Sheldon’s Corner: 5 Reasons To Ignore The Number On The Scale
There is nothing worse than putting in hours and hours of hard work in the gym to only see absolutely no difference on the scale. We’ve all been there before. The first thing you do is question your routine. Have I worked out hard enough? Am I going to the gym enough? Am I not eating the right foods? Am I holding fluid? All of these are great questions, but hopping on the scale and seeing a certain number does not answer them. I know it is discouraging to not see the scale move when you’ve put in hard work, but the fact of it is…the scale does not indicate a whole measure of success. There are several factors that contribute to why the scale does not budge in your favor…so instead of focusing on a scale number, I will give you five reasons why you should ditch the scale all together.
Your Weight Fluctuates A Lot:
It is a good thing to track your progress, but pinpointing your actual weight can be especially difficult due to natural fluctuations. In the course of a day, your weight can fluctuate by as much as five pounds or sometimes even more. In the case where an individual loses 10+ pounds a week, a large proportion of this is likely water weight. So, it is normal to see daily weight fluctuations. If you weigh yourself monthly, you may be able to spot a trend in your body weight (gaining, losing or maintaining). If you find your weight going back and forth, try switching to a more steady approach. For example, try to aim for losing a pound or two per week. To do so, you’ll want to burn 3,500 calories (= 1 pound of body fat) more than you take in each week. This can be done in a variety of ways, but your best bet is to eat clean (more fruits and vegetables, less processed and sugary foods) and try to exercise at least five or six times throughout the week. If you’re looking to gain muscle, then taking on two to four pounds a month is a pretty good progress to aim for.
Muscle Is More Dense Than Fat:
Must of us have always thought that muscle is heavier than fat, but 1 pound of muscle is equal to 1 pound of fat. The difference is that muscle is much more dense and therefore takes up less space than fat. For instance, if you consider a 150 pound person with 10% body fat vs. a 150 pound person with 30% body fat, the difference is very apparent. Your body weight derived from muscle isn’t the issue – the body weight that’s derived from fat is what should be avoided. Which is why it is more effective to track you progress by calculating your body fat percentage rather than solely jumping on the scale to see results.
The Number On The Scale Clouds Real Results:
When you calculate progress by focusing on that number in the scale, you effectively miss out on observing the other, more significant, results of your efforts. For instance, did you notice that you’re sleeping better, have more energy, and are less moody or depressed? Also, have you noticed that your cravings have dissipated, you recover faster from exercise, and whatever symptom or medical condition you have has greatly improved? So…never feel as if your program is a failure because the number on the scale hasn’t moved enough. Look at the other factors of your health that have improved instead.
The Scale Keeps You Focused On Food:
More often than not, you associate that number on the scale with one major factor – FOOD. Not to say food isn’t important, as you must choose healthy options, eat correct proportions, and also never eat to little. Remember, your food is your fuel. However, food is not the only thing to think about. There are other health factors at play here – sleep, recovery from activity, psychological stress and health history – all of which play a major role in body composition. But no one looks at the scale and thinks, “Darn it – I need to get more sleep.”
The Scale Can Give You Low Self-esteem:
More important than any other factor, this one is the most important. If you develop low self-esteem, you will become mentally defeated and give up on yourself, which is exactly what you do not want to do. Which is more enough reason why you should ditch the scale if it makes you feel this way. It’s psychologically unhealthy to allow a number to determine your worth, your value or your self-image. Sadly though, that is exactly what happens to people who are overly invested in their scale. It becomes tragic when your daily weigh-in determines whether you have a good day or bad day, or whether or not you feel good about yourself. The scale results can take you from confident to self-loathing in under 5 seconds. But just remember, what the scale is telling you is not real.
So, in conclusion…if you have an unhealthy relationship with the scale, then ditch it. It’s useless for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it only ends up ruining your progress when you feel discouraged after working hard. It’s important to remember that your body is going through changes, and the scale doesn’t accurately show them.