When you saw the word “scale” did your eyes just light up? That word. It really gets us goin, huh?
Because, try as we might, the scale never seems to be on our side. We diet, the scale goes up. We exercise, the scale goes up. What the hot diggity dog is going on?!
When you decide to use the scale as a measure of progress, you have to use it CORRECTLY. Do ya hear me?!
First of all, its important to understand why body weight is ever-changing. Our bodies are made up of 60% water. That means 60% of me, Serena, is not actually me, Serena, but h20. And our body is constantly holding onto water, breathing off hydrogen & oxygen, peeing water, just totally obsessed with water. And thus, water weight is a thang. A REAL THING that plagues us while we track and obsess over the scale.
Did you know that drinking too little water can make your body hold onto water? Did you know that eating at a restaurant can make us hold onto water (cause restaurants notoriously season their foods with way too much salt)? Did you know that alcohol makes us hold onto water? Did you know that carb loading before an event makes us hold onto water? Did you know that NORMAL hormonal fluctuations before our period make us hold into water? Did you know that a hard workout can make us hold onto water?
My question is... WHAT DOESN'T MAKE US HOLD ONTO WATER?!?! (Weirdly enough, the answer is drinking a lot of water LOL)
Do you see what I’m saying here? We are inevitably destined to hold onto water. So stop getting mad about it.
SO now that you get that...
The way I see it – there’s two ways to use the scale.
1) You don’t use the scale!
I know you have heard this before, but I think people feel like they NEED the accountability of the scale to help motivate themselves with weight loss.
But there’s a BETTER WAY.
One morning before you’ve eaten and after you’ve used the bathroom, throw on a bathing suit and take selfies of yourself in the mirror (front, side and backside).
Do this monthly and compare photos from month to month. This is a fantastic way to measure progress!
In addition to photos, take your dang body measurements. Measuring your hips, chest, thighs, waist and arms are the best way to measure if you’re losing fat/gaining muscle
2) You weigh everyday.
Quite the contrast to my above recommendation, huh? But that’s the best way to utilize the scale.... if you indeed want to use the scale. Weigh yourself, first thing in the morning with an empty belly and empty bladder, and track the data in an app like Happy Scale.
Your weight is gona go UP and DOWN and using an app like Happy Scale helps you see the trends.
AND let me IMPLORE YOU to also do what I recommended above – take monthly pics and measurements.
Ultimately, its up to you. If the scale zaps your motivation, then just throw it out the dang window. You got healthy habits to focus on and you don't need a couple drops of water messing with your mind. <3 You got this!