You know that the number on the scale isn't the only way to judge weight loss, but it turns out that the act of weighing yourself might be a key in shedding pounds. At least, that's what a new study published in the journal PLOS One suggests.
The study analyzed a year's worth of weigh-ins from 40 overweight individuals in various studies who said they were trying to drop pounds (that's 2,838 individual weigh-ins, in case you're keeping track). In 11 out of the 12 studies the researchers analyzed, they found individuals who hopped on the scale daily generally lost weight, whereas those who went longer than a week between weigh-ins continued to see their weight creep up.
It's worth noting that the study participants all had a body mass index of 25 and over and that "good" dieters may have also been more likely to check the scale frequently, while "poor" dieters might've been more likely to ignore it. That said, the study authors say you can still draw conclusions about the association between weighing yourself and weight loss. Weighing yourself more often might lead to dissatisfaction if you see you're failing at your weight loss goal—and thus motivate you to pick up your efforts.
We can't say for sure if weighing yourself once a day will really help you shed more pounds than if you skip a few days, but hopping on the scale at least once a week is a good way keep track of your goals—and to avoid falling victim to an "out of sight, out of mind" mentality about how your bad habits are affecting your weight. Remember, though, your weight naturally fluctuates throughout the day—and even day-to-day—so you shouldn't be too hard on yourself if you notice a slight uptick.
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