Is It Healthy To Weigh Yourself Every Day?

According to the CDC, over 70% of adults over 20 years old in the United States are overweight or obese. With this statistic in mind, it's no surprise that many people are currently working on a goal to lose weight. However, with so much opposing information about health and fitness, embarking on a weight loss journey can be confusing. Even something as simple as weighing yourself comes with questions. How often should you weigh yourself? What time of day should you do it? Should you weigh yourself every day?

According to Livestrong, how often you should weigh yourself will depend on a variety of factors. A general guideline is to weigh yourself once or twice a week. Be sure to step on the scale at the same time each day (preferably in the morning) because your body weight will fluctuate throughout the day. You should also weigh yourself without clothes on to keep your information consistent. However, you can weigh yourself every day if you understand the risks involved. "Daily weight monitoring is OK for certain patients who are motivated, feel comfortable and are aware of natural fluctuations in body weight," said Reshmi Srinath, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Weight and Metabolism Management Program.

There are many good reasons to weigh yourself daily. According to WebMD, daily weigh-ins can keep you motivated and even make you more successful at losing weight. You can also make more informed dietary decisions during the day if you notice that you did not meet your weight loss goals that morning.

However, there are many cons to weighing yourself every day as well. According to Livestrong, weighing yourself too often can give you misleading information about your progress. Body weight fluctuates often from many factors including water retention, salt intake, and hormones. Seeing those fluctuations can also be frustrating and discouraging for people who do not understand that it is normal for weight to change by a few pounds throughout the day. Frequent weigh-ins can also lead to unhealthy behaviors like over-exercising or extreme dieting. If you find yourself obsessing over your weight, you should probably stop weighing yourself so often.