Galahad's

     Are you one of the many who step on that scale every day to be disappointed at the ups and downs of the numbers? They vary nearly every day. Up a bit here. Down a bit there. It feels like there is little to no progress. Those up days can be very discouraging.

 

     Do not weigh yourself every day. Take one or two days a week to get your measurements. I prefer Mondays and sometimes adding Fridays, but you can do it on any days.

 

     Be sure to weigh yourself at the same time of the day each go at the scale. Also, try to maintain the same conditions. If you don’t wear your shoes, always kick your shoes off first. If you weigh yourself on an empty stomach, always do so with an empty stomach.

 

     I weigh myself first thing in the morning at work on Mondays with an empty stomach. I empty all of my pockets, remove any additional clothing so I am just wearing the basics (shirt, pants, socks and underwear) and I take off my shoes and belt. This way, I get the closest reading to what my actual bodyweight is. The best way to do this would be to weigh yourself naked, but I am not about to do that at work.

 

     Weighing yourself weekly will maximize the view of the progress you’ve made.

 

     As you lose weight, there are many factors that will make that number change on a daily basis. You could weigh up to about 7lbs different in just a 24 hour period. If those 7lbs are a growth, that can bring on many feelings of despair. Water retention, inflammation and fuller bowels are some of the culprits for this potentially huge variance.

 

     To help counteract these, drink your water. Flush your system and keep it hydrated so your body doesn’t have any need to hold onto fluids. It will also help to better regulate your waste system and even assist in the reduction of inflamed areas.

 

     Eyeing your numbers daily, you will still see results, but they will be nowhere near as easy to track and will be so much less dramatic as they drop. You will lose and gain, but your body will net a loss. Give yourself the week for some balancing of these weight fluctuations so you can see the drop in poundage and be proud of your accomplishment.

 

     Don’t lose too much weight. Many people, including myself, drop the pounds that they need but are still not happy with their appearance. They still see themselves as fat. There is a condition called Body Dysmorphic Disorder where a person believes and obsesses over a defect with their physical appearance that is not really there. Many of us who have had weight problems suffer a similar ailment when it comes to judging our own appearance. It is not the disorder itself, but something rather similar. If you keep working at things properly by losing to a healthy weight and then toning, it will pass. You will be happy with your appearance and even moreso with yourself for all of the successes you have achieved. The scale is what gauges the truth about your weight loss. Your eyes will soon follow.