner with a high carbohydrate content, we will weigh more the next day. This change is a result of our bodies temporarily carrying more water. We retain 3 to 4 grams of water for every gram of carbohydrates consumed to store the energy we get from carbohydrates. Our water content also increases when we consume foods high in salt. Our bodies try to maintain a balance of sodium and water. When the concentration of salt in our bloodstream increases, a mechanism is activated to restore balance by retaining water to dilute excess salt.
our food intake
Whether it's 30 grams of nuts or 65 grams of lean meat, everything we eat and drink has weight, temporarily increasing our body weight while we digest and metabolize what we've consumed. Our weight also tends to be lower first thing in the morning. in the morning after our overnight food intake has been restricted and higher in the evening after our daily food and drink intake.
Exercise
If we weigh ourselves at the gym after exercising, it is very likely that we will weigh less due to sweat-induced fluid loss. The amount of water lost varies depending on factors such as training intensity and duration, temperature and humidity, along with our sweat rate and hydration level. On average we lose 1 liter of sweat during an hour of moderate intensity exercise. Hormonal changes
Hormonal fluctuations within the menstrual cycle can also affect fluid balance. Women may experience fluid retention and temporarily gain 0.5 to 2 kg in weight at this time.
Specifically, the luteal phase, which represents the second half of a woman's cycle, causes a shift of fluid from the blood plasma into the cells and swelling. Bowel Movements
Going to the bathroom can cause a small but immediate weight loss as waste is removed from the body. While the amount lost will vary, we generally eliminate about 100 grams of weight through our daily bowel movements.
All of these fluctuations are normal and are not indicative of significant changes in our body fat or muscle mass. However, seeing these fluctuations can cause unnecessary stress and a fixation on our weight.3. Weighing yourself weekly avoids obsession with the scale and sabotage of weight loss
Weighing yourself too frequently can create an obsession with the number on the scale and do more harm than good.
Often our reaction when we see that this number is not moving in the direction we want or expect is to further restrict our food intake or embark on a fad diet. In addition to not being enjoyable or sustainable, fad diets too, in Ultimately, they increase our weight gain rather than reversing it.
This was confirmed in a long-term study that compared intentional weight loss among more than 4,000 twins. The researchers found that the likelihood of being overweight at age 25 was significantly higher for a twin who dieted to lose 5kg or more.
This suggests that frequent dieting makes us more susceptible to weight gain and likely to gain weight in the future. So what should I do?
Weighing ourselves weekly provides a more accurate measure of our weight trends over time.
Try to weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time, and in the same environment each week; For example, first thing every Friday morning, when you're getting ready to take a shower, after you've gone to the bathroom, but before you've had anything to drink or eat. Use the best quality scales you can afford. Change the batteries periodically and check their accuracy using a "known" weight, for example a 10kg weight plate. Place the "known" weight on the scale and check that the measurement lines up with the "known" weight.
Remember, the number on the scale is only one part of health and weight management. Focusing solely on it can overshadow other indicators, such as how your clothes fit. It is also essential to pay equal attention to how we feel, physically and emotionally.
Stop weighing yourself (at any time interval) if it causes you anxiety or stress and contact a healthcare professional to discuss this. (The conversation) GRSGRS
Some experts recommend weighing ourselves daily to promote responsible weight management, especially when following a diet and exercise program to lose weight.
Others suggest abandoning self-weighing altogether, arguing that it can trigger negative psychological responses and unhealthy behaviors when we don't like or understand the number we see on the scale. Many, like me, recommend using a scale to weigh ourselves weekly, even when We are not trying to lose weight. This is why.
1. Weighing yourself weekly helps you control your weight
Research confirms that weighing ourselves regularly is an effective strategy for weight loss and management, primarily because it helps increase awareness of our current weight and any changes. A systematic review of 12 studies found that participants who weighed themselves weekly or daily for several months lost 1 to 3 more BMI (body mass index) units and regained less weight than participants who did not weigh themselves frequently.
The weight loss benefit was evident with weekly weighing; There was no additional benefit to daily weighing.
Self-weighing is an essential tool for managing weight as we age. Adults tend to gain weight progressively until middle age. While average weight gain typically ranges between 0.5 and 1 kg per year, this modest weight gain can lead to obesity over time. Weighing ourselves weekly and tracking the results helps prevent unnecessary weight gain. Tracking our weight can also help identify medical problems early. Drastic weight changes can be an early sign of some conditions, including problems with your thyroid, digestion, and diabetes.
2. Weekly weighing takes into account normal fluctuations
Our body weight can fluctuate on a single day and between days of the week. Studies show that body weight fluctuates by 0.35 percent during the week and is usually higher after the weekend. Daily fluctuations in body weight have several causes, many of them related to the water content of our body . The most common causes include:
The type of food we have consumed.
When we have had a dinner with a high carbohydrate content, we will weigh more the next day. This change is a result of our bodies temporarily carrying more water. We retain 3 to 4 grams of water for every gram of carbohydrates consumed to store the energy we get from carbohydrates. Our water content also increases when we consume foods high in salt. Our bodies try to maintain a balance of sodium and water. When the concentration of salt in our bloodstream increases, a mechanism is activated to restore balance by retaining water to dilute excess salt.
our food intake
Whether it's 30 grams of nuts or 65 grams of lean meat, everything we eat and drink has weight, temporarily increasing our body weight while we digest and metabolize what we've consumed. Our weight also tends to be lower first thing in the morning. in the morning after our overnight food intake has been restricted and higher in the evening after our daily food and drink intake.
Exercise
If we weigh ourselves at the gym after exercising, it is very likely that we will weigh less due to sweat-induced fluid loss. The amount of water lost varies depending on factors such as training intensity and duration, temperature and humidity, along with our sweat rate and hydration level. On average we lose 1 liter of sweat during an hour of moderate intensity exercise. Hormonal changes
Hormonal fluctuations within the menstrual cycle can also affect fluid balance. Women may experience fluid retention and temporarily gain 0.5 to 2 kg in weight at this time.
Specifically, the luteal phase, which represents the second half of a woman's cycle, causes a shift of fluid from the blood plasma into the cells and swelling. Bowel Movements
Going to the bathroom can cause a small but immediate weight loss as waste is removed from the body. While the amount lost will vary, we generally eliminate about 100 grams of weight through our daily bowel movements.
All of these fluctuations are normal and are not indicative of significant changes in our body fat or muscle mass. However, seeing these fluctuations can cause unnecessary stress and a fixation on our weight.3. Weighing yourself weekly avoids obsession with the scale and sabotage of weight loss
Weighing yourself too frequently can create an obsession with the number on the scale and do more harm than good.
Often our reaction when we see that this number is not moving in the direction we want or expect is to further restrict our food intake or embark on a fad diet. In addition to not being enjoyable or sustainable, fad diets too, in Ultimately, they increase our weight gain rather than reversing it.
This was confirmed in a long-term study that compared intentional weight loss among more than 4,000 twins. The researchers found that the likelihood of being overweight at age 25 was significantly higher for a twin who dieted to lose 5kg or more.
This suggests that frequent dieting makes us more susceptible to weight gain and likely to gain weight in the future. So what should I do?
Weighing ourselves weekly provides a more accurate measure of our weight trends over time.
Try to weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time, and in the same environment each week; For example, first thing every Friday morning, when you're getting ready to take a shower, after you've gone to the bathroom, but before you've had anything to drink or eat. Use the best quality scales you can afford. Change the batteries periodically and check their accuracy using a "known" weight, for example a 10kg weight plate. Place the "known" weight on the scale and check that the measurement lines up with the "known" weight.
Remember, the number on the scale is only one part of health and weight management. Focusing solely on it can overshadow other indicators, such as how your clothes fit. It is also essential to pay equal attention to how we feel, physically and emotionally.
Stop weighing yourself (at any time interval) if it causes you anxiety or stress and contact a healthcare professional to discuss this. (The conversation) GRSGRS
