Here's why you should weigh yourself - and why you shouldn't
Weighing yourself regularly is a wonderful way to stay aware of any significant weight fluctuations. However, when done too often, this habit can sometimes hurt more than it helps.
As for me, weighing myself every day caused me to shift my focus from being generally healthy and physically active, to focusing solely on the scale. That was bad for my overall fitness goals. I had gained weight in the form of muscle mass, but thinking only of lowering the number on the scale, I altered my training program. That conflicted with how I needed to train to reach my goals.
I also found that weighing myself daily did not provide an accurate depiction of the hard work and progress I was making in the gym. It takes about three weeks to a month to notice significant changes in your weight due to altering your training program. The most immediate changes will be observed in skill level, strength and inches lost.
For these reasons, I stopped weighing myself every day and switched to a bimonthly weighing schedule instead. Since weight loss is not my goal, it is less important for me to track my weight each week. Weighing every other week allows me to observe and account for any significant weight changes. That tells me whether I need to adjust my training program.
I use my bimonthly weigh-in results to get information about my nutrition as well. If my training intensity remains the same, but I'm constantly hungry and dropping weight, this is a sign that I need to increase my daily caloric intake.
The decision to stop weighing myself every day has done wonders for my overall health, fitness and well-being. I'm experiencing increased zeal for working out since I no longer carry the burden of a disappointing morning weigh-in. I've also experienced greater success in achieving my specific fitness goals, because I'm training according to those goals, not the numbers on a scale.
Rather than obsessing over the scale, turn your focus to how you look, feel, how your clothes fit and your overall energy level.