Let’s talk about how to actually use the scale for CONSTRUCTIVE purposes and not DESTRUCTIVE.
First things first, you need to know what kind of a relationship you have with that little box you step on in the mornings. Can you handle getting on it in the morning and seeing a bit of a fluctuation from the day before and NOT have it ruin your day? Or does it completely stress you out to the point that you never want to step foot on it ever again? Yes, these are completely opposite ends of the spectrum, but where you sit on this spectrum would dictate, as a coach, when and how often I would ask you to step on the scale/weigh in.
Ideally, you have an ok relationship with the scale and even if your weight creeps up a pound or two, you can move on with life and continue to put in the work that you know will make a difference in helping you achieve your health and fitness goals. In this case, stepping on the scale daily IS helpful. There are SO MANY factors that contribute to daily weight fluctuations. Things like water intake, carb intake, sleep, stress and hormone levels, among other things. Weighing yourself daily can offer some insight to how your body responds to all of the factors listed.
Now, that being said. Daily weight fluctuations are going to happen. It’s just a fact of life. Even if you eat the exact same thing every day, go to bed the exact same time every night and wake up at the exact same time every day. The body itself goes through fluctuations and cycles. Especially as women, our hormones fluctuate from day to day, and yes, you guessed it, this can and will affect what the scale says. That is why it is important that if you do opt to weigh yourself every day, you DO NOT compare weigh ins from day to day. Instead… compare weigh-ins monthly. Say, you stepped on the scale yesterday and it read 165.4, then today you stepped on it and it read 167.0… you are most likely going to mutter under your breath and might even second guess eating that apple later today for a snack. But then you look back at your weigh in from a month ago, on March 17… and it was 168.5. Now all of a sudden you can see more than just a daily weigh in. You actually see your PROGRESS, and then your weigh in of 167 doesn’t look so bad because you are doing better than you were last month.
This is especially important for women due to our hormonal fluctuations which are directly affected by our menstrual cycles. You know how different you can feel depending on what time of your cycle you are on. You can go from feeling bloated and weak one day, to completely deflated and strong the next. Another reason you cannot compare daily weigh ins between back to back days. However… it is still a good idea to record these weigh-ins, to notice changes in your weight that may be indicators to your cycle, or maybe how your body reacts to certain foods/hydration practices. It is never a bad idea to get to know your body more and learn from it by listening to it. So in this way, and this way only, daily fluctuations of the scale are useful.
Just another reminder though that the little number on the scale DOES NOT define who you are as a person. It simply represents how much the force of gravity acts upon you. Use it as a tool, as it is meant to be, and nothing more.