Many variables impact your morning weigh-in: the previous day’s food/fluid/sodium intake, stress levels, sleep schedule, and for ladies, menstrual cycle. Keep in mind that the numbers on the scale are only one piece of the progress puzzle. Do NOT get hung up on the results of one weigh-in, as it is common to fluctuate a few pounds on any given day. This is why we recommend tracking your morning weight multiple days per week.
What’s more important, at least in regards to the scale, is to see a trend over time that corresponds with your fat loss or muscle gain goal. Additionally, energy levels, gym performance, body composition, confidence, a better understanding of nutrition, and a general sense of wellbeing are major progress gauges too!
Before you start using it to measuring your diet progress, make sure that your scale is reliable and accurate!
A simple way to calibrate your scale is by weighing an object with a known weight to check that the scale is reporting it as such.
We give the option of weighing in 2 – 3 days per week, as long as you don’t pick two days that are next to each other.
Research shows that weighing in multiple days per week (rather than 1, or even less frequently) is best for weight loss. One weigh-in provides less information because a single weight is influenced by so many (aforementioned) variables. Multiple weights are needed to establish a trend over time. This is essential for identifying adjustments that may need to be made to your plan to optimize your progress as you move from one week of your diet to the next.
EXAMPLE: