Improving your health and wellness — including losing some weight — may be on your list of New Year’s resolutions.
Keeping yourself accountable can be easier with the help of an accurate bathroom scale.
Below is a look at some of the best scales according to Consumer Reports, as well as their advice on the best time to weigh yourself.
It’s a question you might not want to answer – how often do you weigh yourself?
If you’re starting a weight loss plan, Consumer Reports said studies suggest you should weigh yourself every day – not just occasionally.
And the timing matters, too!
“Weigh yourself in the morning after you go to the bathroom but before you eat or drink anything,” Trisha Calvo with Consumer Reports said.
CR said weighing yourself in the morning is best because that’s when you’ll get the most accurate weight.
“Your weight fluctuates during the day so weighing yourself at the same time gives you more consistent results. And in the morning your body has had time to process the food and drink that you had the day before,” Calvo said.
Where you weigh also matters. CR said to place your scale on a hard, even surface — not on a rug.
Make sure to stand still with your weight distributed evenly on both feet.
Time for a new scale? You don’t have to spend a lot to get one that earns high scores on CR’s tests.
The Vitafit Digital Bodyweight Scale is a bargain and scores excellent for accuracy, consistency, and ease of use.
If you’re looking for something a bit more high-tech, CR said to consider the Fitbit Aria Air.
It can be used with Bluetooth or wifi to connect to the Fitbit smartphone app to track all your progress.