Saturday, June 16, 2012

The "Weigh In" on Weighing In

Should You Weigh Yourself Everyday Or Not?

Scale Help Weighing InWe all ask ourselves that question. You will hear many conflicting reports. I will admit I am a slave to my scale. Yes, I said it. I am a scale junkie! That small, little metal box seems to have a hold on me that I can't shake. On some days I can step off that little box feeling elated and thin...on other days it can mess with my head and convince me I am a failure. This is not a good feeling. The purpose of a scale is to give one a base to start at and a means to track your progress, but so many factors can affect our weight throughout the day. We should not be alarmed with these changes as it is natural for the body to fluctuate in weight everyday. Your body metabolizes your excess fat in different degrees depending on how you eat each day or each meal, how much you drank, what kind of stress you may be feeling, how much sleep you got the night before, and so much more. You know that feeling when you have been so good. You are excited to step on the scale...and then you see it! You have gained a pound! Or worse, you go three days without losing anything. Frustrating, right? Believe it or not, your body is still in a fat loss mode, but it could be as simple as having had too much salt in your food, or if you are exercising it could be muscle gain. Body Water WeightIf you gain weight, be sure to really look at your food and activity of the day before. Maybe you tried a new workout that has fatigued your muscles, or maybe you ate a bit more than you want to admit, or again, maybe your food choice was a bit saltier? The human body is made up of over 70% water. A fluctuation in weight can easily be attributed to water weight. This will cause your body to hang on to that extra water. Don't beat yourself up. If you are really being good in your diet by eating cleanly and you are working out consistently then don't give up. As long as you have created a calorie deficit , (you burn slightly more calories than you are eating), then you should feel proud. You are on the right path. Bottom line on weighing in? Do what you feel comfortable with. If the scale is causing you too much agony, then by all means, get rid of it. If you can take what it says with a "grain of salt" (yes, I said it, lol) Then step on it once a day, once a week, or when you ar feeling thin. Don't let the scale control your feelings, just use it as a guide to keep you honest and on track! I would suggest using a tape measure to accurately gauge your wight loss progress. Here are the areas to measure and keep track of:
  • Chest/Bust (at nipple line)
  • Waist (at smallest point)
  • Hips (at widest point where your buttocks stick out)
  • Thighs (I like to measure at the widest point)
  • Biceps (widest point, arm extended palm facing upward)
  • Calves (widest point)
No matter what the scale says each day you are still losing fat and inches, and one step closer to La Vita Bella, The Beautiful Life.

1 comments:

Doris said...

I would add one more measurement at the very least, for those of us who have a belly - the widest part of your belly, which would be about an inch below your naval.

Like you, I sorta am a slave to the scale, but I'm also a slave to my tape measure and bodyfat calipers . . .