It’s Not About the Scale

Many people believe that to improve their health and stick to their fitness goals, they should weigh themselves every single day. While that may work for some as a motivator, scale weight is often misleading and demoralizing in measuring progress toward better health.

Why? Because body weight alone doesn’t provide a complete picture of health, and can fluctuate dramatically based on what you ate the day before, how hard you exercised, monthly cycle status, and so much more. Instead of obsessing over the scale, try focusing on these factors instead.

#1 – How your clothes fit

This is perhaps the single most important measure of progress towards improved body composition. When following a strength training program coupled with moderate cardio exercise, you’ll replace fat tissue with muscle.

Everyone’s heard the misnomer “muscle weighs more than fat.” What this really means: muscle tissue is denser and heavier than fat. Just for illustration: one-half cup of muscle tissue weighs more than a whole cup of fat tissue. Get the picture? So if your clothes are getting looser, but the scale doesn’t change, just stop weighing yourself.

#2 – Your energy level

The scale can’t measure how you feel in your day-to-day life. If you have more energy, focus and drive since you’ve been working out and eating healthier, that’s a much better indicator of your overall health than the number on the scale.

#3 – How hard you’ve worked

Exercise and healthy eating do so much for your overall wellness – especially to reduce the risk of chronic “lifestyle” diseases that plague our society today. The scale can’t measure how your success at maintaining these new habits improves your wellbeing every single day.

#4 – Your overall health

Your body’s inner state, as measured by blood composition, hydration, inflammation, bone density, hormonal levels, and blood pressure (any many more) are more important markers of overall health than scale weight, if you are not obese. Rather than obsessing over “those last 10 pounds” consider how healthy your entire system is – and focus on improving those areas that need it most.

#5 – Your strength and endurance

Regardless of what the scale tells you on a particular day, you’ve developed strength and endurance from your workouts, even if you haven’t reached your goal weight. The scale can’t measure your toned arms, or how you can climb a flight of stairs without getting winded anymore.

Most of all, remember that your weight does not define your value as a person. You deserve love and care no matter the current composition of your body. What’s most important is that you are taking steps to care for yourself and your health!

About the Author

Laurie Kelly, CPT, RYT-200 is the owner of Dragonfly Drishti Yoga. She believes yoga offers a wholistic approach to wellness like nothing else. Her background in personal training and nutrition coaching gives her unique insights into the benefits this ancient practice. She loves teaching others how to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into their daily lives, and thereby reach their personal wellness and life goals. Contact her here.