WRW-- Not a Championship Wrestling Federation

June 16, 9:20 AMLow Carb ExaminerJamie Van Eaton

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Report weekly, but note monthly losses.

Simply put: Weigh in Daily, Report Weekly and Write it Down

While the weight loss journey for many is a relatively easy one, (switching to wholesome, organics vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, delicious fruits, and, yes, chocolate), the difficult part for most is the non-constant weight loss.

As easy as it is to shed weight following a plan which cuts  processed foods, it is equally easy to notice that weight doesn't disappear in a convenient, linear fashion. For those dieters who weigh daily, the results can be maddening with water weight fluctuations of up to 8 pounds per day.

How, then, can you keep pace with weight loss (or lack thereof) without panicking? It's not always easy, but it can be done.

1. Weigh daily (if you must), but only record losses weekly.   Record losses on a calendar each Monday, and refer to these more stable data points for overall trends.

2. Note overall weights monthly. Even weekly numbers can cause maddening results when monthly events occur physically (for women) which cause weight gain for a week or more at a time. While it might feel as though you're taking two steps forward and one step back on a weekly basis, checking monthly numbers is more reliable in showing overall success (see chart below).

3. Keep records through fitday.com or through another reliable food journaling source. When there are gains, slow losses or stalls, the ability to refer to this information is important. Did you eat too much sodium that month? Samba with too many new, higher-carb foods? Are you eating more calories and carbohydrates than you thought you were? Journals and food diaries help maintain a strong, reality-based look into the day-to-day habits of a person looking for long-term health.