Question. Why is weigh loss more imporatant the body composi

jamesbiz

Why is weight loss more important then body composition?

I've been using this program for awhile now, but never bothered to post. But going around the forum, I notice a lot of the little weight loss scales. Now, I've been into nutrition for awhile, and the first thing I ever learned, was that the number on the scale, means absolutely nothing. You can lose 10 lbs, and not lose an ounces of fat or gain 10 pounds and not gain an ounce of fat.

So, what about the scale does everyone find so important? Is it the motivation of seeing the number go down? Not saying I'm immune to it. I do love seeing a number go down lol so I guess I'm a hypocrite.

freezerburn2012

Instant gratification? The scale is the only tool most people use to measure change? Most people don't have easy access to measure changes in BF% or don't have a tape measure.

I dunno... I'd rather fit into my pants than worry about the number on the scale. It's taken me a while to get to that way of thinking but I think I'm finally there.

dellashanks

I think for so many here there is alot of weight to lose so the scale is important. For me I have to lose 68 pounds and I think i have to focus on that because if I gained that much muscle I'd be a line backer LOL. I do have alot of friends here who have lost the weight and do focus on the muscle aspect.

jamesbiz

I bought a body fat scale, which wasn't that much more then a normal scale, and a tape measure that costs $3. I get that the body fat scale isn't always super accurate, but it's sure more accurate then a normal scale, which tells you nothing at all. So, I'd say those are only excuses.

and the problem with instant gratification, is that when the scale number goes back up, because you ate too much, or drank to much, ( or too little. where your body starts hording water), or gained some muscle, your instant gratification turns into instinct horror.

Your approach is the best. If your pants fit better, you're doing a good job. Most people don't gain much muscle in that area, so even while gaining weight, your pants can start to fit better.

ninerbuff

Because people use weight to define their physical appearance. Starts at the doctor's office and carries over to the tabloids.


A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

jamesbiz

I think for so many here there is alot of weight to lose so the scale is important. For me I have to lose 68 pounds and I think i have to focus on that because if I gained that much muscle I'd be a line backer LOL. I do have alot of friends here who have lost the weight and do focus on the muscle aspect.

Yeah, I assumed as much. At a certain weight, the scale going down, does in fact mean you are losing fat. Tho, over weight people do have more muscle then average weight people, just based on the fact that more weight requires more muscle mass to move it.

I dunno. I'm just really big, on not losing muscle mass, as it's very important for your metabolism. I'm 175 and have around 24% body fat. Tho, you'd never realize it by looking at me. So, I'd rather stay around 175, and probably have a different perspective on it. I don't know very many very over weight people. Just average over weight people, who I see, very obsessed with losing weight. What makes me cringe even more, are my friends who just have a little bit of extra fat, but want to lose WEIGHT.

jamesbiz

Because people use weight to define their physical appearance. Starts at the doctor's office and carries over to the tabloids.


A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Plus, the idiotic BMI system... This site, says I'm 27 BMI, so a few more and I'm obese?

bcattoes

I'm not sure I believe one can lose 10 lbs and lose no fat, unless they have an organ or limb removed. But, for those with a lot more than 10 lbs to lose, weight loss alone can significantly improve health and reduce the risk for many diseases.

A group of doctors is even pushing for weight loss surgery to be used more often and sooner because of it's ability to reduce the severity of or even cure diabetes. And with weight loss surgery you are going to lose more than just fat.

Too much weight, whether it's fat or muscle or other, is hard on your organs. Of course it's better to have a low BF% (to a point), but that doesn't mean that weight loss alone is not important.

funkycamper

I don't see having a weight-loss ticker meaning that one only cares about the scale. I have lost enough weight, and have enough more to go, that there is no way I'd achieve my goals without losing more weight. However, I do recognize that my ending goal weight is flexible and I might find I'm super happy at 150#, for example, and not feel the need to strive for 135# (my current goal).

What is really most important to me is:
* Retaining my muscles via lifting heavy and the wonderful feeling of getting stronger
* Increasing my endurance so I can participate in a 200-mile weekend bicycle event this summer and other activities that I think are a lot of fun and challenge. After that event, I look forward to cutting back on cycling a tad so I can work more on running/swimming because I think competing in triathlons would be a hoot. Oh, and I can now handle a heavy enough pack to do overnight hiking trips again. Joy!
* Losing inches and clothing size.
* Changing my body shape going from a bit of a pear-shaped body to more of an hour-glass. While I've already achieved this, I want to keep working on it and drop at least one more clothing size so I'll be a smaller hour-glass and then I'll reassess if I want to lose more sizes or maintain.
* Eating healthy enough to fuel my body but not so strictly that I deprive myself of treats, too. Yeah, I eat some junk food and savor every bite. And I don't feel a damn bit guilty about it either. Bring on the pie!
* Fixing my metabolism through weight-lifting and gradually raising my net calorie target. I've already seen great improvements with this and...gosh, this should probably be at the top of this list because this is major for me. I no longer starve myself and can now splurge, oh heck, even binge a bit, without gaining. This is effin' fantastic! I plan on raising my net even further to see how high I can push this.
* Getting healthier. My diabetes is under control without meds and the splurges don't hurt my blood sugar levels as much as they used to so I don't fear my readings after splurges.
* No more depression or need for anti-depressants.

So just because you see a weight-loss ticker on someone's posts, it doesn't mean that the scale rules. I prefer to weigh only once a month because the scale really isn't all that important to me but am now in a weight-loss competition with some family members that requires a weekly weigh-in. Ugh, I really hate that because it does put too much emphasis on the scale but I'm in it to try to help motivate, educate and inspire the members of my family that need to lose weight and get fitter due to extreme obesity and/or health issues. I have no intention of winning the contest and will be thrilled if one of the more obese ones wins the pot (yeah, there's money on the line).

I believe that some MFPers who have weight-loss tickers have similar attitudes to my own. And some are totally focused on the scale. But you can't tell who's who just by virtue of the fact they have that ticker.

zyxst

The scale helps me figure out a date of when I would be at my ultimate goal weight. I like knowing there's an end to all this worry and stress about what I'm eating and how I'm exercising.

You don't think the scale is important? Don't use it, but please don't tell me that I'm wrong when I weight every day.

fitnfancy80

I am now learning that the scale is not my best tool to determine if I'm fit or not. Thanks to MFP, I know want to be healthy and strong, not just Skinny.

Fit>Skinny

jadedone

I use the scale, and the tape measure (no body fat scale). But honestly, if I hit my goal size, before my goal weight, I am A-Ok with that. The scale is an "easy" measure. Scales are everywhere. It just doesn't tell the whole story.

But a lot of people are really tied up on the scale number. And think anything over X is "fat" or "too big" or whatever. IT is hard to picture that one person's X can look too skinny, lean, fit, average, flabby, and obese depending on their muscle composition, body frame and bone density.

vjrose

The scale is a tool in a whole box of tools,and yet the ones I see obsessing the most are the ones that are slim already but pushing for 10 more lbs. Healthy diet, exercise, toning, endurance, flexibility, better lab results, there are a myriad of reasons some of us need to lose the fat, so yes for those of us with 60 - 100 or 200 lbs to lose, the scale is a benchmark to health and indicates a new level of access to fitness we didn't have before. When as a scientist I am doing a new experiment I don't ignore an indicator of health in an animal or plant just because it isn't a perfect tool.
When I get to where my doctor wants me weight wise (and her goal for me was heavier than mine) then I will likely shift to other goals within my physical limitations that will increase my abilitity to live a long and healthy life.

robot_potato

For me it was significant at first because I was very large. There was no possibly way for me to be healthy at 231 pounds, as I am not a 6 foot tall bodybuilder. So the scale marks progress that needed to be made. Now I keep it as a badge because I am proud of how far I have come. Now I am at a healthy weight, and while I wouldn't mind losing more (my original goal was 140) I am more focused on strength and building lean muscle.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

The scale helps me figure out a date of when I would be at my ultimate goal weight. I like knowing there's an end to all this worry and stress about what I'm eating and how I'm exercising.

You don't think the scale is important? Don't use it, but please don't tell me that I'm wrong when I weight every day.

The OP did mention that for severely overweight people, scale is very important so don't fret about that because obviously he's not referring to people who has a lot of weight to lose. What he only means are those who are just a bit overweight or even normal weight who only has some small pockets of fat in their bodies but instead wanted to lose weight thinking it will make the fat melt away.

For me scale was also very important at first when I was at my highest weight but right now just focused on maintaining my metabolism & control any fat gains.

coconutbuNZ

You're right. I really really hate what the scales can do to people. When I see the numbers go down I'm happy all week. When I see the numbers go up it's like instant frkn depression and I think back to what I've done the week before, all the working out, all the under my calorie goal days, all the effort - I think what a waste! Like a mental torture and at that point of sheer disappointment, it is VERY EASY to just quit and sink my teeth into another all out binge!

Would you agree that using a measuring tape to record the inches lost is the better option?

coconutbuNZ

Because people use weight to define their physical appearance. Starts at the doctor's office and carries over to the tabloids.


A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Plus, the idiotic BMI system... This site, says I'm 27 BMI, so a few more and I'm obese?

You are so NOT obese!