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Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 24: How Often Should I Weigh Myself?

Posted by Ed Levine, July 4, 2008 at 8:30 AM

I've been up on the Cape all this week and yes, I brought my scale (right). But having the scale with me only begs the question of how often I should weigh myself no matter where I am.

I brought the scale to hold myself accountable for any forays into vacation gluttony I might embark on, but the fact of the matter is that this question of how often I should be getting on the scale has been weighing on me for months.

I know there is no right answer to this almost cosmic question. I last attended a Weight Watchers' meeting 20 years ago, so I don't know where those eminently sensible folks are on this issue now. Other people advocate trying on the same pair of pants or shorts every week to see how snugly they fit, instead of weighing in. Still others say once a week, a third camp advocates weighing yourself every day at the same time.

Here's where I come down on this issue right now (after the jump). Please, serious eaters, let me know if it makes any sense at all.

Trying Out a Mid-Week Weigh-In

Until very recently I have just weighing in once a week, first on Thursdays, and then on Fridays, as you all have been reading about for months. But over the course of the last few weeks I have experimented with weighing myself one other time during the middle of the week, on Tuesday or Wednesday. The second weigh-in gives me an interim progress report. It has enabled me to adjust accordingly. If I'm up a pound or two or three during this interim weigh-in, I can at least spend the next couple of days really, really eating moderately and sensibly.

Of course this idea presents its own set of issues. Now that I'm reviewing restaurants, I tend to eat out in the beginning of the week on the days directly preceding the interim weigh-in. Meals out tend to drive up my weight, as you all might guess. So the interim weigh-in number can be pretty scary, though I must say I've done pretty well eating in moderation during my reviewing meals.

Roadside Temptations

This week, away from the city, in the land of great pie, grilled steak, and fried clams, I have definitely been eating carelessly. The interim weigh-in, on Wednesday morning, was a diet train wreck. I was up three pounds. I wish I could blame this weight gain on the slope of the floor where I put the scale, but in fact I weighed myself on three different surfaces in three different rooms, and the scale concluded I was in the same amount of serious trouble in all three spots.

I had two days to repair the damage. During those two days, I was faced with a lunch we were hosting, and two parties (one cocktail party, one potluck supper). How did I do?

The Weigh-In

We're going to find out right now, in all three parts of the house. Whew! I ended up up only a pound for the week. The interim weigh-in really helped. I went to the potluck supper and ended up eating very little. I think I'm going to stick to the interim weigh-in regimen until I come up with something better.

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