Annals of Behavioral Medicine: Daily Weigh Ins help dieters lose

A study published in the December issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, and reported here in the LAT, finds that dieters who weighed themselves regularly shed more pounds over a 24-month period than people who didn't regularly weigh themselves. Those who weighed themselves daily lost the most. Many health professionals still question this daily weigh in advice, but at least in this study, it appears to work. (Coincidentally, we devote an entire chapter to the importance of daily weigh ins in our forthcoming getfitsource.com health and fitness book.) In addition to much else in the article, which you should read in full, the following mechancal weigh in tips are reported: * To minimize variation, always weigh at the same time of day, such as in the morning just after having used the bathroom. * If you are weighing yourself daily, understand that your weight will vary day to day. It's the trend that's important. You may find it useful to make a graph of your weight. * Put the scale on a flat, uncarpeted surface so the readings don't wobble. * Use a scale that is consistent, giving the same weight when you step on, then off, then on again. That's more important than the type of scale you buy. Use the same scale each time. * Don't get fixated on the scale. Monitor your body change in other ways, such as the fit of your clothes, a tape measure or how you physically feel. * To the best of your ability, try to gauge how the weighing makes you feel, and if it is reinforcing -- or undermining -- your efforts.