Many people trying to lose weight feel stress about stepping on the scale and often find themselves asking the question, “How often should you weigh yourself?”
When the numbers drop, it’s easy to feel pride at the proof that you have “succeeded.” However, when the numbers rise or plateau, it’s easy to feel frustrated and disappointed at your “failures.” Weight loss and getting healthy are about so much more than simply the numbers on the scale.
It is 100 percent OK to love your body and still want to lose weight. Body positivity and weight loss are not mutually exclusive. The positivity lies in how you set your intention and goals to be happiest with yourself.
Whether you’ve had bariatric surgery or a non-surgical procedure like the balloon, or hope to lose weight through diet alone, the numbers on the scale can be intimidating.
When you are weighing yourself, it is important not to look at a stagnant number as a measure of personal failure. Instead, these numbers should be used with other clues to get an overall picture of how you are doing.
Should I Weigh Myself Daily?
Some people do best when they step on the scale at the same time every day. They feel this creates a routine and consistency around checking in with their numbers. There are some benefits to this. First of all, routines are critical to weight loss, and a daily weigh-in may help to keep your health top-of-mind. Second of all, some people feel that weighing themselves daily is less scary. They know that they will not go a week or two, and then be surprised by a change or plateau they were not expecting. If you feel that weighing yourself daily will be a benefit to you, go ahead and do it.
However, the major warning is to NOT stress about daily fluctuations. If you wake up one morning and seemingly gained two pounds, please do not take this as a sign that your weight loss progress has come to an end. There are so many factors that can affect weight on a short term basis, including salt intake or hormones. Daily water fluctuations can also have an impact on body weight and can result in drastic changes day-to-day.
Should I Weigh Myself Weekly?
Weighing yourself weekly is the best option for many people. When you check in with those numbers each week, you have the benefit of never getting far off track without knowing it. Checking your weight each week is a consistent routine that keeps you accountable and educated about how many pounds you have lost or gained.
Finally, when you’re looking at the numbers once a week, this is generally often enough to allow you to make changes if necessary, but not so often that an off day is going to cause you to worry. Weekly weigh-ins tend to give the most accurate picture of your weight loss trends.
What if I Never Want to Weigh Myself?
Most patients who have had weight loss surgery appreciate and learn from paying attention to their changing numbers on a scale. However, some patients find it very stressful to know their exact weight. While we need to record your changing weight in our office, you do have the option to say that you do not want those numbers given to you.
While weighing yourself is one of the easiest ways to track progress, there are plenty of other ways to see how you are doing. First of all, the way your clothes fit can tell you a lot. Even if you do not know your exact weight, you should be able to tell if old clothes are becoming more loose. Buying a new outfit in a smaller size that you weren’t able to wear the month before, can be a strong indicator that your weight loss journey is working.
Many of our patients also find that they like to see the progress in other numbers as they lose weight: blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Bariatric surgery and balloon patients often have health improvements that are seen through numbers other than their weight.
However you measure your weight loss progress, the key is that you are moving towards a more healthy and confident life. At West Medical we focus on the overall benefits of weight loss – far beyond just seeing a number change on a scale. We love to see our patients getting healthier, feeling more energetic, and finding a new appreciation of how their life can change.
Do you want to learn more about weight loss surgery? Please call or text us now at (855) 690-0565. One of our expert team will be available to help you with any questions you may have.