Ordinarily, when embarking on a weight loss/gain challenge, weighing yourself regularly turns into a key strategy for tracking your progress. So, like everything in life, this practice has its peculiarities and its little tricks that allow us to obtain more precise results. Regarding this subject, one of the most frequent questions we ask ourselves during the adventure is: Should we weigh ourselves in the evening or in the morning? Let’s unveil the mystery together!

Should you weigh yourself in the evening or in the morning?

Should you weigh yourself in the evening or in the morning?

According to studies, the best time to weigh yourself is in the morning. And specifically, we’re talking about the first hour after waking up and using the toilet. Ideally, the operation is carried out before having eaten and drunk. In this way, the most correct result is obtained. But why is it actually better to weigh yourself in the morning rather than in the evening? Quite simply, because the body has time (during the night) to digest all the drinks and food consumed the day before.

Morning results are more accurate because the body has had time to digest food from the night before.

Why shouldn’t we weigh ourselves at night?

Not only is it more appropriate to weigh yourself in the morning, but generally, it is not recommended to weigh yourself in the evening. The explanation? Normally, when we weigh ourselves in the evening, we can be left with the false impression that we have gained weight. This is due to the fact that at the end of the day the food is not yet digested by the body. This process usually occurs during sleep when we release water through breathing and perspiration and also in the morning after going to the bathroom.

In the evening the body has not yet digested the food and the scale tends to disappoint us

How often to weigh yourself?

In general, opinions on this issue vary. However, most experts say it’s recommended to weigh yourself only once a week. This is because daily weigh-ins tend to trigger anxiety and often lead to eating disorders.

How much weight to remove when weighing yourself fully clothed?

Despite expectations, the variation in weight caused by the presence of many or fewer garments is not so considerable. Mainly, we remove between 0.5 to 1.5 kg of the weight displayed on the instrument. To get a clearer idea on the subject, we remove about 1 kg for men and 750 g for women. Obviously, the quantity varies according to the season, the type of clothes, their weight and the material.

It is advisable not to weigh yourself more than once a week

Creating a routine: the importance

Indeed, when you decide to weigh yourself regularly, it is important to establish a good routine. If, for example, you weigh yourself once a week, we advise you to choose a specific day and time and stick to it every week. Let’s say we perform the operation every Wednesday at 7:00 in the morning. The same goes for those who weigh themselves daily – you set a specific time in the morning to devote to this habit.

What is the best day of the week to weigh yourself?

Moreover, we must make another important clarification. More often than not, our weekday routine differs from that of the weekend. Usually, we are more strict during the 5 days of activities and we allow ourselves a little more freedom on Saturday and Sunday. If this is your case, we advise you to avoid weighing yourself on weekends.

Most people choose Friday to check their progress against the routine followed for the 5 days of the week.

Another popular option is Wednesday, since it’s really the middle of the week and you can know how to adjust your routine if needed.

Learn to better understand the results

Whatever your routine, there is one crucial thing to consider. Sometimes self-monitoring of weight is accompanied by a misunderstanding of day-to-day weight fluctuations. While indeed, these variations are totally normal. If, for example, we train and gain muscle, our weight can also increase. Carbohydrates, salt and certain medications can also affect water retention and fluid weight in the body.

Accept slight variations

In conclusion, it is best to weigh yourself in the morning. In addition, when you follow your progress regularly, you must try to create a routine to obtain more correct results. And finally, be prepared to accept a slight variation in weight (about 1 to 2 kg) between weighings. Such fluctuation is quite normal.

Do you weigh yourself regularly? What are your little tricks to avoid disappointment? Did you find this article useful ? Share your thoughts on the subject under the following post:

Should we #to weigh in the evening or in the morning? Here are the experts’ tips for creating a #routine adequate weighing with more accurate results 🔎https://t.co/CWlHRatt8r

— Sandrine Morel (@Sandrine_Morel_) August 8, 2023