Weight Loss Numbers Don’t Always Reflect Real Progress
We have also touched on this topic here Weight fluctuation .. it's normal, and here is why.
The scale is an essential and helpful tool for reaching or maintaining weight loss for many people, but for others, it can stand in the way of success. Even if you are trying to maintain your physique, studies have shown that regularly weighing can help you maintain a healthy weight.
But sometimes, stepping on the scale can be a negative experience. Your weight may slightly increase even though you’ve been sticking to your program. Or maybe the scale shows no progress when you’ve been regular with your workouts.
The moment you step on a scale, you decide things about yourself—no matter what the scale shows, whether you’ve succeeded or failed, perhaps even how you feel about yourself. The number on the scale is often tied to our body image, which many of us struggle with regularly.
So is it wise to weigh yourself? Consider a few factors and ask yourself key questions to decide if the scale is correct. Am I Losing or Maintaining Weight?
A scale is an excellent tool for people who are maintaining weight loss. Seeing their weight daily is one way to ensure they stay on track with their diet and exercise program.
However, if you’re starting a weight loss program, the number on the scale can be deceptive, making you feel that you’re not making progress even when you are.
For example, when you start exercising, your progress is happening inside your body. Your heart is learning to pump blood more efficiently, your body is creating more mitochondria in response to this new demand, and your muscles are getting stronger to adapt to your workouts. These are things that won’t show up on a scale.
Unfortunately, the hard work of diet and exercise isn’t always reflected on the scale for new exercisers, especially during the first few weeks.
A few things may happen when you start a weight loss program. These factors can make using the scale more frustrating.
1. Delayed Results
How long does it take weight changes to show on the scale? Most of us need several weeks of diet and exercise before seeing significant changes in the scale, and even then, we may get different readings based on day-to-day weight fluctuations.
2. Unrealistic Expectations
When you work hard at your workouts and diet, you may expect more than your body can deliver, which leads to disappointment.
3. Tunnel Vision
We get so focused on the scale that it blocks out other things we’re getting out of our workouts. The long-term rewards of exercise aren’t always obvious when you’re a beginner, and you forget there are other reasons to exercise and eat healthfully.
4. Can I Use the Scale Less Often?
If you’re discouraged by what you see on the scale, consider weighing yourself once a month rather than daily or weekly to give your body time to adapt to what you’re doing.
You may want to take the scale out of the mix to see if anything changes for you mentally. You may find you’re more motivated when you remove that discouragement.
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