Research from Cornell University (USA), published in the Journal of Obesity, reveals that, to lose weight effectively and lastingly, you have to weigh yourself every day, noting daily progress and failures on a paper. The reasons? You become aware of the link between food and weight, take note of any "mistakes" and feel gratified when things go well.
In short, Libra would be a motivational coach, which empowers, makes it clear if the diet works, makes it easier to make sacrifices and helps maintain results over time. This is no small goal, considering that, according to statistics, 40% of those who follow a low-calorie diet regain the weight they lost within the first year and 100% after five years.
But not all specialists agree: getting on the scale too often, many say, is a useless source of stress that, in the long run, leads to abandoning the diet. Here is the opinion of our expert, the doctor , nutritionist biologist.
WHAT IS THE SCALE FOR
"The scale is very important in a diet because, like a mirror, it serves to become aware of the path taken and the results that are gradually obtained. But it doesn't make any sense to weigh yourself every day, "explains the expert. "The obsession with weight, as well as generating anxiety and nervousness, feelings that are not beneficial to those who want to lose weight because they can cause nervous hunger, risks leading us astray.
In fact, it is completely normal for the weight to undergo physiological fluctuations from one day to the next, due, for example, to the amount of water present in the body or to intestinal function, therefore, if you step on the scale too often, you end up getting frustrated for no reason ».
Moreover, a healthy and lasting weight loss takes place within weeks, not days. Therefore, we must avoid that the small daily fluctuations affect the mood and act as a demotivating factor, which undermines the determination in pursuing the result.
"Finally, when following a diet, it is wrong to think only of the pounds lost and body composition must also be taken into account: therefore, the measurement of the waistline is important because, if the diet is accompanied by regular physical activity, it is likely that the weight will not drop significantly, since muscle mass increases, but the silhouette tapers, since it decreases the fat mass. So, the goal of weight loss is achieved ”, adds the expert.
WHEN TO WEIGH YOURSELF
«The right way to control weight, both during a low-calorie diet and in the maintenance phase, is establish a fixed day per week to weigh yourself and always do it on the same scale. To obtain precise and reliable results, then, it is advisable to always weigh yourself at the same time, so that the conditions are always the same: it does not matter whether it is before breakfast or after dinner, the important thing is not to change », concludes Dr. .
