I'm sure many of you do or have spent time jumping on scales to see what you weigh. How many times have you overindulged at Christmas or birthdays and hop on the scales two days later to see the number has increased? The truth is that number on the scale doesn't really mean anything and certainly doesn't give you a true reading of your progress. It is literally the weight of your body which includes, bones, water, muscles, organs, body fat etc, and as women (for most anyway) we change pretty much on a daily basis. That number you stare at on the scale will change due to a variety of reasons. Here are a few:
Challenging workout - As part of this healing process, the body will retain fluid in the muscle making you weigh more.(temporarily)
Eating food that was higher in carbohydrates - Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted into energy used to support the bodily functions and physical activity . Glycogen is stored along with three grams of water. If you eat a high carb meal, your body likely uses some of those carbs to replenish your glycogen stores. And since your body stores water along with glycogen, your weight may increase at that time.
We need carbohydrates, it is one of the bodies major source of energy so cutting them out isn't a great idea, if you like bread, have it, its not a class A drug it wont kill you, have it just don't eat the whole loaf!!! Its all about moderation unless of course you have allergies or intolerances.
Hormones - the fluctuation in hormones can lead to water gain and bloating.
Lack of sleep -a lack of sleep or poor sleep can affect your mood, increased hunger leading to a higher calorie intake , decreased physical activity and ultimately weight gain.
In general our normal bathroom scales don't really tell us much, for me the best way to measure success and progress is to take before and after photos or simply find an item of clothing that feels snug or tight and use that as a guideline. Be consistent and patient, quick fixes aren't sustainable.
The expression "muscle weighs more than fat" is rubbish! a pound of fat, a pound of muscle, its still a pound, its and equal amount. You cannot change fat into muscle they are very different. Muscle is much denser, its solid, it takes up less space and uses up more calories. It also changes your body shape and you will look more toned and feel much stronger and have more energy. Fat is fluffy takes up more space and not at many calories needed.
Pretty much the only time i ask a client to weigh themselves is to workout their calorie intake if its needed.
In my opinion Scales are for fish!
Comments