Making The Scale Work For You

The scale. It’s like an evil monster straight out of most women’s nightmares. Just seeing it there lurking in the shadows of the bathroom corner can make you quake with fear. Is that creepy horror movie music I hear?

The scale can be scary because most of us don’t like to think about how heavy we really are. As long as that number representing our weight isn’t glaring up at us we can waltz along in our happy little world, thinking we are much healthier than we probably are. But, like it or not, the scale can be a helpful tool in helping us manage our weight, at least if you know how to use it.

In his article, Measuring Fat-Loss Progress, Keith discusses using the scale along with other factors (such as how you feel or how well your clothes are fitting) to help measure progress toward weight loss goals. As he points out, it’s important to use the scale under the same circumstances each time you weigh yourself. For instance, weighing yourself as soon as you get up in the morning while wearing your underwear is easy to duplicate. It ensures that you aren’t measuring heavier because you’re stepping on the scale in your snow boots and goose down parka. You also have the benefit of an empty stomach when you weigh first thing in the morning.

But weighing in every morning just isn’t a good idea, especially for women. While weight variations over the course of the day is normal for most people, women also have the hassle of dealing with sometimes significant weight fluctuations over the course of a month. Some women find their weight increases several days before menstruation begins. It could be due to water retention, an increase in appetite, or the extra large chocolate milk shake you ate to help cope with those nasty PMS symptoms. I personally weigh about five pounds heavier the day before I start my period. I know first-hand how disheartening that can be. I’ve found that weighing myself once a month works well, and I choose to weigh myself at the same point in my menstrual cycle rather than the same date on the calendar. The day after my period tends to be when I weigh the least, so psychologically that it makes me feel better. I can better track how much weight I’ve lost (or gained. Oh no!) over the course of twenty eight days. And over twenty eight days a person is likely to see more significant weight loss than they would see over a the course of just one week. Seeing a much smaller number on the scale than you saw previously just might be the boost you need to keep going with your nutrition and exercise plan. Working out for a week, but only losing a pound can be discouraging, but seeing a weight loss of 5 pounds seems like a much greater accomplishment, even if it takes place over an entire month.

So resist the temptation to jump on the scale every few days just to “see how you’re doing”. Try checking in just once each month to check progress. Make it the same day of your monthly menstrual cycle and you’re more likely to get a fair assessment. But also remember that that number on the scale is just one way to measure fitness progress. If you’ve been able to pick up the pace on the treadmill, or walk up the stairs without getting winded, if you are less tired and your clothes fit less snuggly, those are much better things to focus on than a number on the bathroom scale.