“There's no reason to weigh yourself more than once a week. With daily water fluctuations, body weight can change drastically on a day-to-day basis,” says Rachel Fine, registered dietitian and owner of To the Pointe Nutrition. “Weighing yourself at the same time on a weekly basis will give you a more accurate picture.”
Daily weigh-ins.
Research shows that people who weigh themselves every day have even more success with weight loss than those who weigh in once a week. Another benefit is that you may feel more driven to stay on track when you see small losses throughout the week.
You should step on the scale first thing in the morning. That's when you'll get your most accurate weight because your body has had the overnight hours to digest and process whatever you ate and drank the day before.
You may think you weigh a certain number, but the truth is that hardly anyone weighs the same day after day. "In general, weight fluctuates up to 3-4 pounds daily due to water weight or lack of moving bowels, so I don't feel weighing oneself daily is necessary or a good measure of true weight loss," says Kessler.
Weighing weekly can have its advantages — it allows you to track progress while still having six whole days to not focus on your weight. For best results, pick a consistent day each week, and weigh yourself in the morning.
A 1,200-calorie diet is much too low for most people and can result in negative side effects like dizziness, extreme hunger, nausea, micronutrient deficiencies, fatigue, headaches, and gallstones ( 23 ). Furthermore, a 1,200-calorie diet can set you up for failure if long-term weight loss is your goal.
Don't be tempted to hop onto the scales every day. If you do, there's a chance you'll become fixated by your weight, or anxious at what the scales will say. You could be disappointed, lose confidence and even give in. The main thing to remember is that weight fluctuates.
“Your weight won't be consistent if you weigh yourself on Friday and Monday,” she says. “Many people have a different routine on the weekends. They might eat out more, drink alcohol or snack more. Compare that to Friday, if you've been eating consistently for five days, and you'll see a big difference.”
If you weigh yourself at night, you're going to weigh more than you actually do, according to Discover Good Nutrition. Weigh yourself first thing the mornings, after your body has had a full night to digest your food. Otherwise, you'll be seeing higher numbers that don't correlate to all of your hard work.
“Your skin is the largest organ in the body and absorbs fluid easily,” says Dr. Keith Kantor, a leading nutritionist and CEO of the Nutritional Addiction Mitigation Eating and Drinking (NAMED) program. “After a swim or a shower, your body can absorb 1 to 3 cups of water, increasing your true weight by a few pounds.”
As soon as you bend down, the muscles in your body that do the bending also act to pull up the lower half of your body. So this reduces the pressure your body places on the scales, and make you appear to weigh less.
You Ate a Big Meal Recently
It's just downright mean to weigh yourself after you just ate a big meal. According to the Mayo Clinic, food can take up to eight hours to pass through your digestive system, which can cause you to retain a little extra weight until the process has ended.
3) All digital scales are reasonably accurate, no matter what the brand. There's no need to purchase the most expensive scale on the market if you only want to keep track of your weight. The authors of BMC Public Health Study didn't note any significant variance in accuracy based on the brand of digital scales.
Another reason Fridays are the best: It's when you weigh the least. The weekend's indulgences naturally result in a little bit of weight gain, and Sunday nights are when most people tend to be at their heaviest, research from Cornell University shows.
For the most accurate weight, weigh yourself first thing in the morning. “[Weighing yourself in the morning is most effective] because you've had adequate time to digest and process food (your 'overnight fast').
At night while we sleep, our bodies have a chance to get back into balance. Excess fluid that has accumulated during the day moves from the body's cells into the bloodstream, where it makes its way to the kidneys. In the morning, when we get up, we get rid of this extra fluid by peeing.
Yes, You Do Lose a Little Bit of Weight
“Most stool weighs about 100 grams or 0.25 pounds. This can vary based on a person's size and bathroom frequency. That said, poop is made up of about 75% water, so going to the bathroom gives off a little bit of water weight,” says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD.
If you were to weigh yourself before and after pooping, the weight change on the scale would reflect the weight of the stool, which also contains protein, undigested fat, bacteria, and undigested food residues.
The average adult's body weight fluctuates between 1–2 kilograms (kg) or 2.2–4.4 pounds (lb) over a few days. Numerous factors influence a person's body weight. Individuals have no control over some factors, such as their genetics, age, and gender.
If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the underweight range. If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the Healthy Weight range. If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the overweight range. If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the obese range.
Daily weight fluctuation is normal. The average adult's weight fluctuates up to 5 or 6 pounds per day. It all comes down to what and when you eat, drink, exercise, and even sleep. Read on to learn more about how these factors affect the scale and when to weigh yourself for the most accurate results.
Because the heat from the shower makes our body cells smaller, Your skin and fat are both made of cells hence they both become smaller. Therefore the water weight will be cut down from your total weight hence you weigh less after a shower.
Clothing. Wearing clothing while weighing yourself can add up to two pounds—more if you're wearing shoes. Again, this isn't a big deal if you consistently weigh yourself wearing the same thing, but since our clothes vary with our moods and seasons, it's best to go without when you step on the scale.
While being overweight is a precursor to obesity and, like obesity, can increase the risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke, it's also possible to be overweight and still healthy, especially if you're free from chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes.
Some experts say that for weight loss, weighing yourself every day is a good idea. In fact, one study (opens in new tab) that took place over a 12 month period found that those who weighed themselves everyday were more successful at losing weight, as well as maintaining step goals and adhering to energy intake.