Weigh-ins: what you need to know

I was recently asked by a member why they were seeing more of a change to their body measurements than on the scales. This raises an interesting discussion around weigh-ins and other factors we need to consider when dissecting the number on the scales. While our weight is certainly one measurement we can use to monitor progress or assess our health, it shouldn’t be the only one. Here, I'll discuss why.

What can affect our weigh-ins?

If you've ever weighed yourself in the morning and then again at night, you'll have likely seen for yourself how your weight can fluctuate by as much as a 3, 4 or even 5lbs in the space of 12 hours. To put on an extra 3lbs of actual fat, you need to consume around 10,000 calories more than your body needs – so I'm guessing this isn't what most people will have done across the course of a day to see that increase!

The truth is our body weight fluctuates regularly for many reasons, including:

• Having extra food in our digestive system from the meals we've eaten that day.
• Having a build up of faecal matter in our bowels if we haven't been to the toilet.
• Extra water weight from the fluid drunk during the day.
• We may have more energy stores built up over the day such as glycogen (made from carbs) and fat from the food we've eaten.
• Hormonal fluctuations, for example being on your period can cause a temporary rise in weight.
• A heavy workout – this can cause a little extra inflammation as the workout causes a small amount of damage to our muscles. (Helpful damage I might add, as this is what leads to adaptations and fitness gains).

These things and many others are happening in our body all the time. There is constant balancing within our body with waste being removed and food being metabolised, so this causes these very frequent changes to our weight. It's important to acknowledge this when stepping on the scales and to appreciate that any number of reasons could explain an unexpected shift in the wrong direction!

How often should we weigh in?

Frequency of weigh-ins is one of those polarising subjects. Some people swear by a daily weigh-in, while others prefer to leave a longer gap of a week or two between weigh-ins. But which option is more beneficial?

Many weight loss professionals will advise you to weigh once a week, at the same time of the day, in the same clothes, on the same scales and in the same state (e.g. after going to the loo and before eating breakfast). This helps to control some variables which can alter your weight, and give a more reliable comparison. Weighing once a week also allows you to see progress over time, without the natural daily fluctuations being such an issue – and it's frequent enough for you to keep a close eye on things.

That being said, some recent research supports the idea of more regular weigh-ins when you're trying to lose weight [1,2]. Studies found that people who weigh themselves every day are more successful with their weight loss goals and are more committed to other goals such as calorie intake and daily steps [2].

It may be that daily weighing helps to really stay focused, so your health and weight goals are front of mind all the time. This in turn helps with staying on track with eating habits and exercise routines.

What's best for me?

The important question is how well do you cope with daily weight fluctuations mentally and emotionally? For some people, seeing the scales go up by a couple of pounds one day really affects their mood, and has the potential to zap motivation. Whereas for others, it provides extra motivation to stick with their plan!

If you choose to weigh daily, it's really important to remember all the things I listed above that can affect your weight by a matter of pounds, in a matter of hours. If you had a great day of eating well and exercising, but you see a gain the following day, don't sweat it. Your hard work will pay off in time, it might just take a week or so before it's reflected on the scales.

For some people, it's easier emotionally to stick to weighing in once a week, and focus on your trend line over a period of time. This way you're much less likely to see random fluctuations, but with that said, you should still be prepared for weekly weigh-in results you don't expect. Again, I point you back to my list above, it's important to remember all the variables that affect our weight.

Sometimes the pounds (or kilos) don't necessarily drop off at the rate we'd hoped for, because weight fluctuations are not just down to fat loss and fat gain. So it's necessary to also look at other measures of progress and success, rather than simply the number on the scales.

How else to measure progress?

I started this article by mentioning a member's question which was:

"Why am I getting smaller but not seeing much change on the scales?"

This highlights the whole issue with focusing on the scales alone. Internal positive changes can be happening without the number on the scales going down drastically. If you're getting smaller, you're likely losing fat mass, while building muscle mass. This is exactly the result we want, as extra lean muscle mass makes for a more active metabolism (as muscles use more energy than fat, even at rest). Maintaining muscle mass is also important for long-term strength, balance and posture, so is essential to our quality of life.

So most definitely, tracking body measurements is a great way to monitor progress. As well as this, think about your energy levels, your sleep quality, your mood....if you're noticing improvements in these things, despite the scales not moving, you're still making great progress. The all-encompassing notion of 'health' is so much more than a number on the scales.

For other non-scale victories to focus on, check out my blog here.

Final word

Weighing yourself is a good way to monitor progress if your goal is to lose weight. How often to weigh really comes down to personal preference and what works for you, but more frequent weigh-ins could help you stay on track. Just hold in mind that your weight is subject to fluctuations that can't always be explained by what you ate or did that day or week – keep focused on your trendline over time. Progress manifests itself in various ways, and this isn't just getting lighter. Losing inches or feeling generally better in yourself are other fantastic achievements to give credit to. So keep an eye on the bigger picture in the long term.