Why the Scale Lies

Hi,

Here's two articles on the topic which concerns alot of us about how often we should weigh, one con, one pro frequent weighing:

Why the Scale Lies
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/libra ry/weight/scale.htm

Diet Detective: Should you weigh yourself everyday?
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/lifestyles/4678 54,dietdet717.article

The first touches on sodium, glycogen, the weight of the food! as factors in high numbers.  Interesting!

The latter references the recent study which found that "daily weighing, rather than once a week or month, was associated with lower Body Mass Index levels in women 40 years or older."

Enjoy those!
Louise :)

Hey. I just read and printed the first article.  I tend to get over dramatic when I see a rise in the number on the screen. So thanks for that. =]

Hi Ashalee_88, Glad you enjoyed it.  Just checked, and there's a whole bunch more interesting links, like:

How Many Calories Does Your Body Need?
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/libra ry/weight/calsburned.htm

and other articles:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/libra ry/weight/weight02.htm

this post made my day! thank you so much!

That's great stuff- I loved the first post too. Thanks for posting them, gypsyfan-

I just wanted to say one thing about the second article, and statistics in general. Please don't take this as a slam on the whole post, because I really did like 90% of the stuff in there. It's just that other 10% that I feel like I have to object to... :)

About weighing yourself every day- "Recent research says it?s fine. Frequent self-weighing will not make you depressed..."

It is a gross misuse of statistics to take a study that indicates that people who weigh themselves every day are no more likely to get depressed than those who do not and conclude that YOU, as a specific human being incorporating a gazillion moments in your psychological history, will not get depressed by looking at the scale every day. (Don't even get me started on the fact that they don't define "depressed")

If looking at the scale every day makes you disappointed, and depressed, and unmotivated, STOP looking at it every day. Don't take on the extra burden of feeling like you are abnormal for getting depressed when the statistics say you shouldn't, or don't, or whatever.

Sorry if that seems like a rant, but that kind of misuse of stats is really harmful and damaging sometimes. No statistic EVER knows you better than you do.

I was JUST looking for an article to tell me how often I should weigh because of the normal fluctuations in my weight and I found this post.

Printed so I can commit it to memory - for those days when I get frustrated by the extra pounds brought on with my "monthly friend."  Heh.

Thank you!!