Results…is it all about the number on the Scale?…or is their much more?
January 18, 2022
Results….is it all about the number on the Scale?…or is there much more?
A typical tool clients will judge their weight loss success on is the scale. Is it the best way to measure our progress though?
The Negative…Weighing can mess with your emotions.
This is probably no surprise, weighing yourself on a scale can lead to feelings of shame, frustration, and guilt, as the most common response when stepping on a scale is to compare the scale weight with a previous weight or a goal weight. The number on the scale can be disappointing and confusing and bring on these emotions.
The Positives……Regularly stepping on the scale can influence your choices later.
A scale weigh-in can help people think about their behaviours. Stepping on the scales can influence people’s actions for the rest of the day. It may be a motivator to establishing a good day of eating, exercising, etc.
Is the scale the only way to evaluate your progress toward better health or weight loss? Not at all, the scale isn’t even necessary. The thing for the scale is that it will depend on the person, if the scale is a positive then great, then keep using it, a negative? Then throw them out.
How can we evaluate our journey if the scales are not for me? There are many ways to measure and evaluate changes.
Objective Measures
– Blood Work
– Blood Pressure
– Girth Measurements
– Body Fat Measurements with Calipers
– Heart Rate monitoring
– Sleep Quality
Subjective Measures
– Energy and Pain Levels
– Mood and Stress Levels
– How clothes fit
– Symptom (illness) frequency and intensity
Positive changes in any of the above measures are valuable and valid ways to evaluate your progress without any focus on the scale. The scale weight can be a misleading and confusing measurement tool, it gives only a whole number without giving a whole story of what is actually going on. Using a combination of the above measures can be a better way to track your progress, and the truth is known, if the above is in the positive (improving) then the number on the scale will be headed in the right direction too.
My suggestion…if scales work for you, if they can help you make a plan of action and there is no negative emotional response then the scales are ok. If the scales cause stress and negative emotions then the scales are not for you!!
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Results…is it all about the number on the Scale?…or is their much more?
January 18, 2022
Results….is it all about the number on the Scale?…or is there much more?
A typical tool clients will judge their weight loss success on is the scale. Is it the best way to measure our progress though?
The Negative…Weighing can mess with your emotions.
This is probably no surprise, weighing yourself on a scale can lead to feelings of shame, frustration, and guilt, as the most common response when stepping on a scale is to compare the scale weight with a previous weight or a goal weight. The number on the scale can be disappointing and confusing and bring on these emotions.
The Positives……Regularly stepping on the scale can influence your choices later.
A scale weigh-in can help people think about their behaviours. Stepping on the scales can influence people’s actions for the rest of the day. It may be a motivator to establishing a good day of eating, exercising, etc.
Is the scale the only way to evaluate your progress toward better health or weight loss? Not at all, the scale isn’t even necessary. The thing for the scale is that it will depend on the person, if the scale is a positive then great, then keep using it, a negative? Then throw them out.
How can we evaluate our journey if the scales are not for me? There are many ways to measure and evaluate changes.
Objective Measures
– Blood Work
– Blood Pressure
– Girth Measurements
– Body Fat Measurements with Calipers
– Heart Rate monitoring
– Sleep Quality
Subjective Measures
– Energy and Pain Levels
– Mood and Stress Levels
– How clothes fit
– Symptom (illness) frequency and intensity
Positive changes in any of the above measures are valuable and valid ways to evaluate your progress without any focus on the scale. The scale weight can be a misleading and confusing measurement tool, it gives only a whole number without giving a whole story of what is actually going on. Using a combination of the above measures can be a better way to track your progress, and the truth is known, if the above is in the positive (improving) then the number on the scale will be headed in the right direction too.
My suggestion…if scales work for you, if they can help you make a plan of action and there is no negative emotional response then the scales are ok. If the scales cause stress and negative emotions then the scales are not for you!!
