The Truth About Weighing: How Often Should You Really Weigh Yourself?

What factors affect weighing and weight?

Many factors can affect body weight, such as fluid intake, eating carbohydrates or salt, physical activity, hormone levels, sleep patterns, and stress. Weight can vary from day to day and a change in weight does not always indicate a change in body composition.

1. Fluid intake

Fluid intake can affect weight and thus weighing. If you drink too little, the body can store water to make up for the lack of fluids. This can temporarily increase the weight. On the other hand, high fluid intake can lead to increased urination and thus temporarily reduce weight. It's important to drink enough to keep your body hydrated, but also to be careful not to drink too much. Some drinks, such as soda or alcohol, can also contain extra calories and thus affect body weight. It is therefore advisable to give preference to water or unsweetened teas.

2. Eating carbohydrates or salt

Carbs and salt can affect body weight but in different ways. Carbohydrates bind water in the body, which can temporarily increase weight. This is because carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen, which attracts water.

Salt, on the other hand, can cause the body to retain more water . This is because the body is trying to balance the salt by retaining more water. A high-salt meal or high salt intake can therefore lead to a temporary increase in body weight.

Both carbohydrates and salt are important components of a balanced diet and should not be avoided entirely. A moderated recording makes sense. The same applies here: drink enough water.

3. Physical activity

Physical activity has a major impact on body weight and therefore on weighing. Regular exercise can build muscle and break down fat, leading to a change in body composition. Muscle weighs more than fat, so it's entirely possible that you weigh more despite regular exercise on the scale. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have not lost weight. It is therefore important to consider other factors such as body fat percentage or waist size to keep track of to measure progress. In addition, physical activity can stimulate the metabolism and thus increase calorie consumption, which in turn can lead to weight loss. Weight loss is frequently impossible with just sport. A balanced diet is even more critical to success.

4. Hormone levels

Certain hormones can regulate metabolism and food intake. For example, low thyroid hormone levels can slow metabolism and cause fewer calories to be burned. An imbalance in the hormone insulin can also lead to weight gain as it regulates blood sugar levels and appetite. Hormones such as cortisol and estrogen can also affect weight.

If you suspect hormones to be the cause of your weight fluctuations, it may make sense to talk to your doctor about it.

5. Sleep patterns and stress

Both sleep and stress can affect weight and therefore weighing. A lack of sleep can alter hormone levels and increase appetite. Maybe you feel tired and listless. This can also lead to reduced physical activity. Stress can affect hormone levels and lead to increased release of cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite and slows metabolism. Read how to lower your cortisol levels. Some people are prone to emotional eating. Eating more when you're stressed or comforting yourself with unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain. Therefore, it is important to ensure adequate sleep and good stress management to maintain a healthy weight. That's easier said than done. Talk to our nutritionists about it. Together you can develop strategies to change your behavior sustainably. Your health insurance company will then cover the costs for Oviva for you if you are insured with one of our more than 40 partner health insurance companies.

Weighing can be a useful tool to measure weight loss progress. But: Weighing is not the only means of measuring success. Focus on other factors as well, such as improving physical performance or increasing muscle mass. Ultimately, the goal should be to establish healthy habits and achieve a healthier lifestyle over the long term.