Do you know how often to weigh yourself? The answer may surprise you
- 2 Minutes Read
Knowing how often to weigh yourself is a key part of your weight-loss success and motivation. You may get caught up in the excitement of frequent weigh-ins, but this can also cause undue stress when the scale doesn't tip as you wish. Learn how to use weight monitoring to help you reach your goals.
Knowing how often to weigh yourself affects your weight-loss progress
Stepping on the "dreaded" scale is a valuable part of your weight-loss journey. Even if you aren’t thrilled about the number produced, self-weighing allows you to notice small weight gains and losses. If you gain, making minor adjustments can help you get back on track. If you lose, even a little, that's progress!
Daily weight monitoring, rather than weekly or less frequent monitoring, can be a helpful strategy for weight-loss success. For example, one study reported that dieters who weighed daily lost more weight (about 13 pounds or 5.9 kilograms more over six months). They also practiced more weight-loss behaviors than those who weighed themselves less frequently. In addition, a two-year study of individuals in weight-loss or weight-maintenance programs reported greater weight loss among those who self-weighed more frequently. It also reported less weight gain for maintainers. However, another study indicated that the consistency of self-weighing is a stronger predictor of weight-maintenance success than the frequency of self-weighing. So, knowing how often to weigh yourself matters very little if you don't do it regularly.
Although daily self-weighing is a wise strategy, weighing more than once a day is never helpful. Your weight fluctuates throughout the day based on your food and fluid intake and hydration level. So, it may foster an unhealthy relationship with the scale.
Pro weigh-in tips
You don’t need a fancy or expensive scale to reap the benefits of consistent weight monitoring. Although your scale may differ from the one at the doctor’s office or gym, you will be able to monitor weight trends, which is most important.
Knowing when to check your weight is as important as knowing how often to weigh yourself. The best time to weigh yourself is in the morning, after using the bathroom, and before consuming anything. If you weigh yourself weekly, do so on the same day of the week since your eating and exercise routines change depending on the day of the week.
Place your scale on a flat, level surface. Stand still with your weight evenly distributed between your feet. When using a scale that measures body fat, step on it barefoot.
Change the batteries on a digital scale as recommended by the manufacturer or when you notice unexplained weight fluctuations.
Weigh in with MyNetDiary
Self-weighing makes little difference if not combined with other weight-loss strategies, such as tracking your food and activity with MyNetDiary.
Tracking your regular weigh-ins allows MyNetDiary to adjust your targets to support your goal. Remember to update your weight under "Weigh In" on your dashboard at least weekly. MyNetDiary syncs with Withings and Fitbit Aria scales, making it effortless to track your weight progress.
Downsides of the scale
The scale can be like the stock market, full of ups and downs. As long as you don't let the "downs" cause you to sell your stock and revert to old habits, the power of regular weigh-ins helps you keep a stronger routine.
Consider how weighing in makes you feel—if it empowers you, keep it up! On the other hand, if it creates anxiety or struggles with eating-disordered thoughts, consider a different measure of success. Do your clothes fit better? Do you have more energy? There are many ways to measure success, and keeping track of your weight is only one of them.
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Reviewed and updated by Ivory Lira, RDN on June 06, 2025
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Weight Loss->Goals & Monitoring
Jun 6, 2025
