The Scale - Friend Or Foe to an Overweight Teen?

I weigh myself three to four times a week. No matter what, I step on the scale for a reality check. If I'm up a pound, I drink more water, make sure I don't skip the workout, reach for more fruits 'n veggies. Unfortunately I also have a habit of celebrating that pound down, too. Regardless, regular self-weighing keeps me honest and aware of any fluctuations.

A new study indicates overweight teens might want to consider regularly stepping on the scale instead of waiting around for their annual school physical. Of 130 overweight teens in the study, 43 percent were frequent friends of the scale, while 57 percent self-weighed infrequently. Frequent self-weighers had a lower average weight and were more likely to have shed 10 pounds in the past two years. The study also suggests they ate fewer calories and less junk.

While there's fear a focus on the scale could put teens at risk for eating disorders or other unhealthy behaviors to control weight, this was not an issue in this study. Staring down at those numbers several times a week helps me, but I wish I were as loyal to a daily food diary. That has been the most effective tool I've ever used to keep my caloric intake in check.