Is the number on the scale driving your crazy?

If it is, I understand...

Fluctuations on the scale can be TORTUROUS.

Like many coaches & trainers, I don't LIKE body weight as a metric to track progress.

First, because it's hardly ever a good indicator of progress on its own.

There are too many variables to consider in your body weight and the scale can't tell the difference between fat, muscle, water and food.

Relying on that number alone to make assumptions will easily discourage you if you don't know how to use the data properly.

And second, because it can be a real psychological torture.

People expect the scale to be moving in the right direction each day/week, and when it doesn't, it sends them the wrong message and makes them feel bad.

Emotional engagement with the scale can be quite discouraging, and I'd be the first to know.  

HOWEVER, and as much as I hate to admit it, tracking body weight is a NECESSARY EVIL.

It's not the only indicator of progress (by far), but it's an important one.

And against many recommendations in the industry (which you now know why), I ask my clients to step on the scale every single week.

Why?

Because although daily/weekly fluctuations of weight will often be misleading, TRENDS over longer periods of time do not lie...

And the more data you can get, the more RELIABLE the trend and the more accurate your decisions will be.

Where most people go wrong, and where I make sure my clients do not, is making decisions without enough data...

Way too prematurely.  

They're following a great plan and feeling better than ever... but the scale isn't necessarily saying the same thing every week.

They quickly let daily/weekly fluctuations get to their head... and start tweaking their diet/training when it's absolutely not necessary.

Worse, it's often counterproductive.

Let me tell you something that shady coaches rubbing you the right way only to keep your business longer won't tell you:

Emotional engagement with the scale + Making your plan more & more unsustainable than it needs to be = Recipe for disaster.

Some dietitians will follow YOUR lead to keep you happy (and your money), instead of LEADING YOU...

Only to be driving you somewhere you don't want to be without you even knowing. At least, until it's too late.

Scary, I know...

Which is exactly why I'm providing you with proper education.

Here's how to use the scale on your fitness journey:

1. Understand that the scale is part of a much bigger picture

2. Don't get emotionally involved with daily/weekly fluctuations

3. If you're willing to, collect as much data as you can and draw trends using the app Happy Scale

4. If you're not willing to, weigh yourself every 2-4 weeks but keep in mind this is not optimal

4. Grind long enough to get a reliable trend (without trying to draw conclusions too early)

5. Adjust your diet/training accordingly, only if and when necessary

6. Be patient as f*ck and realize it's not a destination but a journey.   

Now before I leave you to your occupations, let me just show you a snap shot of what you can do with Happy Scale.

You lose not the kilograms, but the inches!

When on a weight loss cycle, your body may burn the fat cells and it becomes a fat burner machine. You’ll notice this by the daily changes in your body when you undress; curving from some areas, toning from others. You also feel an ill-fitting dress properly fitting you now. All these drifts mark the period of your body’s transformation. No matter what your scale shows, you are changing. Ah! You are growing smaller!

The final word

A beginning of a physical fitness regime marks the start of your body’s transformation. The body’s weight gets redistributed to different areas, its shape begins to alter or simply body starts getting smaller. These dramatic changes happen without a dramatic change in your weight. So the best tips for measuring your progress is the measurements of the body or the fat percentage.