There are three very important things to keep in mind for optimal scale usage.
1) Pick a time of day to weigh yourself. Then only weigh yourself at that exact time of day going forward forever and ever.
Your body weight fluctuates throughout the day, so to get a good gauge of how much weight you've really truly lost you need that time of day consistency.
After years of weighing myself several times a day, I found that I'm lightest in the morning. So I weigh myself right after I get out of bed and before I've had any water. Water is heavy!
2) Pee before you weigh. Always sit on the pot to get rid of those extra ounces.
I weigh in the morning, so I always have a full bladder that needs to be emptied, but if you pick a different time of the day you might have up to half a pound of pee in you and not even feel it!
It's always worth it to take a potty break before you weigh yourself.
3) Weigh yourself three times in a row. Then pick the best weight.
This is particularly important in our day of digital scales. There's always the chance that the way you're standing on the scale sends the sensors inaccurate data and deprives you of a hard earned .2 pounds.
You might also be standing askew and causing the scale to incorrectly assign a higher number to your total.
It's best to weigh three times to test the accuracy, and if any of the numbers are different, it's obviously the lower one that is correct.
So there you have it! Highly scientific advice on the proper way to weigh.
Speaking of digital scales, mine must be broken again. I'm only down 1 stinkin' little pound since starting Atkins anew a week and two days ago. What's up with that? I'm torn between not eating a darn thing ever again in my life, or saying to hell with it and eating every good thing in site!
these are allll really good tips! And hey my husband is Brazilian too! Well, he was adopted (born in America) but he was shipped over to his family in Brazil...so I guess he is actually amaerican, but grew up lived most of his life and speaks protuges (i sooo didn't spell that right!) He is a HUGE fan of beans and rice! He could eat it everyday!
ReplyDeleteif i were to write this post, it would have been VERBATIM what you wrote ha!
ReplyDeleteI always weigh myself as SOON as i get up right AFTER i go to the bathroom! it's so true, you could have a bladder full of like a pound of pee and not even know it!
i am thinking that my scale needs a new battery though because just this morning it gave me a 4 pound difference in the three times i got on... i got on a few more times and was satisfied with the middle number... good lord i hate weighing myself!
Hey Laural:
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your diet!! I'm back on Atkins again myself! Protien, meat and salads- yummy! Cake, cookies and ice cream- ewww! Well, at least try to tell yourself that! Haha! Keep it up! I wanna see your new hairdo too! Oh, and happy belated birthday to Gabbi and Gilberto! Talk to ya soon! Take care,
Chris
That's when I weigh myself too . . . but I often do more than 3 times until I get the number I want to see, lol!! At least one pound is a loss, and not a gain, I'm sure you'll lost more next week.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post - After years of doing the "weight game" this is exactly what I do - I am borderline militant about it - I only weigh once per week though, otherwise I get obsessive.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the diet goes, I think that the balance lies somewhere in the middle - I love the concept of the book "Why are French Women Skinny" I think that is the title, but basically the premise is to exercise and ENJOY your food in small portions - Don't deprive, but also DON'T OVERDO - Therein lies my problem because I gorge on my guilty pleasures and have difficulty stopping at a small portion. So, thus is life, but I love the concept...It makes so much sense!
I absolutely agree!
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe in the right after you get out of bed, pee-free, naked weigh. It's the only accurate way to weigh ;)
Those are all great tips.
ReplyDeleteBut here's the thing.
SOme of us get too caught up in the numbers and start to obssess if they aren't going down, in our favour. I don't even look at my scale except for every thirty days. Otherwise it just upsets me!
Stress can do some nasty tricks, including making you hang onto weight you otherwise should be losing.
A pound a week is about right.
You'll do great!
I usually avoid the scale altogether. Not the healthiest option, but ignorance is bliss, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great tips! I am a scale-a-holic, I must admit. Especially since having Isabella I am ALWAYS weighing myself to see if I am back down to my pre-baby weight (which I'm not, btw). Great job on losing a pound, too! I always say it's better than gaining something :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome weighing tips! ;) Especially the best out of 3 one, I think I'll use that one right now!
ReplyDeleteI do the exact thing, every single one of them!
ReplyDeleteI'm betting you'll lose a ton next week (not literally a ton, that would be a crazy diet, huh?)
Here's my method:
ReplyDeleteDon't weigh myself.
It works!
First time reader and commenter - I thought you might find this link helpful. http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/goldenshot.html
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone in the experience for sure, and I'm sending you lots of good vibes. :)
LOL. I also weigh in just before I hop into the shower...because a t-shirt could add, I'm not sure, but quite possibly 0.2 lbs to my weight.
ReplyDeleteBut let me tell you...all of these drugs the MD put me on has cut my appetite significantly, so I'm pretty sure I'VE lost a few pounds (it actually explains why those 'celebutants' like oxycontin...kills your hunger)
Looks like I weigh myself properly then! I especially like the best out of three thing. :)
ReplyDeleteNow this is my kind of science!!
ReplyDeleteI already follow these great tips! Thanks for letting the rest of the world in our secrets.