LET'S STOP BASING OUR SUCCESS ON THE SCALE NUMBERS

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo · January 2012

Many times I see posts about people getting discouraged when they're doing all they can but still don't lose weight. There are many factors involved on why the scale won't move or even move in the opposite direction but it doesn't necessarily mean that we are a failure. Many times we don't take a deep look on what is happening with our bodies. We may not see the scale go down but we are getting stronger, our clothes are getting bigger, our health is improving, our stamina is improving etc. Let us remember that getting fit & healthy doesn't go by the scale alone. Of course losing weight is great but it should be treated as the icing on the cake. Our main priority should be focused on our health.

In this way, we will feel happier, more confident & we can be more successful in our journey.

mczwright · January 2012

This really helped me. I was one of those people getting disappointed since the scale hasn't moved. Thank you for keeping me positive!!

mollysmomma81709 · January 2012

i think you're absolutely right. it can be so discouraging, especially when you're just starting out, to hop on that scale and see that the numbers haven't changed. i have tried losing weight so many times in the past and never with any success. that's why this time i am trying not to focus completely on the weight loss. i want to be a healthier person for myself and for my family. icing on the cake is the best way to put it.

chayse392 · January 2012

I totally agree with you! Its not all about the scale for me, have just discovered that my scale batteries are out and not to bothered. I would like to lose inches but if my clothes fit better or start getting to big and I feel better about myself and stronger in myself then I will be happy!

diaryoffatdad · January 2012

excellent post!!!, I preach this to everyone.

I am working on my PhD in the area of obesity, there are two main ideas that I have come to realize through my research. #1 is that individuals can be healthy at any weight. this is a fact, a 300 lb man can be perfectly healthy. Weight has verry little berring on a person's heath, it is one of the weakest indicators of health (and thus so is BMI). #2 is that so many people fail at weight loss attempts. Even on here i have friends who if they don't lose weight one week get all up in arms and want to quit. by focusing on the healthy behaviors of eating healthy whole foods, cooking at home, siting down to eat with your family and living a healthy active lifestyle, you would completely eliminate the sence of failure when weight is not lost.

regardless of your weight, if you eat well and keep active you will reap the benifits in your health and disease prevention. forget weight goals, I say have lifestyle goals, much more attainable, much more motivating and much much better for your health.

your weight says very little about your health. I challenge everyone to shift their focus away from your weight and onto the healthy behaviors, instead of having a goal of losing 2 lbs this week, why not set a goal to complete some form of workout/walk everyday and to make all your meals at home for the week. you can even spice things up by trying a new recipie every week that requires you to cook using whole foods (nothing out of a box or can). i even challenge all of you to throw away the scale, they are giant paper weights and the numbers mean absolutely nothing so who cares, get rid of them and stop obsessing over it.

april_beth · January 2012

thanksf or the speech, but it's lost on me. *shrug*

HMonsterX · January 2012

The scales are just the simplest, most immediate and most easily quantifiable way to we have to see results. Sure, its not the be all and end all, but its just a nice indicator.

diaryoffatdad · January 2012

The scales are just the simplest, most immediate and most easily quantifiable way to we have to see results. Sure, its not the be all and end all, but its just a nice indicator.

but if it is such a poor indicator, what good is it seeing the results or lack ther of on the scale? if you did everything right this week, worked your *kitten* off and ate clean, and the numbers didn't move, by your logic you will see a failure on the scale, and so many people get frustrated and give up after that, even though they did so well and the benifits from their new lifestyle reach much further than weight.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo · January 2012

The scales are just the simplest, most immediate and most easily quantifiable way to we have to see results. Sure, its not the be all and end all, but its just a nice indicator.

I agree that the scale is the most immediate indicator we have however the problem for most of us is that we are getting obssessed with it that we are overlooking the other benefits that we get from proper nutrition & exercise. Many people who can't seem to lose weight have this all or nothing attitude of quitting when the scale won't go to where they want. I admit that was my biggest mistake before which was why I fail so many times, because I was only concentrated on weight loss & nothing else. But eversince I changed my attitude on getting fit & healthy, my body started to get smaller, healthier & burn fat like crazy. The thing is, we must put health as our #1 reason we are doing it, losing weight should be only second. Once we think of our health, we tend to take everything more seriously than just to lose weight & we do everything we can not to get sick & feel worse. When that happens then it follows the weight loss.

meerkat70 · January 2012

thanksf or the speech, but it's lost on me. *shrug*

I can't think why..... ?

but if it is such a poor indicator, what good is it seeing the results or lack ther of on the scale? if you did everything right this week, worked your *kitten* off and ate clean, and the numbers didn't move, by your logic you will see a failure on the scale, and so many people get frustrated and give up after that, even though they did so well and the benifits from their new lifestyle reach much further than weight.

Hm. I don't see that in Monster's post at all. There's a difference between seeing something as an 'indicator' and seeing it as an absolute measure. I don't see how he's suggesting that no movement on the scale is a failure.

I weigh daily. I understand as a consequence that my weight goes up and down, and that the ups are often unrelated to my eating and exercise patterns. I understand how and when my body retains water. I understand how to interpret my scale readings appropriately. For me, it IS a useful tool. I'd hope that, as you further your PhD studies, you'll recognise that different things work for different people. As an academic myself, I'm firmly in the 'knowledge is power' camp.

diaryoffatdad · January 2012

thanksf or the speech, but it's lost on me. *shrug*

I can't think why..... ?

but if it is such a poor indicator, what good is it seeing the results or lack ther of on the scale? if you did everything right this week, worked your *kitten* off and ate clean, and the numbers didn't move, by your logic you will see a failure on the scale, and so many people get frustrated and give up after that, even though they did so well and the benifits from their new lifestyle reach much further than weight.

Hm. I don't see that in Monster's post at all. There's a difference between seeing something as an 'indicator' and seeing it as an absolute measure. I don't see how he's suggesting that no movement on the scale is a failure.

I weigh daily. I understand as a consequence that my weight goes up and down, and that the ups are often unrelated to my eating and exercise patterns. I understand how and when my body retains water. I understand how to interpret my scale readings appropriately. For me, it IS a useful tool. I'd hope that, as you further your PhD studies, you'll recognise that different things work for different people. As an academic myself, I'm firmly in the 'knowledge is power' camp.

i do recognize that diffeent things work for differnt people, and its great that you grasp the concept of fluctuating weight, you however are in the minority on that, my point is that in reality, your weight is not very important when it comes to health, in the grand scheme of things if people forgot about their scales and put the focus on the lifestyle we would see so much more success (on and off the scale)

meerkat70 · January 2012

I don't know that I'm in that significant a minority. I know lots of people who weigh daily and who feel as I do about it.

My point really is that when you have a 'bad weigh in', it's easier to understand it in context when you weigh regularly enough to understand how your body shifts and changes over time. So for instance, I gained 6lb over Christmas. Most of it has now gone, as I knew it would be, because I understood EXACTLY what was going on with my body when I 'gained' that.

Your final sentence seems to belie your suggestion that you 'get' that different things work for different people. You suggest "if people forgot about their scales and put the focus on the lifestyle we would see so much more success (on and off the scale)". Well, firstly this is a pretty absolute statement. Secondly, knowing myself as I do, I *know* this wouldn't work for me. My scales are part of a range of measures of success that I use, but they have a particular place in my successful weightloss regime. I wouldn't want to do without them, and I don't think it would positively impact on *my* success to do so.

katiehilliard · January 2012

I am more fussed about my measurements and they are unlkiely to be so up and down like the scales, I measure myself every 2 weeks and even if the scales havent moved you can bet the measurements have gone down

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

10 inches lost in total

LET'S STOP BASING OUR SUCCESS ON THE SCALE NUMBERS

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