Ditch the Scale and Embrace the Tape Measure
The best part about working out is undoubtedly getting to the results.
Whether you spot those differences in pictures or when you look at yourself in the mirror or when you step on the scale and see the number has dropped! For several people, standing on the scale is the break or make moment in their journey to fitness.
And if you too are somebody who relies on the scale to tell you the truth about your fitness progress, then you might not like what we are about to tell you.
Weighing Yourself May Backfire:
If you really want to get fit, whether it’s losing weight, or putting some on, you need to stop relying on some silly numbers to tell you where you stand. The reason why we say this is that several, several times, you will notice that you are doing everything right but still the numbers on the scale won’t budge. You are eating clean, you are working out consistently and you really feel like you are giving it your all, but still nothing!
What happens then?
You get discouraged. You feel so bad that despite your best you are not being able to meet your goals. The risk of giving up working out or clean eating runs higher than before.
Numbers Lie:
Suppose you have been eating healthy and training hard for the past several months. Your clothes fit you better, your muscles definitely have more definition and you are overall really pleased with yourself.
So you decide to step on the scale, hoping that the number displayed on the scale will be something that you had been waiting to see for quite some time. You stand on the scale only to realize that you have actually gained 10 pounds.
What just happened?
How can it be that your clothes fit you better, your muscles have become more toned yet you have gained weight rather than losing it?
The weight gain is actually the muscle that you have gained. This is the reason why your body looks and feels stronger and healthier.
And if you are truly committed to fitness, gaining muscle and losing fat not water weight is what you should be concerned. And if this is your goal, it can be best monitored using a tape to monitor the size of your muscles, while you might want to visit a health clinic to get your fat percentage measured.
Have you ever wondered why several people still follow those fad diets when they are trying to lose weight? That’s because fad diets essentially help you lose water weight. This fact quickly displays itself when you step on the scale and you realize that you have lost 3 pounds just on Day 3 of that fad diet.
That weight loss is not healthy, it isn’t long term either and overall, it does very little for your health.
Instead, try to eat clean and healthy, drink plenty of fluids, work out consistently and go far from the scale. Use a tape measure and full-length pictures of yourself to monitor your progress. Be sure to keep a log of your measurements from the time you started your journey to fitness to where you are at the present.
Soon enough, you and everyone else around you too will also start seeing the results!
Good Luck.
