People in the thick of a weight loss program all know one thing: the bathroom scale can be your friend or your enemy. The question of whether you should stop weighing yourself in order to lose weight is one that a lot of people have asked themselves, especially if they've hit the dreaded plateau.
Mind Tricks
Coming to the actual decision to commit to a weight loss program could take some people years. They've been unhappy and yet fear that they're not up to the investment of time it takes to lose weight. When they embark on their journey, it's with a mixture of trepidation and hope. Often they've involved family and friends for support and motivation. The workout clothes have been bought, and the gym membership or home exercise equipment acquired. The first few weeks of a weight loss program are critical, and one little setback is all it can take to unravel the delicate balance between fear and determination.
Weighing In
Everyone encounters a few scary moments, especially at the beginning of a weight loss program. For all your effort to control your eating and engage in a fitness plan, the scales could actually go up in the first couple of weeks. This is a common phenomenon. Often muscle mass is added before significant fat loss is achieved, and that could tip the scales in a direction that doesn't inspire confidence. The motivation you've been cultivating to keep you on track could dwindle into a morass of self-sabotage. For those of you who have sailed by the initiation with continued resolve and have lost weight through vigilance, there could come a time when all you get for your efforts is reaching a plateau. This might lead you to question whether you should weigh yourself anymore.
Expert Insight
The folks at the Weight Watchers Research Department have encountered studies that prove that frequent weighing is an indicator of weight loss success. Accountability is a tool advocated by behavioral specialists, life coaches and therapists to help you inculcate a sense of discipline. Studies were conducted over a two-year period at the University of Minnesota to determine the factors involved in weight-gain prevention and weight loss. Of the over 3,200 participants in the study, it was determined that those who weighed themselves once a week lost more weight than those who weighed in less frequently. The greatest weight loss of all, however, occurred with those people who weighed themselves daily.
Considerations
Life coach Alexandra Jaye founder, creator of the website My Goddess Life, made a short video that was inspired by weight loss expert Geneen Roth. In the video, Jaye suggested placing a piece of paper with your ideal or desired weight over the space on the scales where you would normally see the numbers. While some people could construe this as cheating, others may use it as a motivational tool. Striving for your goal weight is a huge investment of your time, money and emotions. If you've hit a plateau and all you can do to pass the time till the scales indicate you are losing again, then consider this type of motivation as your best tool.
Member Comments