What does your numbers game look like?

rsenor
rsenor Posts: 57 Member
edited May 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
I used to be very obsessed with what the scale read. About 10 years ago, I realized that while I was not at a weight I didn't like, my photos showed me something that I didn't like, so I started getting into lifting at the encouragement of my husband who has a history as a bodybuilder. I did a 12-week "starter" weightlifting program with HIIT cardio integrated, took body fat percentage(BFP) and 12 weeks later I was only four pounds lighter but my BFP and photos showed a very dramatic, and positive change.

I sometimes feel, especially when we're close to goal weight, that there is too much emphasis on the scale and not enough emphasis on the fact that as you build muscle that replaces fat, you are going to LOOK smaller while seeming bigger or equal on the scale, and I see so many people being beaten down by those scale numbers. For me I realize in retrospect that was very unhealthy, and even now its easy for me to fall into the pattern "well the scale says this so I am ok". Now I try to take everything into consideration: my weight, my body fat, and how I look in a swimsuit.

Curious as to folks experience with this.

Replies

  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,398 Member
    I've never been scale obsessed, so to me it's always just been a number. When I was much younger I did go through a period where I got into putting on muscle to an extent that it started hurting my cardio some, and then realized that finding the balance was much more important.

    But I think it reality we all have to find that happy balance of appearance vs weight vs ability, and which ones are more important to us at any given period of our life.
  • RLC928
    RLC928 Posts: 13 Member
    I experienced the same. Once I started lifting consistently my weight loss completely stopped. But I could definitely tell there was a change by things like my appearance and fit of clothes. I weigh once a month now. I stuck my scale in the basement, so I don't really think about it any more. Out of sight, out of mind!
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    I don't obsess over numbers much. Weigh daily but it's just a number. I've never let it define me. Plan on getting into lifting for recomp when I hit my goal, so the number will go up, but it's all part of the plan.

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