The scale is my guide and my disciplinarian although at times it may feel like my worst enemy! There are mixed reviews as to how often you should weigh yourself. Some say daily, some say weekly, some even say the numbers on the scale are irrelevant as long as you are healthy and in good shape. I believe you have to choose which of these works best for you.

I am partial to two of the above options. I am a daily-weigh-in kinda girl, but it’s not to see what my actual weight is as much as it’s to see if there is movement in the right direction. If it says 125 today and it was 135 two months ago, I am happy. If it says 185 and I was 215 four months ago, then I am happy. It’s all about the progress. People get very hung up on the NUMBER they are trying to reach. This can be discouraging as we are not all built to be the “ideal weight” set out by some mathematical equation we read in the latest women’s magazine. When you get close to your goal, and you are eating right and exercising regularly, there will almost inevitably be a major slowdown in the weight loss. Your shape will usually continue to change but the numbers don’t necessarily. This is when trouble starts. People tend to give up and slowly go back to old habits, or they tend to go to the extremes of dieting which will only result in illness.

I always use the scale as a guide. If I lose a little – great, if I gain a little I will be aware of it and it won’t let it go any further. It gives me the opportunity to assess and adjust my current plan and continue to work toward healthy goals. How I feel physically and how I feel when I look in the mirror are the best guides to my “ideal weight”.