Q: I’ve been following my healthy eating and exercise program perfectly, but when I weighed myself this afternoon, I weighed a pound more than I did this morning. What happened?
A: Oh, that dreaded scale! It is not uncommon for body weight to fluctuate throughout the day. This is often the result of changes in fluid balance, which means that your body retains different amounts of water at various times of the day. For instance, when you wake up in the morning and you haven’t had anything to drink for several hours, you often weigh less than you do in the afternoon.
There are also other factors that can affect fluid balance and, in turn, weight. For example, a woman’s weight will fluctuate slightly based on where she is within her menstrual cycle, and everyone will weigh a little more the day after eating a salty meal or two.
If you're feeling stymied in your attempts to drop pounds, don't lose hope. These four tips can help you get and stay on track — and help you better keep track of your progress.
1. Know When to Weigh In for an Accurate Measure
When following a healthy eating and exercise plan, many of us define success by the number we see on the scale. If you are tracking your weight loss, it is fine to weigh yourself each day, but do so at the same time each day and in similar clothing. This will limit the amount of fluctuation that you see as a result of changes in fluid balance. However, it is most important to try not to focus on the day-to-day changes, but instead, track your weight loss month over month to see your overall progress. This will give you a better idea of how things are going by seeing real changes in weight rather than water retention.
2. Track Inches Instead of Pounds to See Results
If you’re not seeing the results on the scale that you would like, consider measuring your success by tracking your measurements: hips, waist, thighs, etc. As you start to exercise more and eat a healthier diet, it’s common to see changes in measurements before a change on the scale. Keeping track of your measurements, or how your clothes fit, gives you another way to measure your success!
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help if You Need It
If you’re not happy with your progress after tracking your weight and measurements for a month, it may be a good idea to see a local registered dietitian. Most health insurance companies will cover a few visits with a nutritionist to help you on the road to weight loss success. You will be able to discuss how you’ve been doing, and the dietitian can suggest what changes may be helpful as you move forward. Keep in mind that a healthy weight loss amount is between ½ to 2 pounds per week. So make sure to set reasonable expectations for yourself. If you can’t meet with a registered dietitian, try these healthy habits for weight loss.
4. Remember: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Even if you’re not seeing the changes that you were hoping for right away, try to keep in mind that, regardless of weight loss, exercising and eating healthy foods will help you feel better and will decrease your risk of negative health outcomes, such as diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. Weight loss is a challenging journey, but if you make health your primary focus, you’ll always win!
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.