Daily Weigh-In May Help Dieters Lose Weight...Or Their Minds

Hot off the presses....a new study suggests that weighing yourself each day may be help you lose more weight or control your weight more effectively than weekly or less frequent weighing. Researcher Jennifer A. Linde, PhD, and her colleagues at the University of Minnesota found that daily weigh-ins may serve the same function as keeping track of daily food intake and exercise. The study examined more than 3000 people for two years and their self-weighing practices. Out of the more than 3000 people studies, 1800 were either obese or overweight and were enrolled in a weight loss program. Here's what they found:

In both the weight loss and weight control groups, people who weighed themselves daily lost more weight than those who weighed less frequently.

Daily weighers in the weight loss group lost twice as much weight as weekly weighers -- an average of 12 pounds vs. 6, Linde says. People who never weighed on their own gained about 4 pounds.

Should I weigh myself everyday based on these finding?

Absolutely not! Daily weighing is not for everyone especially those who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. There is also some data to suggest that daily weighing is not recommended for people who are clinically depressed. Focusing on weight on a daily basis can also discourage dieters from continuing on their regimen due to fluctuations in water retention, hormonal changes, and just plain different times of the day for weighing.

I recommend weekly weigh-ins. You should wear the same kind of clothes, eat the same kind of meal, and weigh in at about the same time.