I used to think weighing yourself was stupid. After all, a 5’10” 200 pound NFL cornerback is a jacked beast, while 5’10” 200 pound Bob in Accounts is a soft tub of goo. The mirror never lies.
![[Image: 128506-330-0.jpg]](http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/3/60/4312486/128506-330-0.jpg)
![[Image: jesse_lile_a.jpg]](https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/images/2008/jesse_lile_a.jpg)
But recently I’ve been weighing myself a lot, and have come around to the benefits of doing so. For guys looking to slim down, here’s why I think frequently weighing yourself is helpful.
1. It results in daily mindfulness
It is well documented that logging daily activities can help you gain momentum in positive practices (writing, meditation) and curtail negative habits (fapping, repeated email checking).
Getting on the scale at least twice a day will help you become mindful of your weight, and mindfulness can overcome unhealthy cravings. Personally, I don’t even write my weight down, just being aware is enough.
One of my favorite writers did a similar thing and had success with it. While you don’t necessarily have to share your results with anyone, that can be very strong motivation as well.
2. It establishes your current range
Although a driver’s license says 173 or 210 pounds, it would be more accurate for most people if it said 170-185 or 210-240. Weight fluctuation is the norm, and just part of life. By mentally inputting data for several days or a week, you can figure out what weight range your current diet, exercise and overall lifestyle put you in.
For example:
I weighed myself three times on Sunday.
Sunday morning I was 151. Then I went on a run, and lifted that afternoon.
Sunday evening I was 148. I ate a massive amount of food that night and went to bed at 154.
Monday morning I awoke at 152.
As your diet and exercise improve or regress, so will your weight. Before I left Japan I was drinking almost every night and eating out a lot as well. My range was 152-158 for several weeks. Since I’ve been in the US, I’ve cut out most of the alcohol and now am in the 148-155 range.
3. It mentally balances out consequences of healthy and unhealthy behavior
I’ve noticed that by weighing myself both in positive situations (after intense exercise) and negative situations (feeling bloated after overeating), they balance out. In other words, while I feel great at a lower weight, I still want to pig out and enjoy it. So I don’t beat myself up if I binge here and there. I know that fasting/eating minimally for x amount of time and exercise will bring me back to where I was previously.
So by all means, weigh yourself before and after you go out with some buddies for pizza and beer. It will simply be information that reflects what you did. The next day, after you play ball or whatever, check again and see how the weight melts off. The key is to accept and normalize your behavior, and not get too high or low. Just be honest with yourself.
4 “Chunk” your overall goal into reasonable and manageable segments
If you are 230 and want to drop 50 pounds, it’s very doable, but it’s also gonna take some time. Just focus on lowering your range, going from 228-233 to 224-229 and so on. It’s not a linear progression unless you are a straight-edge maniac about what you eat and drink. I’m definitely not. Even if you have developed strong self-control, shit sometimes happens in life. Contract an illness, break your leg, you never know.
Again, as the photos emphasize, weight is just one number of many to measure your health. Especially for tall and naturally thin guys, putting on a lot of muscle weight is probably more challenging than dropping it. And obsessing about your weight is pointless self-absorption to some level. No one in the world gives a fuck or notices when I go from 149 to 152. But overall, I think that paying close attention to your weight can be a valuable mental technique.
But recently I’ve been weighing myself a lot, and have come around to the benefits of doing so. For guys looking to slim down, here’s why I think frequently weighing yourself is helpful.
1. It results in daily mindfulness
It is well documented that logging daily activities can help you gain momentum in positive practices (writing, meditation) and curtail negative habits (fapping, repeated email checking).
Getting on the scale at least twice a day will help you become mindful of your weight, and mindfulness can overcome unhealthy cravings. Personally, I don’t even write my weight down, just being aware is enough.
One of my favorite writers did a similar thing and had success with it. While you don’t necessarily have to share your results with anyone, that can be very strong motivation as well.
2. It establishes your current range
Although a driver’s license says 173 or 210 pounds, it would be more accurate for most people if it said 170-185 or 210-240. Weight fluctuation is the norm, and just part of life. By mentally inputting data for several days or a week, you can figure out what weight range your current diet, exercise and overall lifestyle put you in.
For example:
I weighed myself three times on Sunday.
Sunday morning I was 151. Then I went on a run, and lifted that afternoon.
Sunday evening I was 148. I ate a massive amount of food that night and went to bed at 154.
Monday morning I awoke at 152.
As your diet and exercise improve or regress, so will your weight. Before I left Japan I was drinking almost every night and eating out a lot as well. My range was 152-158 for several weeks. Since I’ve been in the US, I’ve cut out most of the alcohol and now am in the 148-155 range.
3. It mentally balances out consequences of healthy and unhealthy behavior
I’ve noticed that by weighing myself both in positive situations (after intense exercise) and negative situations (feeling bloated after overeating), they balance out. In other words, while I feel great at a lower weight, I still want to pig out and enjoy it. So I don’t beat myself up if I binge here and there. I know that fasting/eating minimally for x amount of time and exercise will bring me back to where I was previously.
So by all means, weigh yourself before and after you go out with some buddies for pizza and beer. It will simply be information that reflects what you did. The next day, after you play ball or whatever, check again and see how the weight melts off. The key is to accept and normalize your behavior, and not get too high or low. Just be honest with yourself.
4 “Chunk” your overall goal into reasonable and manageable segments
If you are 230 and want to drop 50 pounds, it’s very doable, but it’s also gonna take some time. Just focus on lowering your range, going from 228-233 to 224-229 and so on. It’s not a linear progression unless you are a straight-edge maniac about what you eat and drink. I’m definitely not. Even if you have developed strong self-control, shit sometimes happens in life. Contract an illness, break your leg, you never know.
Again, as the photos emphasize, weight is just one number of many to measure your health. Especially for tall and naturally thin guys, putting on a lot of muscle weight is probably more challenging than dropping it. And obsessing about your weight is pointless self-absorption to some level. No one in the world gives a fuck or notices when I go from 149 to 152. But overall, I think that paying close attention to your weight can be a valuable mental technique.