The Best Time to Weigh Yourself

You can do it at any time of day and still get an accurate reading. In fact, there are some benefits to weighing yourself more often than once a week. 

When you step on the scale, you likely make a mental note of your weight. Are you happy with it? If not, when will be the best time to weigh yourself again so that you’ll see positive results? The answer is simple: It doesn’t matter when you weigh yourself. You can do it at any time of day and still get an accurate reading. In fact, there are some benefits to weighing yourself more often than once a week. The trick is finding what works for you in the long run. There are some pros and cons to weighing yourself at different times of day based on your goals. Here are some things to consider when choosing the best time for you to weigh in at home...

Morning Weigh-In

If you weigh yourself first thing in the morning, it won’t affect your diet or exercise. A lot of people like to weigh in first thing in the morning because it typically means you haven’t eaten anything yet. This is beneficial for some people who want to maintain their weight and avoid gaining pounds from overeating. For example, if you know you have a big lunch planned for later that day, it would be wise to weigh yourself before breaking your fast. On the other hand, this isn’t always ideal for those looking to lose weight. If you are trying to lose weight and are using the scale as incentive to stay on track with your fitness routine, weighing yourself at night might be better for you. You may not see accurate results if you step on the scale after an indulgent lunch or dinner that may have inflated your weight readings.

Afternoon Weigh-In

If you want to be motivated about your weight and see it decline, it’s best to weigh yourself in the afternoon. If you notice that your weight is increasing, it may motivate you to cut back on calories or exercise more if you know how much the number has changed.

Evening Weigh-In

If you want to lose weight, weighing in at night is a good idea. If you get on the scale first thing in the morning, your weight will be higher because of all the water from the day before. That means you'll be discouraged and might avoid going to the gym. But if you get on the scale after dinner, it will likely show a lower weight than what you weighed in with when you woke up that morning. That doesn't mean your weight is changing drastically overnight. The only difference is that your body is processing food during this time.

Weekly Check-in

If you want to stay on top of your weight and weight loss goals, weighing yourself once a week is a good idea. Once a week allows you to see trends in your weight gain or loss based on the previous seven days. This helps you get a better sense of how well your current diet and exercise routine is working for you.

Pros of Morning Wery-in and weekly weigh-in

If you’re trying to lose weight, the best time to weigh yourself is in the morning. This way, you can use the information to make healthier eating choices for the day. You can also track your progress by weighing yourself at the same time each week. If you’re trying to maintain your weight, weigh in more often than once a week. This will allow you to see what your daily diet is doing for you and how that impacts your weight loss/gain. If you don’t want any changes on a weekly basis, measure weekly but still weigh in at least every other day. Keep in mind that it can take 3-4 weeks for a change to show through on the scale.

Pros of Afternoon weigh-in and weekly weigh-in

If you’re trying to lose weight, weighing yourself every day is a good idea. It helps you know how your body is responding to the changes you make. You can see if your diet and exercise routine are working and adjust accordingly. On the other hand, if you weigh in at night, you may be tempted to eat more because of your new weight on the scale. This will create a frustrating cycle where you lose weight during the day but gain it back at night with higher calorie intake. Weighing in every day also helps with tracking water intake and salt intake as this fluctuates throughout the day with certain foods and drinks consumed. Plus, there is no need to worry about whether or not your scale is accurately measuring pounds. Scales are calibrated correctly when they are made so they should always provide an accurate reading--whether it be a few minutes before or after noon.

Pros of evening weigh-in and weekly check-in

If you’re looking to lose weight, it might be best to weigh yourself in the evening. This is because your body has been at work all day and may be carrying more water weight than normal. In the morning, you may have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio and this will help you reach your weight-loss goals faster. If you weigh yourself every week, though, that could be beneficial for your mental health. It can be discouraging to step on the scale and see no changes after weeks of dieting and exercise when you only step on once a week. But if you weigh yourself every day, it can keep up your spirits.

 Bottom line

The bottom line is that anytime of day is a good time to weigh yourself. It just depends on what you’re looking for in the long run. If you want to see your weight fluctuate and make changes over the course of a few hours, try weighing yourself first thing in the morning before breakfast or after dinner. If you’d rather see your weight stay steady throughout the day, take note of your weight around lunchtime.

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