How important is the # on the scale?

bear07041986

I'm at the highest weight I've ever been but I look better than I ever have before. I'm 5'3" and weigh 130lbs. My weight has ranged from 105-130. My clothing size is the same as when I weighed 117 but I have defined muscle now. Anyone else have the same result? I just can't get over the # on the scale! ugh

DeguelloTex

If you look better than you ever have before, the scale number is utterly irrelevant.

discretekim

Well you should. The number doesn't matter. As you know muscle weighs more than fat. My best friend started working out a lot. Same size clothes she rarely weighed herself and realized she was up about 15 pounds. But it's fine cuz it's not fat.

pollypocket1021

Only as important as you make it.

Sounds like you're doing great. Throw it away if it bothers you. Seriously.

wolfsbayne

I only stress about the scale number if my clothes are getting tighter. Now, if my pants are tighter in the booty and the legs, but not the waist, I'm all about that...gainz!!

genki90

I prefer the number on my measuring tape! Far more accurate The scale cannot tell if you've become more dense or bigger in volume.

bear07041986

I'm actually super happy with my new measurements!!! 38-26-39 from 38-29-41 Time to chuck that scale I guess before I give myself a complex lol

Jess830409

Getting away from the scale is one of the hardest things about a fitness journey - in my opinion - I struggle with it everyday.
I am trying to get myself to rely more on the measuring tape too
Wish you the best of luck - sounds like you are doing great :-) Those measurements speak for themselves! Keep up the good work!

rybo

DeguelloTex wrote: »

If you look better than you ever have before, the scale number is utterly irrelevant.

Yes this

freeoscar

Congrats on looking the best you ever have. I'm sure you've put in a lot of hard work to achieve that - you should be proud.

lemurcat12

I don't care about the number, but how I look and how fit I am. I have a sense of how certain weights look on my current body, but I would like to build more muscle and that will probably push that number up, and I'm fine with that.

omma_to_3

bear07041986 wrote: »

I'm at the highest weight I've ever been but I look better than I ever have before. I'm 5'3" and weigh 130lbs. My weight has ranged from 105-130. My clothing size is the same as when I weighed 117 but I have defined muscle now. Anyone else have the same result? I just can't get over the # on the scale! ugh

In your situation, I wouldn't worry about the weight on the scale. You are within the normal range and you weigh more because of added muscle.

For me, the scale is important because I am not yet within the normal range. For the majority of people, they should fall within the normal range, but the broadness of that range is made to accommodate different frame sizes and different muscle mass. This probably works much better for women than it does for men since men can build much larger muscle mass and be pushed well outside their normal weight range due to that muscle.

hgycta

I definitely think it all depends on the person. If you've been at the same muscle mass and fat ratio without going out of your way to change anything, the number on the scale can be a nice gauge at how well you're maintaining your weight, and show a red flag when necessary if you're starting to overdo it. For others (like you) who are changing their body's composition from fat to muscle, I think the scale slightly becomes irrelevant since muscle of course weighs more than fat, and if you're just starting to build muscle the tears may cause inflammation and water weight. I've just started working out and gained about five pounds, but some days I feel more weighed down than others depending how hard I worked out the night before. Despite maintenance being my goal and weighing five more pounds than I used to, I feel like I actually look smaller, more lean, and a lot healthier already - in fact, I'd be happy if I gained a few more pounds of muscle!
If you plan on making muscle training a regular routine I would ignore BMI and focus more on actual body fat calculations.

mikeski52

I think the # on the scale only becomes relevant when in relation to other measurements. Let's say you measure your body fat % using calipers along with your bodyweight; if your weight increases from 100lbs to 105lbs, but your body fat % decreases, that's a great thing! But without that body fat measurement you may think otherwise.

shadow2soul

bear07041986 wrote: »

I'm at the highest weight I've ever been but I look better than I ever have before. I'm 5'3" and weigh 130lbs. My weight has ranged from 105-130. My clothing size is the same as when I weighed 117 but I have defined muscle now. Anyone else have the same result? I just can't get over the # on the scale! ugh

I know the feeling. Although I'm trying to shift focus to BF% instead. Body composition definitely has a bigger impact on how you look than what the scale says.

6 yrs ago my weight fluctuated between 125-135 lbs. I wore 8/9/11 jeans depending on brand. I kept a few pairs and was able to wear them again when I reached the mid 140's. I'm fluctuating between 134-136 now and the same pants fall off without a belt. My body composition has clearly changed. I must have more muscle mass than the last time I was this weight. Which isn't surprising; I definitely have more muscle definition now.

bear07041986

How do I measure body fat %?

senecarr

bear07041986 wrote: »

How do I measure body fat %?

Burn it and calculate the heat given off.
If you want to estimate your body fat while still alive, the simplest method is use a formula that uses measurements taken at various body points. Past that, a caliper gets a little more sophisticated but possible user error goes up. Then there is always paying money to get DEXA scan, bodpod reading, or hydrostatic dunk test.
Of course, they'll all require you to know what you weigh, so don't throw out the scale yet.

bear07041986

Lol simple thermodynamics haha

bear07041986

Here's an irrelevant question... How do I do that quote thing?

peaceout_aly

bear07041986 wrote: »

I'm at the highest weight I've ever been but I look better than I ever have before. I'm 5'3" and weigh 130lbs. My weight has ranged from 105-130. My clothing size is the same as when I weighed 117 but I have defined muscle now. Anyone else have the same result? I just can't get over the # on the scale! ugh

If you feel better/look better at this weight, then keep it up. I try to ignore the number on the scale - only "weigh in" maybe once a month. I judge everything by how I feel. I've gained weight and looked smaller thanks to muscle, and lost weight and looked larger due to not working out enough.

senecarr

bear07041986 wrote: »

Here's an irrelevant question... How do I do that quote thing?

There should be a quote link -or button if you're on mobile - near the bottom of posts. Doing that will copy the post and put it inside the BBCode for block quotes.

professionalHobbyist

The number matters.

Your other number that is the other half of the story is the tape measure numbers.

There is nothing wrong with knowing the details of your body. It is a good idea. LBM matters.

It sounds like you have really done well in body recomposition.

Congrats!!

Seigla

My opinion about this is different from most of you; to me the number on the scale is quite important. I lose weight to become better at my sports (triathlon). The less I weigh, the faster I will finish. It's simple physics.

Of course this is only true if what I lose is body fat, not muscle, and until a certain optimum. So BF% is also an important indicator.

I like it that I look better in the mirror, but that is not my main objective.

ExRelaySprinter

bear07041986 wrote: »

I'm at the highest weight I've ever been but I look better than I ever have before. I'm 5'3" and weigh 130lbs. My weight has ranged from 105-130. My clothing size is the same as when I weighed 117 but I have defined muscle now. Anyone else have the same result? I just can't get over the # on the scale! ugh

That's a good thing!
I'm a similar height and weight to you and before i "saw the light" Lol....i thought i'd have to get back to my previous weight from a few years ago (118-120 lbs).
At that weight i would look too scrawny up top, so decided to stay around 128 and do a body recomp instead.
I'd rather gain more muscle, than lose more weight.

DeguelloTex

Seigla wrote: »

My opinion about this is different from most of you; to me the number on the scale is quite important. I lose weight to become better at my sports (triathlon). The less I weigh, the faster I will finish. It's simple physics.

Of course this is only true if what I lose is body fat, not muscle, and until a certain optimum. So BF% is also an important indicator.

I like it that I look better in the mirror, but that is not my main objective.

Of course, appearance isn't the only metric. It just seems to be the one guiding OP's thoughts at the moment. For you, it would be a different, but no more or less valid, metric.

sarahlifts

Edited to address your issue. Girl quit playing and get over that damn scale. Your body composition is better than when you weighed less. You LOOK BETTER. EFF the scale. I wear a size 2 at 5'7 and 140 lbs. You think I care about the scale. NOPE.

---

Now to address the people who usually trip about the scale.

It is important.
If I'm in a deficit, I want to see a downward trend.
If I'm in a surplus I want to see and upward trend and at a rate in which I'm comfortable.
If I am maintaining I want to be +/-5

Its important to know where you are IF you have a goal.

The problem people have with scales is they use them too often.

When I first started out I was hopping on that thing everyday several times a day. I had to get myself together so I only checked once a week on Sunday.

I've been maintaining for over a year recomping. I've weighed myself less than 10 times in 12 months.

The only reason I stepped on the scale is bc my clothes were loose, I felt like I was bloated, or I look super lean.

Tying your worth to a scale is problematic, weighing more than once a week is problematic.

The scale isn't the problem. How we interact with the scale is the problem.

that said, I can understand how for some it can be a problem. My scale STAYS out of sight.

What I try to remember if I stray from my diet...3500 cal over maintenance = 1 lb. My maintenance is about 2100 cal I didn't eat over 5000 cal in a single day...I wont gain a lb. I may hold water from sodium or carb over load but it wil go away. The science keeps me grounded. Once you know the math and science you can get over the scale playing with you.