Scale Slavery

by Kevin Valluzzi

How many of you weigh yourself on a daily basis? How about more than once a day? Most women use the scale to judge their weight-loss progress, and although using the scale can benefit you to some extent, it is definitely not the best way to judge how well you are doing. Let me explain.

Dieting

When you are trying to lose fat (and remember, your weight-loss goal should actually be a fat-loss goal), the scale will not let you know if you have been successful or not. The scale does not tell you whether or not you've lost fat, muscle, or water. It just lets you know that you've either lost or gained one of the above. So when you go on a diet (which you know by now that you should never do), chances are that you've probably just lost muscle and water...and once you are off the diet you will gain it right back.

Weight Training

If you are working toward your fat-loss goals with a workout routine, then using the scale to measure your progress can be tricky. Let's say you've started a weight-lifting program and you've gained 3 pounds of muscle and lost 3 pounds of fat. According to basic math, you are up three and down three, which on the scale would show no change. So the typical response would be that this isn't working for you because you haven't lost any weight--but that's according to the scale. In reality your body is most likely responding to the exercise.

How Do You Look in Your Jeans?

The best way to measure your progress is to see how your clothes fit. Are they getting bigger on you? Is everything a little looser? Are the jeans that were once a little too snug fitting you nicely now?

I know it might be a hard habit to break but slowly, over time, it's a good idea to free yourself from the daily weigh-ins--and to never be a slave to the scale again.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.