If you’re on a fitness journey, chances are you’ve stepped on a scale or two. Maybe you religiously weigh yourself every morning or only do it once a month, but either way, you’re relying on that number to track your progress.
But should you trust your weigh-ins? Are they a reliable indicator of your fitness level and overall health?
The answer is not as straightforward as you might think.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the pros and cons of relying on your weigh-ins and give you some tips on how to use them to your advantage.
Let’s have a look!
Why Track Weight?
Tracking your weight is one of the simplest and most effective ways to monitor your progress toward your weight loss or weight gain goals.
By weighing yourself regularly, you can quickly identify whether your current diet and exercise routine are working for you.
If you’re trying to lose weight, consistent weigh-ins can help ensure that you’re shedding pounds at a healthy rate rather than losing too much too quickly, which can be detrimental to your health.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to gain weight, regular weigh-ins can help you determine if you’re eating enough to support your goals.
In short, tracking your weight is a crucial tool for anyone trying to make lasting changes to their body composition.
How To Track Weight?
Because the number on the scale has a high mental impact on most people trying to lose weight, it is important to take the weigh-in properly to ensure you are monitoring true weight.
Here is a step-by-step process for a proper weigh-in:
- Place the scale on a perfectly leveled floor – do the weigh-ins at the exact same spot every time
- Weigh yourself in the morning, before breakfast, after going to the toilet, and without clothes
- For the most accurate results, take a weigh-in every day of the week
- At the end of the week, add up all the numbers from your weigh-ins
- Divide by 7 to get your week’s average
This is the most accurate weigh-in method, which takes into consideration all the possible fluctuations in weight, and allows you to adjust the plan accordingly.
Alternatively, you can weigh yourself once, at the end of each week, and base the adjustments on that single weigh-in.
What The Scale Doesn’t Show
While the scale can be a useful tool for tracking your weight loss or gain, it’s important to remember that it’s not the be-all and end-all of measuring progress.
There are many things the scale doesn’t show that is crucial for overall health and well-being.
For example, it doesn’t take into account body composition, which can be a more accurate indicator of health than weight alone.
It also doesn’t show changes in muscle mass, bone density, or hydration levels, all of which can impact how you feel and perform.
Additionally, relying solely on the number on the scale can lead to an unhealthy obsession with weight and body image, which can be detrimental to mental health.
In short, while the scale can provide a general idea of progress, it’s important to remember that it’s just one piece of the puzzle and not the only factor to consider.
Whether you are losing or gaining weight, you should also track strength and endurance performance, how clothes fit, how you feel, and even more importantly than weight, what the mirror shows.
All of these factors combined can give you an accurate idea of how you are progressing and what adjustments need to be made.
