Just a reminder that the scale doesn’t tell the full story!

brittkd14
brittkd14 Posts: 22 Member
edited October 2020 in Success Stories
So first post here! I do comment a good bit, but I’ve not big on posting.

I changed my focus from strictly weight loss to eating for athletic goals. I practice jiu jitsu, kickboxing, some mountain biking, and trail running. I love to move. Eating at an average of 1650 calories a day, doing something 6 days a week, and eating back half the calories, I’ve seen ZERO scale movement. I panicked until I started looking at everything else. I’m down from a size XL or L shirt to a consistent M. I’m having to pull my gi bottoms above my belly button, and my husband stopped me the other day as I walked through the bedroom to say “dang, you are getting a lot of definition.” Zero scale success. I’m 5’5” inches and holding at 174. Mind is blown. I’m not sure the whole science behind it, but I’m ok with it. My upper ribcage area has gone from 33 inches to just over 30 (like where you measure for a bra).

I’m not posting to be all braggy. I’m just hoping to encourage someone to look around at your big picture and not get too fixated on the scale.
Pic has zero scale difference but the clothing is all down in sizes and the skirt on the right is barely staying up. 14-10 in 6 months. (No I don’t have that much history on here-I started with a notebook)

Replies

  • Berniebutt773
    Berniebutt773 Posts: 28 Member
    Great feedback for folks. I've noticed taking regular photos wearing the same clothes also makes a difference for me.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    brittkd14 wrote: »
    Pic has zero scale difference but the clothing is all down in sizes and the skirt on the right is barely staying up. 14-10 in 6 months. (No I don’t have that much history on here-I started with a notebook)

    Cannot see any pics....way to go though!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    I love seeing this kind of update, its not all about the scale - way to go! :smile:
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    nexangelus wrote: »
    brittkd14 wrote: »
    Pic has zero scale difference but the clothing is all down in sizes and the skirt on the right is barely staying up. 14-10 in 6 months. (No I don’t have that much history on here-I started with a notebook)

    Cannot see any pics....way to go though!

    OP's pictures are in another thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/45451782#Comment_45451782.
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    Constantly need to remind myself. In fact my doctor and I focused on a size that I would prefer to be as opposed to the number on the scale because the scale was frustrating me, even though I logically know muscle and fat weigh the same, and that my sizes keep going down despite the scale not budging it was still screwing with me. So I only weigh once a week just to keep myself accountable but take my measurements and I never complete my eating for the day via MFP because it always gives me a false sense of what I could accomplish by saying "Oh if you ate like this for 5 weeks you'd weigh xx amount" Because it's never accurate. lol
  • brittkd14
    brittkd14 Posts: 22 Member
    muszyngr wrote: »
    I seem to get crap for recommending a body fat machine such as this one, but a lot of trainers still use them, yes they may not be perfectly accurate but you are using them as a relative reference meaning, when you start at 25% body fat and a couple months later you are at 24% you are doing something right, it doesn't matter if it is + or - 2% and comparing mine over the years to a dip tank, it is actually very close if not spot on

    y1jwqpbsvfls.jpg

    I haven’t used one of these since I gained the weight, but it was a very encouraging tool when I was at my fittest (19% body fat). I was competing in endurance (riding a horse 35-100 miles in a weekend) so my personal trainer used the body fat measurement in conjunction with the scale to make sure when I was getting into a weight category, I wasn’t loosing muscle mass... I need to see if we have one laying around at the current gym.
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