Scales can be a useful tool for fat loss, but here, I consider why you need to be careful about giving too much weight to their readings.
Why Do We Use Scales?
When you’re working hard on weight loss; eating right, exercising and resting correctly, it’s natural to be curious about your progress. But it’s very easy to get carried away by the process of checking, particularly as the results that come out, won’t always be representative of your progress.
Checking the numbers has been drilled into people pursuing weight loss for decades, which is why you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it. But you need to understand why there’s more to fat loss than numbers on a scale.
Why Do The Scales Sometimes Lie?
Simply put, your body’s weight fluctuates over the course of the day. This fluctuation can be up to a few pounds over the course of the day, which can be a pretty significant difference, if you’re a keen scale watcher.
In fact, it’s pretty common for enthusiastic scale watchers to stop doing things which are good for them, like weight training, just because they notice their weight has increased by a pound.
But, because the weight of your body can fluctuate by a few pounds, over the course of the day, without any input from exercise or diet, it’s important that you don’t let the scales bring you into some sort of mind game cycle.
What’s The Difference Between Muscle And Fat?
Of course, there’s another reason why you have to be cautious about the scales, when you’re busy working on fat loss exercise. The right kind of exercise is going to build lean muscle, which will give your body an attractive definition, but is heavier than fat.
If you’re engaged in a program which focuses on resistance training, to build lean muscle, you’ll need to adapt to the idea that the important thing is fat loss, rather than weight loss. This mindset will still give you the fit and attractive body you desire, you’ll just have to learn to look beyond the scales.
How Can I Track My Fat Loss?
As you should be more concerned with fat loss than weight loss, you should find new ways to measure your progress. A skin calliper is a useful, and inexpensive way to measure your body fat percentage. If that body fat measurement is going down, you’re doing well, so keep doing what you’re doing.
Remember that 12-15% body fat is a good target for men, while women should aim for the slightly higher target of 16-20%. You’re not trying to get down to zero. Remember that at all times, or you may develop unreasonable expectations, which could cause problems.
Of course, you can’t overlook the effectiveness of a mirror as a way of tracking your progress. Over time, you’ll see the results of a healthy lifestyle, where your body changes in a very visible way.
Just remember to keep a clear metal picture of your progress and don’t expect instant changes, as they can slow your progress. It’s important to stay motivated, so that you can keep up the positive attitude that’ll deliver a better, healthier you.




Sat, Jun 26, 2010
Weight Loss Diet