Should I go by the scale or the measuring tape?

snixxit
snixxit Posts: 8
in Getting Started
For the past couple years I've been in a cycle of eating 400-800 calories a day for a couple weeks then binge eating for a couple weeks. I've decided to give up on that because I just can't stop the binging after eating like that and I gain everything back. The thing is, I kind of want to go by my measurements to see my progress but I've never done that before and I'm worried I won't see results fast enough to be happy with it. But if I see the number go up on the scale or stay the same for too long, I also would be majorly unhappy with that even though I'd know I was probably actually getting skinnier. Does it take a really long time to see results when you go by your measurements?

Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    The scale is one thing to monitor progress. The measuring tape is another. Body fat % is yet another. (you can drop body fat, but not drop much weight and end up several sizes smaller) If you are close to your goal weight, then by all means don't be obsessed with the number on the scale. If you are not near a healthy weight then the scale should be a tool you still use to track progress. You don't have to weigh daily, it can be weekly or every 2 weeks or every month. Weighing daily will show a lot of fluctuations up and down that may not be real "weight".

    How long it takes to see progress depends on a lot of things. Your diet, your exercise routine, etc.

    I would advise that you set a reasonable calorie goal and eat more consistently instead of restricting drastically and then binging. It may take some time for your body to get used to the new way of eating. You may see immediate results, or maybe not.

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