If you're trying to lose weight, how can you tell if you're making progress? Sure if you hop on the scale once in awhile you'll see how much you weigh, but is that really accurate? Our bodies don't stay the same weight all the time, in fact it can fluctuate quite a bit throughout every day.

Your goal should be to lose at least one pound per week. It may not seem like a lot, but small losses over time will add up and greatly encourage you. Here's how to keep track of your weight accurately so you know if you're making progress or regressing.

Every day at the same time hop on your scale. Do it before you even eat anything, and be sure you're wearing the same thing every time. The more consistent you can be the better.

Keep a little log next to your scale where you can write down your daily amounts. At the end of the week, get your calculator out and add all the numbers up and divide by 7 (as long as you recorded all 7 days). That number will be your average weight for that week.

Now repeat this every week and you'll be keeping a very accurate account of what you weigh and how much you've lost. Remember that your weight is just a method of keeping track of your progress. If you fail one week and gain a couple pounds, don't look at it as a failure, but reflect on that week and how it happened. Use that knowledge you gain in the future to better stick to your plan.

Losing weight is all about small changes that add up over time, and learning about your body to keep the momentum going.