Follow this 3-step process.
The gist:
If you determine daily weigh-ins are for you, it’s important not to get hung up on any single result.
Expert insight:
Factors like hydration, salt intake, and menstrual cycle phases can tip the scale in one direction or the other, says Edward Abramson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Chico, who specializes in weight control. If you’re emotionally invested in the number every day, occasional frustrations could lead you to quit the habit altogether.
To take the pressure off, Abramson suggests a three-step process: First, choose a five-pound range as your target weight. Second, strip down and step on the scale as soon as you wake up every day (after going to the bathroom). Third, average your stats weekly.
The bottom line:
Plot the weekly average on a graph or in an app. “The more tangible your progress is, the more attentive you’ll be to your nutrition and weight,” he says.