The scale can be a double-edged sword when it comes to weight loss. If you’re reaching your diet and workout goals, stepping on it brings a wave of joy. However, you might have the provocation to throw it out the window when you hit a slump or plateau.

In your health journey, your scale can be a helpful tool. However, in order to acquire precise and helpful information from it, you must know when and how to weigh yourself.

Morning is the most standard time for weighing yourself. Before consuming breakfast and after going to the bathroom, weigh yourself. Because you don’t have any extra weight in your digestive tract from food and fluid, this could be your “real” weight.

Although the morning is the most suggested time for weighing yourself, it doesn’t really matter what time you measure yourself as long as you are consistent.

Remember that your weight fluctuates by roughly 3 pounds during the day. If you measure yourself in the morning one day and the evening the next time, you can’t truly compare the two weights because they’re at different times.

Whatever time you weigh yourself, make it a habit to do so at the same way every time (e.g., after pooping, with or without clothes) and on the same scale. It’s essential to weigh yourself at the same time every day for accurate weight monitoring

The Best Rules to Weighing Yourself — and When to Ditch the Scale:

It’s OK to ditch the scale, especially if it’s not making you feel any healthier or better about yourself.

Have you tried it, and it only made you feel anxious? Get rid of it.

A scale in the home may be unneeded for people with eating disorders or disordered eating habits. Weigh-ins can be left to appointments with your dietitian or nutritionist so you can focus your time and energy on other things that make you healthy and happy.

Keep in mind that the scale isn’t the only measure of success. Instead, pay attention to other important factors such as body composition, healthy choices, healthy eating habits, exercise time, and body size.