How ofte
n do you weigh yourself?
Are you one of many women who weigh themselves EVERY day?
It’s a dangerous game and, in my opinion, can work in a negative way. Say you’re going ‘all out’ on your new diet regime, doing everything possible to lose weight. You get on the scales after day 1 and you’ve lost a lb. Brilliant!
Day 2, you get on the scales again – another lb lost. Wow, this new regime is going really well – a 2 lb weight loss already.
You continue for the next 5 days and after just one week, you’ve lost 6 lbs (or so).
Now, typical of a diet, in week 2, your weight loss steadies. In fact, you just aren’t losing ANYTHING. You still get on the scales though and you aren’t happy with what you see. In fact, you’re devastated that you’ve GAINED a lb.
Suddenly, the diet isn’t working and your weight loss efforts stop and may actually reverse. Like any diet, you just can’t sustain the reduced calorie intake and you start CRAVING food again. That means you’ll end up putting the weight on again.
Getting on the scales every day can have a negative effect on your psychology. If your results aren’t what you expect, you will get frustrated which may lead to ‘comfort’ eating.
It is FAR BETTER to weigh yourself just once a week – that’s what I do. I choose a Monday at the same time wearing the same clothes. That way, you’re monitoring your weight without it becoming an obsession. More than likely, you will feel more positive by seeing a 2-3 lb weight loss every week than having your daily fix on the scales.
Oh, the other thing is NEVER go on a calorie-restricted diet where you also cut out carbs or fats. You will only gain the weight (and more) when returning to normal eating.