How to properly beat your scale into submission.

How often do you weigh yourself?

Studies have shown people are more successful with weight loss if they weigh themselves frequently, ideally once a week.  Well I am a crackpot and I weigh myself every day. Every morning as soon as I get up I do my business, strip down, put the scale on the exact same tile on the floor and step on.  But here's the trick, I don't freak out if it's up a little bit!  Our weight fluctuates for so many reasons, stress, water retention (I know the ladies are feeling me on this one), a later than usual supper the night before, a particularly intense workout the day before can show on the scale as your body holds onto fluids.  So don't panic!

Generally I look for a trend, if the scale is around the same weight give or take a half pound its ok. If I get on the scale one morning and the scale is up by 1-2 pounds I know I didn't gain that in one day (unless I ate an extra 7000 calories the day before!) so I assume its water and sure enough the next day its back down. So don't panic!

If you are trying to lose weight feel free to weight yourself everyday and slowly drive yourself insane like me, but pick a day of the week as your weigh-in day. Track your weight on that day of the week only.  I am currently trying to lose 10 pounds so I have a countdown on the fridge and as I lose a half pound I mark it off...again a visual tool.  It looks a little like this:

10
9.5
9
8.5
8
7.5 and so on

It's nice to see the numbers counting down as opposed to starting with "Ugh I want to lose 10 pounds and I've only lost .5". Its just a little trick of the mind but it keeps me on track. I like to cross off the 10 and see I only have 9.5 to go and then 9 and so on.  I also have the same list taped to my desk at work so I'm reminded while at work not to succumb to the kitchen temptations.

Remember slow and steady weight loss is healthy and you are more apt to keep it off long term.