Should you step on that scale to weigh yourself or not? Well, like many things in life, the answer depends on who is asking the question.

There’s no doubt that for people who have lost excess weight and are trying to keep it off, daily weigh-ins helps them spot small upticks and get back on track. But if your mood changes for the worse after weighing yourself or if you are working on recovery from an eating disorder and are anxious about necessary weight gain, then step away from that scale!

Ask yourself this simple question… Will this information help motivate me towards positive changes, or will it cause me to feel badly and judge myself?

Here’s what I do in my office…  pretty much everyone is weighed backwards facing away from the scale. Then I either make no comment or I give some indication of which direction the scale is moving. That way I can monitor patient progress but they don’t have to stress about the actual numbers, which vary in any case depending on time of day, foods and beverages consumed, and clothing worn.

My advice is if you are losing excess weight, then only weigh your self once weekly at the same time of day, unclothed. Daily weigh-ins are only for folks who have lost weight and are now trying to maintain, and then only if it is useful information. Most other people should weigh only once weekly, if at all.

And if you are stepping on the scale more than once daily, that’s a sign you may have an eating issue that requires professional attention!