Everybody’s relationship with the scale looks a little different. Some people are perfectly happy if the only time they encounter a scale is at their annual exam while others log their weight at the same time every morning like clockwork.
Which way is the “right” way? Well, it’s hard to say. In one 2015 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers determined that daily weigh-ins encouraged people to make healthier decisions and lose more weight. However, other research suggests that some people who weigh themselves frequently may be experiencing an eating disorder, according to a 2016 study published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders. The reason we can see such contrasting data is simply that what works for some might not work so well for others.
So we grew curious about what our readers had to say. Health Digest conducted a survey asking respondents how often they weigh themselves, and here’s what we found out.
All the time or not at all?
A third of respondents said that hopping on the scale a few times a month tells them everything they need to know. 19.4% of voters reported they never step foot on a scale, letting us know that weighing themselves isn’t even on their radar. People often believe that the number on the scale provides a factual depiction of their overall health, but that’s not the case. By never weighing yourself it might make it easier for some people to tune into how their body is feeling rather than what it weighs.
18% of voters say that they like to get on the scale a few times a week, while 15.2% said once-a-week weigh-ins are where it’s at. Many experts hold the same belief as Rachel Fine, a registered dietician who told Healthline, “There’s no reason to weigh yourself more than once a week. With daily water fluctuations, body weight can change drastically on a day-to-day basis. Weighing yourself at the same time on a weekly basis will give you a more accurate picture.” However, many other experts in the field believe that weighing in every day provides the most benefits — a view they share with 14.4% of our survey respondents.
