To weigh or not to weigh?


While it can be an easy and accessible way to measure your progress and hold yourself accountable, remember to look at the big picture, she added.

Like Case, many people avoid the scale altogether. However, studies show that stepping on the scale makes you more aware of your status and more likely to lose weight.

Others ditch the scale in favor of other methods of measuring progress.

Personally, I'm going to stick with weekly weigh-ins and pant fit assessments.

Here are a few other ways to track weight-loss:

Body Mass Index: Calculated using your height and weight, BMI is the universal weight calculator because it's easy to use, requires little equipment and has few variables. It's a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people, according to the Centers for Disease Control. However, it doesn't measure the exact percent of body fat, and can have variable results for women and older people, because they tend to have more body fat than men, and athletes or body builders, because the tend to have more muscle than the general population. See a BMI calculator here.

Calipers: This tool is used to measure subcutaneous fat -- which is located just under the skin -- by measuring the thickness of your skin folds. Measurements are taken from multiple areas of the body using a certain process, and the measurements are used to calculate the percent of body fat.

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