Charles Fernow, MS Exercise Physiology, USA Powerlifting Coach | Personal Training Near St Louis Park Minnesota
Key takeaways
- The scale is not bad, it’s just a tool
- When you step on the scale, do it right away in the morning after morning business, before breakfast.
- Weighing yourself more frequently can yield greater progress
- Tracking your nutrition is still essential
There is a common thought for many trying to shed the pounds, one that when viewed from a different perspective, is (in my opinion) very misunderstood. The thought that you shouldn’t watch the scale when you’re attempting to lose weight. In this article, I will attempt to demonstrate the difference between obsession and a tool.
By many individuals, the scale is viewed as the enemy. Almost like the boogeyman, it can keep you up at night, while you worry about what it’s going to scare you with tomorrow. This is likely because the scale gives you the uncensored truth about how your plan has been going, and being honest with yourself is something that can be pretty tough. That is 100% okay, because you’re not only in a process of changing your body for the better, but your mindset.
To be successful with this, what do you need? Some type of log (I like to use an XCEL spreadsheet because it’s easier to organize), a nutrition tracker (I recommend myfitnesspal because it’s user friendly and FREE), and some perseverance mixed with dedication (not to be confused with the ever fluctuating “motivation).
Timing is Everything
First, when should I weigh myself? To be as consistent as possible, if you’re stepping on the scale, it should be first thing in the morning after your morning business and before you eat. This takes out the fluctuation all of us have throughout the day due to food and water intake. Also as a side-note, a gallon of water is eight pounds. If you’re dehydrated and lighter, it doesn’t count 😉
More is Better!
Second, how often should I weigh myself? One time on the scale doesn’t tell you much… It’s just a snapshot of how things have been going for the past 24-48 hours. I recommend hopping on this lovely tool 4-5 times per week. B-b-but, why so often?! All you’re doing by stepping on the scale more frequently is collecting more data, making this process more precise. Organize the numbers by week. At the end of each week, time for a little math! Say you go with weighing yourself 4 times per week, add all those numbers up, and divide that sum by 4 to get your average weight for the week. This is the only number that matters now for that week. If you look at the average from week to week this is an excellent way to not obsess over that daily weight, here is an example below.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Average | |
| Week 1 | 200.2 | 200.6 | 200 | 200.2 | 200.25 |
| Week 2 | 199.4 | 199 | 199.8 | 199.4 | 199.4 |
| Week 3 | 200 | 198 | 198.4 | 198.2 | 198.65 |
From this table, day one of the third week you would likely think to yourself “what the hell happened to my progress?!” but you can see how it came back down after the next few measurements. After seeing the return back down your mind is at ease.
You Are What You Eat
Third, that nutrition tracker. While the consistent measurements are great, if your nutrition isn’t where it needs to be the rest does not matter. These two things have what business-folk like to call synergy, because working together it has more power than either alone. Myfitnesspal gives you an estimate for what you need based on your goal, age, height, weight, gender, how fast you want to lose or gain weight, and activity level. I know, tracking nutrition can be a real tedious pain in the buns, but that’s what it’s going to take. If you’ve never taken the time to track it, you likely have no idea what you’re taking in, so you have no idea what to add or take out of your daily intake. If you can stick with it consistently for 4-6 months, then eating can become more intuitive. Just like the weight loss, learning better eating habits and sticking to them takes time.
Conclusion
When you’re doing all these things, what do you do if you aren’t seeing progress? Look at your nutrition log, and ask yourself, “did I really track everything?” You HAVE to be honest with yourself with your nutrition log and activity level. If you are, then ask, what could I take out that I don’t need? Do I really need that extra treat? Those couple beers?
Apps like myfitnesspal are great. Though you may notice that when searching for a food, there are many options that are very similar. My recommendation is that if you’re going for weight loss to select the option that shows the highest calories, so you’re over estimating how much you take in. If you over estimate, this means you might be taking in less than you think, leading to a little quicker progress.
To sum it all up nice and neat, remember these key things.
- The scale is just a tool to monitor progress
- Weigh yourself 4-5 times per week, and keep a log of it.
- Track your nutrition
- Track your nutrition
- TRACK YOUR NUTRITION
A book that goes into greater detail on this strategy, and deeper into the science of weight gain and loss, is “Renaissance Periodization.” The authors are two extremely intelligent guys, Nick Shaw and Mike Israetel. They are in the business of body composition and are excellent at it for not only themselves but helping others through this guide. Mike in particular is a great follow on social media, if books aren’t your thing.
With this whole process, you’re becoming your own scientist, and your body composition is the experiment! In my opinion, that’s pretty badass. I appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings! Always feel free to reach out and ask questions to myself of any one of the great staff at 3Click. Follow us on social media for articles, events, and deals!
Sources:
Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://renaissanceperiodization.com/
If you’re looking for a great personal trainer near St Louis Park MN, then don’t hesitate to contact your local personal trainers at 3CLICK Fitness today!