When it comes to losing weight the temptation to jump on the scales to see if you’ve lost can be hard to overcome. But for years people have been advised to limit the times they get weighed, often to as little as once a week or even monthly.
However health and fitness guru Dr Michael Mosley believed that wasn’t the case. In fact he said he got the best results by checking the scales several times a week.
The presenter and podcast host, who created diet plans including The Fast 800, 5:2, The Way of Life and The Fast 800 Keto, died last June during a holiday in Greece. But he left behind a legacy of help and advice through his books as well as his TV shows and Just One Thing podcast.
And writing on his Fast 800 website he set about debunking many diet myths including the big “how often” scales dilemma. And he used scientifically proven facts to back his arguments.
Explaining the views he said he had been told on his first day in medical school that progress means that within 10 years of graduating much of what they had learned would be out of date.
The expert says how often you weigh yourself can make a difference
(Image: Getty Images)
He said: “Medicine is constantly changing and unless you keep up you are doomed to cling to outmoded ideas. This is particularly true in the field of human nutrition and dieting.”
Dr Mosley said one common misconception was how often was the right amount to get weighed to keep a track on the pounds. He explained: “There is a widely held belief that you shouldn’t weigh yourself more than once a week because then you will become overly obsessed with your weight.
“Well, I weigh myself several times a week, sometimes more and I have science on my side. In a recent study they followed 40 people attending a weight loss programme.
“Some weighed themselves daily, others weekly, monthly or hardly at all. What they found was that the more often people weighed themselves the more weight they lost.”
However NHS England still recommends weighing less often. On its website it advises : “Weigh yourself consistently at the same time of day, preferably in the morning, and at regular weekly to monthly intervals.”
It continues to explain how and where to get weighed – and what to wear saying: “Use a firm, level floor for accurate readings. Bathrooms are ideal.
“Wear little to no clothing, avoiding shoes and heavy items where possible which could throw off the reading. Wear similar items every time you weigh yourself.”