Healthy Habits: To Weigh Or Not To Weigh?

To weigh or not to weigh yourself everyday while working on a weight loss plan is an oft debated question.

Some say you should weigh no more than once a week. The school of thought is that you will get freaked out by the numbers. You may develop anxiety as your weight fluctuates each day due to water retention, exercise, etc. If you don't lose anything for several days depression can set in. Others say that when you weigh yourself every day you will become obsessed with the numbers and develop eating disorders. Also, it's hard to see progress on a daily basis. A weight loss of about two pounds a week is considered healthy but unless you have a scale that shows your weight in tenths of a pound, you won't see that progress showing up on a daily basis.

The flip side of the coin is that weighing every day helps keep you accountable to your food and exercise choices; it's a daily reminder to stay on your eating plan and remain committed to better health. Some feel daily weighing makes you more accountable to yourself and can show where you need minor adjustments. Some find it motivating to see the scale down a half of a pound, or when it stays the same three days in a row and then drops two pounds.

Personally, I weigh every day or two. I know when I have slacked on my exercise or eaten too many calories. At this point I can predict pretty accurately whether I will be up a pound or down a pound before I even step on the scale. But seeing it on the scale does keep me accountable to myself and it is easier to 'catch it' before a couple extra pounds become five or ten pounds.

Whether you prefer to weigh every day or once week, it is important that you understand and recognize things that can affect your weight by a few pounds on any given day, such as eating out (high sodium), not drinking enough water, not getting enough sleep, no exercise, or eating late at night. Whenever you weigh, be sure to do it the same time of day, in the same clothes (or no clothes). Weight will fluctuate during the day as we eat, sweat, etc, so if you get on the scale in the morning one day and then in the afternoon the next day, you may see a "false" weight gain.

Only you can decide what will work best for you. If you need a regular reminder of the goals you are striving for, you may want to weigh yourself daily.If you think you will get frustrated and give up if you see a day where your weight does not go down or where it temporarily rises, you should probably weigh yourself once a week, twice at the most.

No matter how frequently you choose to weigh, I recommend that you weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom, before eating or drinking anything.

What works for you? How often do you weigh yourself and why? Weigh in with your opinion!

Healthy Habits: Favorite Breakfast Recipes Under 300 Calories

One of the most important tips I can give to help you along your weight loss journey is: DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST!! Eating within an hour of waking in the morning (ideally 30 min) jump starts your metabolism. This means you will burn more calories throughout the day. Not eating breakfast sends your body into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down in order to conserve energy. The key is to put something (fuel) in your body that can be converted to energy and metabolized slowly. Sugar will metabolize quickly giving you a burst of energy but won't last very long. The right kind of carbs, fat and protein will give you sustained energy over several hours.

Interesting thing about sugar. If you eat sugar, your body will crave sugar. Then it's an ongoing battle with yourself, trying not to eat the 'bad stuff'. If you don't believe me, try this experiment. Eat sugar early in the day and then pay close attention to what you 'want' to eat for the rest of the day. Then take a day and make one of the breakfast recipes below and see what your body is craving for the rest of the day. Obviously this doesn't mean that you won't want sugar any more. But you will find that if you can go for about three days without sugar your body stops craving it. Fresh, sweet fruit becomes sugar to you and you will truly notice the intense sweetness of things like fresh pineapple or oranges and grapefruits. You will start to crave the natural sugars in fruit for energy.
I always drink a 24 oz bottle of water first thing after waking in the morning. Then I eat about a cup of fresh fruit giving me carbs for energy and jump starting my metabolism. That's enough food to exercise on; you shouldn't exercise on an empty stomach, but definitely don't want a full stomach. After exercise I will make one of the breakfasts below.

These are three of my favorite breakfast recipes. All are under 300 calories!!


Fresh Banana Nut Oatmeal  (267 calories)
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 Cup Quaker Rolled Oats (NOT instant)
1/2 Ripe Banana
3 Walnut halves

Put water, milk and oats in small sauce pan on stove. Turn stove on low-med. Stir frequently as it heats, oats will cook (approx 3-4 min) and start to thicken. Do not turn on high, do not boil.

Meanwhile in cereal bowl, mash 1/2 banana with fork. Break walnut halves into small pieces on top of banana.

When oats are cooked pour into cereal bowl over banana. Mix with spoon.


Chocolate-Strawberry Smoothie    (285 Calories)
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 Cup Cold Water
1 tsp Ground Flax Seed
1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
1/2 Ripe Banana
5 Large Frozen Strawberries

Put in Blender in order above and blend until smooth. If you like it thicker, add one or two more strawberries.(add 7 calories for each strawberry you add)



Protein Bowl    (234 Calories) 
This recipe makes 4 servings: 234 calories per serving
(This is a variation of Jillian Michael's Breakfast Bowl)
2 Cups Fat Free Plain Yogurt
2 Cups Fat Free Cottage Cheese
3 Tblsp Sliced Almonds
1/2 Cup Quaker Rolled Oats (NOT instant)
2 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries OR Blackberries OR Strawberries (Can also use frozen berries-let thaw first)

Combine yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds, oats & vanilla in a bowl. Mix. Divide into four-1 cup servings in four storage bowls with seals. Put in fridge. Needs to sit overnight or at least four hours for oatmeal to "cook" as it absorbs moisture.

Put fruit on top of protein bowl at the time you are eating it.


There you go...three great breakfasts that are quick and easy or make ahead, super nutritious and great tasting! Enjoy!

When do you have the most difficulty creating a healthy meal; when fixing breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Are you most interested in changing your eating habits or your exercise habits right away? Or both?