Is the 'number' on a weigh scale all that matters?

Aani15

People who start their journey towards weight loss (including myself) appreciate drop in numbers on a weigh scale and sometimes completely ignore other much 'important positive outcomes'. So I would like to ask
1. Is that all matters? A drop in numbers on a weigh scale?
2. Working out builds muscle mass and negates some of the weight loss. So will you prefer a leaner, toned body (a bit heavier) or a lighter body with bones protruding out?
3. What about other non-measurable factors like feeling of happiness (exercise is a great stress buster), being full of energy, better mind set, better emotional and mental health + social wellbeing?
4. What about less expenses on sickness (healthier bodies)?
5. What about increased ability to work longer hours, more physical + mental strength?

This is a countless list. I would like other members to fill in their own positive experiences.

DeguelloTex

No, it isn't all that matters, though gaining muscle mass in a deficit isn't much of a factor for most people.

I like being able to buy some clothes, short-sleeved shirts and shorts, in regular stores. It's not much, but it's better than not being able to.

segacs

It's definitely not all that matters. It's something that's fairly easy to measure, so it's important to a lot of people. But good health, body composition, strength and weight distribution are all equally important.

Some of the important ones for me are:
1. Cardio fitness -- this time last year I couldn't even run up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath. Now I'm running 5k regularly.
2. Lowering risk factors for diseases where there's a family history for me, like diabetes, stroke, heart disease, etc.
3. Feeling more in control of my life, not resorting to emotional eating.
4. Easier to travel, which is my passion in life! I can honestly see myself taking some of those more physically active trips that felt very out of reach before.

Ultimately for me it's less about how my body looks and more about what my body can do.

rankinsect

Weight is measured because it is easily and reliably measurable. It's not the whole story, but it's an easy to acquire and moderately useful piece of data.

Body fat is better but harder to measure - calipers have poor accuracy and precision, and it's not practical to go into a bodpod or have a dexa scan regularly.

Lounmoun

The exact number on the scale isn't the most important thing. I would like to be in the healthy bmi range though.
I think my body measurements may be more important numbers for me. I'd like to have a healthier waist to hip ratio. I'd like my waist and hips to be in the same clothing size no matter what that size is.
I'm happy to be feeling more energetic. I feel like I can keep up with my family now. I can do more things. I have less pain. I can breathe better. That is all pretty important to me. I want to remain active as I get older. I want to reduce health risks.

katieboo93_

I guess people get obsessive about the number on the scale because it's easily measurable and you can see the difference in weight but people don't necessarily notice a physical change.

scyian

One of my goals is to be able to get back into pair of trousers I own. My bum use to look so good in them. Last time I tried them on I couldn't get them past my thighs! Soon...

I want a stronger, flexible body. Weight is just one reference. How many push ups I can do until I collapse is another.

Sued0nim

You should check out the NSV (non scale victories) threads in success and the threads in fitness and exercise

It is not surprising to me that people new to a weight loss site would fixate on scale weight loss ..it's measurable and easy to understand

It is only over time that you develop the knowledge that scale weight fluctuates, that fitness counts as does musculature and health

rybo

Unless you are involved in an activity that is broken down into weight classes, the number on the scale should be one of the last things that matters.

CasperNaegle

The scale is only one data point and you can get really frustrated if that is all you watch.. If you are significantly over weight you can see pounds coming off quickly. Once you get down that slows, you see your body change, you see body fat change, you build more muscle than lose fat and can even see the scale go up. Don't base all your emotions on the scale for sure!

lemurcat12

No, it's not all that matters for me. I've said before that I'd be delighted to gain weight if the gain was due to gaining muscle, and as a result I don't have a final goal weight, just a look. But when I was obese and overweight my main goal was losing fat, and the scale reliably showed my success at that.

Since beginning I've focused on fitness goals and process goals as much as weight loss goals, and I've been maintaining a bit above my current weight loss goal in part because I've been focusing more on fitness goals before getting back to fat loss.

juggernaut1974

It was to me at first.

Once I got the number down, I now rarely weigh myself (like, monthly) and just go for strength/fitness goals and how I look in the mirror.

zyxst

Scale weight is the basis for many of the other things you listed. If I didn't bother with checking my weight, I'd go back to how I used to eat. Gaining weight would take down my fitness levels and I'd need to get bigger clothes. Scale weight is what my doctors look at first before my charts and medical history.

lorrpb

segacs wrote: »

It's definitely not all that matters. It's something that's fairly easy to measure, so it's important to a lot of people. But good health, body composition, strength and weight distribution are all equally important.

Some of the important ones for me are:
1. Cardio fitness -- this time last year I couldn't even run up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath. Now I'm running 5k regularly.
2. Lowering risk factors for diseases where there's a family history for me, like diabetes, stroke, heart disease, etc.
3. Feeling more in control of my life, not resorting to emotional eating.
4. Easier to travel, which is my passion in life! I can honestly see myself taking some of those more physically active trips that felt very out of reach before.

Ultimately for me it's less about how my body looks and more about what my body can do.

^^this!

Adding: the number on the scale DOES matter. Many of us, self included, got into trouble to begin with by kidding ourselves that the number did not matter that much. For me it IS a barometer of how I'm doing with CICO. I don't fixate on it but it is one of my motivators for sure. But the biggest rewards are strength, energy, functionality, health, etc.

Keep it going everyone.

Kalikel

It's not all that matters, but if the goal is to lose weight, then (obviously) losing the weight is a huge deal.

It's very fun to see the results of your hard work paying off. And since the changes from day to day are so tiny, we cannot really see them in the mirror. The scale says, "You lost weight!"

rankinsect

Scale weight is nice because it is very sensitive - you will typically see changes here first, before you see changes to measurements or fitness. It gives you timely feedback.

So I think it's important, but it only tells a piece of the story - you need to interpret it correctly.

krithsai

rankinsect wrote: »

Scale weight is nice because it is very sensitive - you will typically see changes here first, before you see changes to measurements or fitness. It gives you timely feedback.

So I think it's important, but it only tells a piece of the story - you need to interpret it correctly.

Beautifully said.