To Weigh or NOT to Weigh?

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hellodiane
hellodiane Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, Friends,
Today was my first "weigh-in" since starting a doctor ordered gluten free diet 40+ days ago. Since I already was making such a drastic dietary change, I started really upping my training. Normally I would workout 2-3 days a week, just because I enjoy it. Now, I am doing Crossfit, Power Yoga and Running 5-6 days a week (45 minutes to an hour a day). I am watching what I eat, really focusing on Macros. Low Carb. You know, all the right things. I want to gain muscle, not just lose weight (although that is a secondary goal).
Stepped on the scale, and barely lost 3 pounds. THREE. FLIPPING. POUNDS.
I did measure myself, and lost 2 inches off my stomach and thighs, and an inch off my waist.
Should I just toss the scale? Since I am really focusing on building muscle, will a scale continue to give me a false sense of progress?

All that work, and all I can think of is that it equated to 3 stinking pounds gone! LOL!!!

Replies

  • Extheim
    Extheim Posts: 1 Member
    edited February 2017
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    If you're building muscle, taking measurments for fat loss in inches will be much more accurate than weighing on a scale. Muscle is much more dense than fat, so it will weigh more and make it feel like you aren't making progress. Depending on your weight now, you may still be generally losing weight over time, but the scale doesn't measure your body composition goal (muscle>fat.)
  • hellodiane
    hellodiane Posts: 23 Member
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    That makes sense. I've never focused on gaining muscle before, so this is all new to me. Thanks for your help!
  • ZephieC
    ZephieC Posts: 162 Member
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    If you are eating well and exercising with a goal to be healthy you will get there. It isn't always about the number on the scale. Losing inches and feeling good is just as good an indicator. I weigh often but only actually count it once a week. If you find yourself obsessing over the scale you may want to just weigh in bi-weekly or monthly and see how you feel over all.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    I love your idea that scales might give one "a false sense of progress". So many of us get hung up on those scale readings. I'm living that right now, having lost weight due to a short illness. I have to remind myself that the lower scale reading is nothing to rejoice about, that I've gone backwards in my "healthy body" goals.

    If you can take the numbers as just another data point then go ahead and weigh in. But one of the wonderful things about MFP is it lets you measure and feel pride in other data: calories burned, measurements, nutrition etc. Your biggest data point will be watching for progress in your lifts.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Don't over think it. A scale is just a measurement and the more data you have the better. My scale measures body fat % and weight. It also logs it for me daily. It is fun to go back over the year(s) and see the long term changes in BF and weight in graph format. It really shows when I slack off exercise or start overeating.
  • unrelentingminx
    unrelentingminx Posts: 231 Member
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    I also have scales that measure percentage fat, water, muscle and bone as well as mass. I understand that the values it gives may not be 100% accurate but if I see the fat going down over time and the muscle percentage increasing, that is good enough for me.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    If it discourages you - than I say yes. I hit a plateau but know I am doing all the right things and can tell a difference but the scale is discouraging me. So I've challenged myself not to weigh for the whole month of February. I am happy when I go to the gym and when I pack all my healthy food for the day and actually eat it. I turn down free cupcakes, cookies and candy at work. *So, yep, "No-Weigh" February is here for me. :smiley:
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    If you want to lose weight, you need a calorie deficit. You obviously had a calorie deficit. Is 3 pounds a good loss? Well how much do you want to lose?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited February 2017
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    1) low carb doesn't default to weight loss, nor does gluten free...
    2) training doesn't default to weight loss
    3) a calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss
    4) you are in a calorie deficit, as you have lost weight...it's just a smaller one.
    5) an increase in more high intensity training often makes calorie control more difficult...I have a harder time losing weight when I'm actively training than when I'm just doing some regular light to moderate exercise on the regular because I have a harder time controlling calories...this is pretty common.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    You mention going gluten free and making a drastic diet change, but did you reduce the number of calories overall? Or did you end up eating more calories based on the exercising you did?

    What is your goal and what does your doctor say? If it is primarily weight loss, then you may need to re-think your strategy and focus more on your diet and calories consumed then on exercise. Not to stop the exercise (especially as you seem to enjoy it) but to see weight loss it is still about how much food you eat.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
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    ...and don't forget that without more data points that reading of 3 pounds could be off considerably due to water weight fluctuations, especially with an increase in exercise.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    thats roughly a half pound a week.

    good job.

    relax.
  • hellodiane
    hellodiane Posts: 23 Member
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    To answer some of your questions:
    Yes, I do have a calorie deficit. I never eat back my exercise calories. I try to burn AT LEAST 600 calories a day from exercise. I try to eat around 2200-2400 calories a day, with a net total of around 1800.


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