Attention: everybody who the scale makes cry!

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lotusfromthemud
lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have posted this link three times in the past two days.

Attention, everybody: the scale isn't telling you the whole story!

Here's a great article, on a great blog that will change your life. It's entitled "Why The Scale Lies", written by Renee Cloe.

http://www.skwigg.com/id12.html

Now, step away from the scale and carry on.

:flowerforyou:

Replies

  • katlou2
    katlou2 Posts: 199 Member
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    bump for later, the scales doens't make me cry but is aggrevating at times...
  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
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    It always amazes me how people think weight equals fat. It not like our body is only made of fat and that the only thing the scale tells us.

    If peole would get off their butts and do a little research before crying about what they scales are saying, we might get a few less post about it.

    I am with you on this one.
  • Skinnyme87
    Skinnyme87 Posts: 42
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    Thanks for sharing the link!
  • Aeriel
    Aeriel Posts: 864 Member
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    Great article, thanks! I knew most of it already, but nice to see it confirmed by someone else.
  • spaniel
    spaniel Posts: 468
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    bump
  • agdeierl
    agdeierl Posts: 378 Member
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    Great article!!! Thanks so much for posting! I already knew the first half, but I learned a lot in the last half, and plus it's always nice to have a reminder of what's REALLY important! :flowerforyou:
  • iamstronger247
    iamstronger247 Posts: 47
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    It always amazes me how people think weight equals fat. It not like our body is only made of fat and that the only thing the scale tells us.

    If peole would get off their butts and do a little research before crying about what they scales are saying, we might get a few less post about it.

    I am with you on this one.

    for reals? sometimes it is discouraging esp. for us newbies.. so maybe we do get off our butts and do research and maybe some days we just want to cry about it... i am pretty sure you as well got frustrated when u first started losing weight.. and i am pretty sure you had ''down' days and needed to vent.
  • nj_rider
    nj_rider Posts: 5
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    Do NOT get on the scale more than once a week AT THE MOST and pick the day and stick with it. Weighing yourself every day will just discourage you.

    PS - I use a Tanita scale that weighs and calculates body fat. Both numbers are coming down slowly but regularly.....and that's THE secret to permanent weight loss. Losing weight and fat slowly.
  • agdeierl
    agdeierl Posts: 378 Member
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    Do NOT get on the scale more than once a week AT THE MOST and pick the day and stick with it. Weighing yourself every day will just discourage you.

    PS - I use a Tanita scale that weighs and calculates body fat. Both numbers are coming down slowly but regularly.....and that's THE secret to permanent weight loss. Losing weight and fat slowly.
    How does it calculate body fat ? It doesn't seem like a scale could accurately do this...
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    Do NOT get on the scale more than once a week AT THE MOST and pick the day and stick with it. Weighing yourself every day will just discourage you.

    PS - I use a Tanita scale that weighs and calculates body fat. Both numbers are coming down slowly but regularly.....and that's THE secret to permanent weight loss. Losing weight and fat slowly.
    How does it calculate body fat ? It doesn't seem like a scale could accurately do this...

    The scales use bioelectrical impedence, and it's not very accurate. Although if you're measuring progress, it's a better tool than scale weight alone.
  • Navie42
    Navie42 Posts: 152
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    Meh, I get the point the article is making, but things such as stored water or glycogen are always going to be in the make up of the number the scale tells us. It reads more like one person's attempt to make themselves feel better than a researched essay. I mean, one can step on the scale in the morning and see a half pound increase and say to themselves "oh, its probably just water" but we are made of mostly water and, well, to tell yourself otherwise is really just kidding yourself.

    The article would've done better instead to analyse the psychological effects weighing yourself everyday has, it would help more people.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    Meh, I get the point the article is making, but things such as stored water or glycogen are always going to be in the make up of the number the scale tells us. It reads more like one person's attempt to make themselves feel better than a researched essay. I mean, one can step on the scale in the morning and see a half pound increase and say to themselves "oh, its probably just water" but we are made of mostly water and, well, to tell yourself otherwise is really just kidding yourself.

    The article would've done better instead to analyse the psychological effects weighing yourself everyday has, it would help more people.

    Not really the point of the article (psychological effects), nor is it scholarly, although the author is a trainer and a registered dietician.

    The point of posting the article, is that most people (or a lot of people) aren't realizing that the scale reflects water and glycogen retention, and it's very discouraging to them. Just trying to dispel some ignorance, and maybe help someone get a handle on the information on which they're relying.
  • agdeierl
    agdeierl Posts: 378 Member
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    Do NOT get on the scale more than once a week AT THE MOST and pick the day and stick with it. Weighing yourself every day will just discourage you.

    PS - I use a Tanita scale that weighs and calculates body fat. Both numbers are coming down slowly but regularly.....and that's THE secret to permanent weight loss. Losing weight and fat slowly.
    How does it calculate body fat ? It doesn't seem like a scale could accurately do this...
    what is an accurate way to measure body fat then ?because i am worried that i'm losing muscle and not fat.

    The scales use bioelectrical impedence, and it's not very accurate. Although if you're measuring progress, it's a better tool than scale weight alone.
  • agdeierl
    agdeierl Posts: 378 Member
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    (sorry my Computer Is acting up. ) what is an accurate way to measure body fat then ?because i am worried that i'm losing muscle and not fat
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    The current considered gold standards are an underwater weighing technique and something called the "bod pod". You may want to google around in your area to see if any gyms, universities ,or YMCAs offer either of these.

    The easy way to make sure you don't drop muscle mass is to make sure that you don't make your calorie deficit too large, especially if you don't have much to lose.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Do NOT get on the scale more than once a week AT THE MOST and pick the day and stick with it. Weighing yourself every day will just discourage you.

    PS - I use a Tanita scale that weighs and calculates body fat. Both numbers are coming down slowly but regularly.....and that's THE secret to permanent weight loss. Losing weight and fat slowly.
    How does it calculate body fat ? It doesn't seem like a scale could accurately do this...

    From what I gather, you stand with your feet on the metal bits and it sends electrical charges through to your body. It measures the resistance and this gives the fat reading - as the more resistance, the less or more (can't remember which way round it is) fat there is on the body.

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