What your scale isn't telling you!
Success is not always about the number on the scale!
We know you guys hate it when we say this, but it’s the truth… and we are about to show you the PERFECT example.
Check this out – http://people.com/bodies/fit-mom-looks-drastically-different-2-lb-weight-loss/
Adrienne’s transformation is truly incredible! Despite losing a measly 2 lbs, a quick look at her before and after picture clearly shows a dramatic change in her body composition.
What do we mean by ‘body composition’? Body composition refers to what proportion of our body is fat, muscle, bone and water. Since the weight of our bones and water stay relatively stable, it is the percentage of our fat and muscle that change when we gain weight, lose weight and, in the case of Adrienne, also when we exercise.
Unfortunately, what we measure on our home scales is simply the total weight of all of these (i.e. fat + muscle + bone + water). This means when we gain muscle and lose fat, which is what happens in the case of exercising and weight lifting regularly, our scale is not able to express these shifts in body composition.
Moral of the story: the scale does not always dictate your progress. If you are sweating your butt off in the gym, you are definitely changing your body.
It breaks our hearts when we see clients who are healthy, super fit and 3-5 dress sizes smaller, but they are still not happy with their ‘success’ because of the number on the scale. Sadly, in some of these cases, the clients were so desperate to lose more weight that they stopped their weight training to intentionally lose muscle. Crazy right? All just to see the number on the scale go down.
Remember: Success looks different on everyone.
Weighing yourself is only one measure of progress. Ask yourself the following questions if you are exercising regularly but not seeing results on the scale. If you answer yes to any one of these questions, you are most likely changing the composition of your body for the better (i.e. gaining muscle and losing fat).
- Do your clothes fit slightly looser?
- Are you less out of breath when walking?
- Are you using a smaller hole on your belt?
- Do you feel powerful at the gym?
- Is there more definition to your arms and legs?
- Do you feel stronger?
Although Adrienne’s story does not involve bariatric surgery / weight loss surgery, she is a perfect example of how you can dramatically change your body while being ‘plateaued’ or ‘stalled’ in terms of your weight.
What are your favourite non-scale victories? Post below in the comments!
Lisa Kaouk, RD & Monica Bashaw, RD
We are compassionate and enthusiastic registered dietitians (RD/PDt) specialized in working with adults before and after bariatric surgery. With over 10 years of experience, we are highly specialized in all aspects of bariatric surgery.
We are patient and committed, and most importantly, we understand that life after bariatric surgery is filled with many new challenges and lifestyle changes.
Authors of "The Complete Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: Your questions finally answered".
Available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, or our website (PDF download).
I've been in a bit of a stall the past two weeks but haven't been concerned with it. I have noticed I don't get as winded now on my walks. Lifting at the gym is a bit of a different story but it's the first time I've been back at it in well over a year. This might be the motivation to put my scale into the bathroom closet and only get it out once a month. The daily weigh-ins have only made me frustrated and there really is not point to doing it. It's great to see the numbers go down, but seeing the same weight day after day leaves me more frustrated rather than motivated.
Good read!
I've read countless experiences and stories of people getting all crazy over the numbers on the scale. So much stress also keeps us from losing too. I think once people let go of the scale, they'll find everything working out much better too. I'd encourage you to utilize the motivation you've received from this article. I'd love to hear about how everything starts working out for you after the scale goes away. 
As soon as I get my shoulder healed from a ridiculous accident; I'm going to get back to my weights. Here is what my arms look like now. I haven't had my surgery yet either; so it'll be a drastic change when I can place an after pic.
love weight training. previous personal trainer here. 
I am lucky in that my scale actually does give me % body fat via the bioimpedence method. I have found that I have lost 121 lbs, down to 165 (CW) from 286 (HW). I believe I was around a BMI of 40 when I started and I am at a BMI of 25.1 now. BMI is supposed to approximate body fat, but guess what? I am still 39% body fat. My goal of course would be to get my BMI to 22-24 and my % body fat to 24-29% which is the upper end of a healthy level for women (it is MUCH lower for men). I am hopeful that just as that big belly above sincerely shrunk that my more saggy bits (are probably the fattiest bits) will also shrink and/or firm with a little muscle mass. So by my calculations, I have lost 87 lbs of fat and 33 lbs of muscle. Even if I only lose 1 more lb and get down to 164 (BMI of 24.9, which is technically "normal weight"), I would like to shift my body fat percent from 39% to 25% which would mean losing 22 lbs of fat and gaining 22 lbs of muscle. Again next to no shift whatsoever in terms of overall lbs, but a significant shift in body composition. I will be 47 this year. I am not getting any younger. I would like to sail off into the sunset strong and fit for the next and final half of my life, and live independently for as long as I can without a broken hip etc. I have seen my grandpa walk or swim every day until the day he died at 87. When he was around 84 they took the car keys from him, but he didn't mind because he was in good shape so he just walked everywhere, and he died peacefully in his sleep. Compare that to my adoptive Dad who at the same age has been walking with a cane for close to 10 years, walking almost exclusively with a walker for the past 5, barely can walk even with the walker now, and has been in adult diapers for the past two years now. And a friend's father who walked 4 miles a day nearly every day right up until the day he got an aortic aneurysm at 92 and he passed in the hospital a few days later. I know which side of that equation I want to be on. I want to be able to walk on my own and go to the bathroom on my own without any assistance until the day I die.
Newme17 3,444
Posted (edited)
I hope everyone reads this! I weight trained a while back. Lost three inches all over, clothes fit better, and lost 4 lbs. of course I took it like a champ! Those 4 lbs meant nothing to me, everything else did. Then life happened and I'm back to square one. Lol. Well, you all know the drill. Get healthy, gain-it-back drill. Anyway, back to being healthy! Soon as my shoulder heals-back to the weights too! Can't wait.
Cheers y'all!
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