The Danger of Scales & 5 Ways To Track Progress Without Them
I had a great chat with one of the owners of Kaia Fit Sunrise this morning about the potential pitfalls of using a scale. Our gym just finished week three of BRIK, and that means its time for midway assessments. Assessments for Kaia include a fit test, body measurements, and a weigh in. This is the first BRIK I've completed where I haven't weighed myself weekly and I confessed to my coach that, after 3 weeks of not using the scale, I was super nervous about seeing that number .
For most of my adult life, I have been a habitual scale user. Years of marketing had left me with a (rather common) belief that it was the number on the scale that controlled your health, your beauty, heck even your worth. Guess what? Its not!
What is weight? According to Dictionary.com, weight is defined as "the force that gravitation exerts upon a body, equal to the mass of the body times the local acceleration of gravity: commonly taken, in a region of constant gravitational acceleration, as a measure of mass."
Notice that there is nothing in that definition that points to the relative worth, beauty, or innate goodness of someone or something. What is included in that definition, however, is mass - which is what you're measuring when you use your weight to track progress on a specific diet, lifestyle, or training routine.
Why is weight so commonly used to track progress? Weight is a (relatively) easy thing to measure when you're looking for a way to track progress. Scales are easy to use, don't take up much space, and don't require too much time to begin to see a difference (for instance, losing 2 inches off your waist will take longer than it would to lose 2 pounds on the scale). When you're just staring a new program your coaches, trainers, etc. want to keep you motivated - and seeing that number drop in just a matter of days can definitely light that fire! However, there are a lot of pitfalls that can come with regular weigh-ins.
The trouble with weigh-ins: That number you see on the scale each week doesn't always correlate with the work you put in. Water retention, constipation, and lean muscle gain are all things that can effect the number we see on the scale. The problem with this is that if you've busted your butt for the past week, you expect to see that progress on the scale and seeing the same number you had the week before - or worse, seeing a slight gain - can be devastating! You begin to feel like you did something wrong or that the routine you follow isn't working. You may even begin to wonder why you're bothering to do this at all. It can spin you into a spiral of doubt, guilt, self blame, and poor self esteem. You might miss workouts, binge on junk food, or do the opposite and throw yourself into a highly restrictive diet and cram in even more activity then before. None of those options are healthy, and none will help you create the life you want in the long run.
A quick side note; muscle, in fact, does not weigh more than fat. One pound is one pound, and it doesn't matter if the thing you are weighing is fat, muscle, or puppies. The truth however is that muscle takes up less space than fat; and that is what we are aiming for when we are trying to lean down. It is not uncommon to gain weight as you become more fit; if you're seeing the scale stuck at the same number week after week (or even going up slightly), but those inches keep coming off it just means you are replacing fat with lean muscle and that's a good thing!
So what are we to do? Easy! Just select a different method to measure your progress.
5 Ways To Track Your Progress Without The Scale:
1. Body Measurements
I love tracking body measurements! I feel like they are the most accurate, consistent manner to track progress if your goal is to lean down. Here's the three main measurements I recommend tracking (and how to measure them):
2. Fit Tests
Choose a selection of exercises (ie. sit ups, timed mile, push ups, squats, etc.) and track either your time for a specific distance/reps or track your reps for time. Need an idea to get you started? Try this on for size:
3. How Do Your Clothes Fit
Are your clothes fitting better? Are your pants getting loose? These are sure signs that your body is getting leaner. Great job!
4. Your Actions
Have your behaviors or actions changed since you started? Has tracking your food or packing a salad for lunch become second nature? If so, celebrate! Changing your behaviors is what will make your fitness goals last a life time. Remember, you're trying to build a healthier lifestyle - not something short term. Habits are what you need to make the changes last.
5. Progress Pictures
Notice I didn't say "Before and After" pictures. Calling progress photos a "before and after" imply that the changes you are making now are not things you will carry out long term. It implies that at some point you will be "done", and you wont have to work at it any more. Living a healthy, active life will always take some degree of effort. You will not be able to maintain the progress you make if you simply jump back to the habits that got you to where you were in the first place. So take photos throughout your program and be proud of the changes! Can you see your face getting slimmer? Are your arms getting more defined? It can be hard to see the changes when we see ourselves every day, but comparing a photo from months ago to one from today can show you all the amazing things you have been able to accomplish.
Above all, remember that progress takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were you so try to find a way to love the journey. Be proud of what you've accomplished! Even if you just started a week ago, I can guarantee you've already accomplished something that you should be celebrating. Start celebrating those little things! Once they start adding up you'll be on your way to something amazing. :)
For most of my adult life, I have been a habitual scale user. Years of marketing had left me with a (rather common) belief that it was the number on the scale that controlled your health, your beauty, heck even your worth. Guess what? Its not!
 |
| Source: www.ginormasource.com |
Notice that there is nothing in that definition that points to the relative worth, beauty, or innate goodness of someone or something. What is included in that definition, however, is mass - which is what you're measuring when you use your weight to track progress on a specific diet, lifestyle, or training routine.
Why is weight so commonly used to track progress? Weight is a (relatively) easy thing to measure when you're looking for a way to track progress. Scales are easy to use, don't take up much space, and don't require too much time to begin to see a difference (for instance, losing 2 inches off your waist will take longer than it would to lose 2 pounds on the scale). When you're just staring a new program your coaches, trainers, etc. want to keep you motivated - and seeing that number drop in just a matter of days can definitely light that fire! However, there are a lot of pitfalls that can come with regular weigh-ins.
The trouble with weigh-ins: That number you see on the scale each week doesn't always correlate with the work you put in. Water retention, constipation, and lean muscle gain are all things that can effect the number we see on the scale. The problem with this is that if you've busted your butt for the past week, you expect to see that progress on the scale and seeing the same number you had the week before - or worse, seeing a slight gain - can be devastating! You begin to feel like you did something wrong or that the routine you follow isn't working. You may even begin to wonder why you're bothering to do this at all. It can spin you into a spiral of doubt, guilt, self blame, and poor self esteem. You might miss workouts, binge on junk food, or do the opposite and throw yourself into a highly restrictive diet and cram in even more activity then before. None of those options are healthy, and none will help you create the life you want in the long run.
 |
| Source: www.fit-connection.com |
A quick side note; muscle, in fact, does not weigh more than fat. One pound is one pound, and it doesn't matter if the thing you are weighing is fat, muscle, or puppies. The truth however is that muscle takes up less space than fat; and that is what we are aiming for when we are trying to lean down. It is not uncommon to gain weight as you become more fit; if you're seeing the scale stuck at the same number week after week (or even going up slightly), but those inches keep coming off it just means you are replacing fat with lean muscle and that's a good thing!
 |
| Source: www.huffingtonpost.com/sophia-herbst/1200-calories_b_4816597.html |
5 Ways To Track Your Progress Without The Scale:
1. Body Measurements
I love tracking body measurements! I feel like they are the most accurate, consistent manner to track progress if your goal is to lean down. Here's the three main measurements I recommend tracking (and how to measure them):
- Waist: Measure your waist without holding the tape too tightly (or too loosely). You can choose to measure either your true waist (about 1 inch above your belly button or where your rib cage ends) or exactly at your belly button. Whichever you choose, just be consistent. I recommend keeping a log of what (and where) you are measuring in addition to your measurements.
- Hips: Measure your hips around the fullest part of your bum with your feet together.To be really consistent, I'd recommend picking a place you want to measure and then measuring how high it is from the ground. This way, even if your bum begins to perk up or change shape - you know you are always measuring the same area as where you started.
- Chest: Measure around the fullest part of your chest. I find it's easiest to use your nipple line as your marker.
2. Fit Tests
Choose a selection of exercises (ie. sit ups, timed mile, push ups, squats, etc.) and track either your time for a specific distance/reps or track your reps for time. Need an idea to get you started? Try this on for size:
- How fast can you run a mile?
- How many sit ups can you do in 2 minutes?
- How many push-ups can you do in 2 minutes?
- How many squats can you do in 2 minutes?
3. How Do Your Clothes Fit
Are your clothes fitting better? Are your pants getting loose? These are sure signs that your body is getting leaner. Great job!
4. Your Actions
Have your behaviors or actions changed since you started? Has tracking your food or packing a salad for lunch become second nature? If so, celebrate! Changing your behaviors is what will make your fitness goals last a life time. Remember, you're trying to build a healthier lifestyle - not something short term. Habits are what you need to make the changes last.
5. Progress Pictures
Notice I didn't say "Before and After" pictures. Calling progress photos a "before and after" imply that the changes you are making now are not things you will carry out long term. It implies that at some point you will be "done", and you wont have to work at it any more. Living a healthy, active life will always take some degree of effort. You will not be able to maintain the progress you make if you simply jump back to the habits that got you to where you were in the first place. So take photos throughout your program and be proud of the changes! Can you see your face getting slimmer? Are your arms getting more defined? It can be hard to see the changes when we see ourselves every day, but comparing a photo from months ago to one from today can show you all the amazing things you have been able to accomplish.
Above all, remember that progress takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were you so try to find a way to love the journey. Be proud of what you've accomplished! Even if you just started a week ago, I can guarantee you've already accomplished something that you should be celebrating. Start celebrating those little things! Once they start adding up you'll be on your way to something amazing. :)
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