WHY YOU SHOULD DITCH THE SCALE WHEN WORKING TOWARDS WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
Let's talk about something that can sometimes be a little taboo: our body weight and the scale.
This fixation with the scale is a pattern we see with clients often. It’s natural, but it’s also preventable. Rather than just suggesting that you don’t let the number on the scale bother you, today’s post dives a little deeper into how you can make the most of this (often inaccurate) measure of progress and details some other methods you can use to more accurately determine true changes in body composition and fat loss.
I think we all technically know that our weight is just an arbitrary number on a device that doesn't mean that much, but it can still be difficult to let go of the anxiety and frustration that this number sometimes carries. It's easy to step on the scale and either feel proud when we see the number has decreased or hopeless when it hasn't. This is because we have this idea that the number on the scale equates to our self-worth.
Rather than just suggesting that you don't let the number on the scale bother you, I want to delve deeper into how we can utilize the number on the scale as a measure of progress alongside other metrics, or how we can step away from the scale entirely -- and how to decide which option is best for us.
By now, you probably know that I'm a big believer in understanding the "why" behind the things we're discussing. I don't believe in just saying, "Hey, your weight isn't important. Just never get on the scale." Instead, I think it's important to understand what influences our weight and why and how it changes.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DAILY WEIGHT
Our daily weight is a product of so many factors that it's nearly impossible to list them all here. It is influenced by our stress, sleep, and activity levels. It changes depending on how much salt we've eaten, the timing of our meals, and hormonal changes due to menstrual cycles or different phases of health we're in. It fluctuates depending on our hydration, our digestion, and the timing of our workouts. We're quick to put a lot of value on what the scale says when, in reality, these fluctuations are just a normal part of being a human in a human body. We eat, we poop, we sweat. Our bodies are constantly changing and those changes are reflected on the scale.
While we can't change these natural fluctuations, we can change how we approach the scale in order to get the most accurate information possible.
Weight loss should never be our only goal. We want to feel better, get stronger, and have energy throughout our days. Progress is measured in so many different ways: in our energy, how we feel, our mood, our strength, and in aesthetic aspects like how our clothes fit, how we look in pictures, and how we're feeling in our bodies. The scale can be one additional metric that we pay attention to, but it doesn't have to be the only one.
Our ultimate goal in regards to our body weight should be to get to a place where body weight is just a number and just an additional metric amongst a lot of other things that we use to judge how we're feeling. That said, when we have clung to the number on the scale for years or decades, it's hard to get to that point. So here are a few options that I think are the best ways we can navigate our body weight and the scale.
OPTION ONE:
We ditch the scale completely. If an abnormal number on the scale leaves you with guilt, frustration, or anxiety, don't weigh yourself. It's not helping you, it's hurting you, and nothing good is coming of that. If you let the number on the scale determine whether you're having a good or a bad day, it is time to put the scale aside. You can come back to it one day if you're ready to not attach so much weight (no pun intended) to this device. But for now, there are other metrics out there to help you understand how you're feeling, how your body is changing, how your strength is improving, and how your health is benefiting from all you’re doing.
OPTION TWO:
Another option is to weigh yourself consistently -- if not daily, then maybe every other day. Why? Because then we're able to see the fluctuations that occur in our body across time, we can better understand why those fluctuations happen and the general trend of our body weight. Remember all those things I talked about earlier, from stress to salt intake, to quality of sleep, to where you're at in your period, to medications you're taking, to your hydration level? These are all going to impact our daily weight. So if we weigh regularly, we can see the trend of if our weight is staying the same on average, going down on average, or going up on average. Ideally, if you take this route, you want to weigh yourself in similar conditions each time. The best practice is first thing in the morning after using the restroom and before eating or drinking everything. Your weight is still going to fluctuate, but at least by weighing in consistent conditions, you can gain a more accurate understanding of the trend in your weight. Now, this option really only makes sense if there’s some reason for you to pay attention to changing body weight.
The biggest takeaway I want you to have here is that weight fluctuations are normal, and the scale is just really not that important. In the context of nutrition, the way we fuel our bodies, the energy we feel throughout the day, our attitude towards food, our relationship with food and our bodies, our workout performance, our recovery, how great our sleep is, where our sex drive is at, and how confident we feel in food choices are so much more important than what a number on the scale reads.
Even if you are working toward aesthetic or body composition goals, consider factors such as: how your clothes fit, how your workouts feel, how confident you feel in your body, and potentially measurements or photos. These will tell you a lot more than the scale alone.
Let's all continue to work towards that point where the scale is just an objective number that we don't pay too much attention to.
Along the way, let's take this moment to understand the ‘why’ behind the number on the scale. Doing so will help us be more empowered in our decisions and not let this measly little device control how we feel each day.
We are committed coaches who work with committed clients and love nothing more than helping our clients find a sustainable approach to nutrition that allows them to work towards their goals without white-knuckling their way through yo-yo diets. Learn more about our KLN team here!
We believe that the best way to achieve your fat loss goals is by working with a coach who creates a plan specific to you - your needs, your preferences, and your goals. A sustainable approach to our nutrition is essential to long-term habits and success. For high-support coaching and guidance, apply for our 1:1 Nutrition Coaching here.