Stepping onto that bathroom scale can help you lose weight, studies show. But new research suggests one day of the week is the best one to weigh yourself: Wednesday.
That’s because Wednesday is furthest from the weekend — when restaurant dining and chaotic eating is more common, the
Wall Street Journal reports.
Marlene Schwartz, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, notes that just thinking about stepping on a bathroom scale can be nerve-wracking for some people.
That’s why many doctors recommending stepping on the scale just once a week, unless you are trying to lose weight — in which case a daily weigh-in might provide added incentive to stick to a diet or exercise plan.
But Schwartz advises most people not to fixate on minor fluctuations in weight. Studies show Americans tend to overeat more on weekends, and may slack off on exercise, than during the week. That’s why a weekly weigh-in on Wednesday may offer the best overall indication of one’s true weight.
“There are even people who treat eating disorders who say you should never weigh yourself, concluding it’s more important to think about your behavior than your weight,” she says.
“For those who are just maintaining their weight, once a week is fine to give you a good average weight,” she says.
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