Bathroom scale strategy is a topic every one of us who have lost weight is familiar with. Even if we will not admit it, we still know this to be true. If you’re new to weight loss, you will soon begin practicing the same rituals as those who came before you. These rituals and strategies just come natural to all of us, much like a hidden sense. The more desperate we are to lose weight, the sooner the little scale manipulations begin to appear. We veterans of weight loss already know all of the little tricks you will incorporate each time you weigh.
The Demon Inside
We all will develop a bathroom scale strategy in short order. The bathroom scale is a manipulator, it almost seems to have a little demon inside of it. This little contraption that lays on our bathroom floor will do its best to entrap our mind into the world of the insane. This little demon can be beat, but at times its seems like impossible odds are stacked against us. It is absurd that we do our best to beat this electronic, or mechanical beast with newfound bathroom scale strategies. But we all will fall into this trap. We will step on and off the scale, until we are satisfied with the lowest number.
I have heard of people stepping onto their scale fully clothed, and then removing items of clothing to lower the reading. Another common practice is to step upon the scale very gingerly, and then shift our feet for the optimal reading. Have you ever thought about the insanity the scale brings to us, that we would resort to doing the ridiculous? Our bathroom scale strategies may make sense in the moment, but can you comfortably explain them to a friend? Probably not, especially when it comes to evacuating your body of all waste before weighing yourself.
Bathroom scale strategy you should use.
I personally recommend you only weigh yourself once per week only and then watch for a trend. The trend of course, is a lowering of the numbers. You should pick a day and time to regularly weigh yourself, and then stick to to it. For the best accuracy, you should weigh yourself first thing in the morning before getting dressed. Step onto your scale, read the number, then step off and record it. Do not step on and off, take the reading at face value. Record your number and then get on with your day without letting the little demon inside the scale manipulate you.
Remember, at the end of the month if you see a drop from the beginning of the month, you are on track. If not, simply readjust your caloric needs, you are still consuming more than your body requires. That downward trend tells the full story of your progress, not a small blip of a weight increase because of water retention.
What if I prefer to weigh daily?
Well, this is something that many, if not most people prefer to do. While I do not feel this is necessary, nor helpful, many are going to do so anyhow. I accept this, and have a recommendation for you to follow. If weighing yourself daily is your bathroom scale strategy, then still be consistent in the time and day when you weigh yourself. Be consistent in how you dress for your weigh in.
Step upon your scale, read the number and then step off and record your number in a log. At the end of seven days, find the median number for the week. Not the average, but the median which is going to be the one right in the middle of the higher and lower readings. Keep this number for watching weight trend. At the end of the month, simply compare the median number from the first of the month to the last median number of the month. If the last is smaller, then you are on the right track. If it is larger, or has stalled, then simply lower your daily calorie consumption by 250 to 500 calories.
Keep it simple!
The key to having a bathroom scale strategy is to keep it simple and sane. Simple and sane lowers the stress of weighing. Remember, you did not gain weight over night, you are not going to lose it overnight, nor should you. We advocate not losing more than one or two pounds per week maximum. Any more than this, should only be done under a doctors supervision.
Check out our our plan here at David’s Way to Health and Fitness. It is not complicated at all and is really nothing more than a common sense approach to nutrition. I guarantee that anyone who tries our methodology will lose weight, and then keep it off. Best of all, we charge nothing to anyone to follow our methodology, we are entirely free to all.
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This is fantastic! There were times I wish the scale had a big hand to come up and slap me. Excellent advice, I hear so many stories of people freaking out so much about that number they immediately go out and eat a pizza. I think a scale should be kept a mile away and you need to hike uphill to get to it.
I like your thinking Linda.
I was once scale addicted and although it is a useful tool, the only remedy for that is to implement a system like David is describing here. Now, I weigh 1-2 times/week.
WONDERFUL article, partner, you freed me from this demon! 🙂 ❤️
I can only encourage you.