Do you ever feel like the scale has too great a hold on your mind and emotions? You're not alone. Pat Fiducia has seen countless examples of people caught in its clutches.

"Once I was at the gym when a woman went to weigh herself. Before she jumped on the scale she was in a cheerful, upbeat mood, but when she read the number on the scale her mood changed dramatically; she was devastated." says Pat.

"But she hadn't noticed that her purse was leaning on the scale, making the reading about two pounds heavier than it should have been. That almost ruined her day - until someone politely pointed out the trespassing purse. When she removed the guilty party from the scale and saw the number dip by two pounds, she was ecstatic."

This reaction may not be unusual, but Pat explains that whether it's a purse, water retention, or menstrual bloating, daily fluctuations on the scale should never be taken too seriously. She also admits it can be hard for people to see things this way. She describes one client who had high blood-pressure and was on medication, and as a side effect experienced extreme water-weight fluctuations; up six pounds one day, down six pounds the next.

"Try as I might to tell her that the changes were not a measurement of success or failure, but a result of the medication, she couldn't see it that way," explains Pat. "Her perceptions had little to do with the fact that she was making excellent progress in changing her eating and exercise habits, and losing weight gradually; everything revolved around the scale."

Pat advises that if small changes on the scale affect you in a similar way,  you should try to remember that they reflect many things, not just the loss of fat or the increase of lean muscle mass, which are the two indicators of true weight loss.

Let's take a look at some of the factors that can change the reading on the scale and whether or not you should pay attention to them.