The Scale Lies!

[ouroborous 519]

Just a quick tidbit.

Last week at weigh-in on Friday morning, I was just a tad over 216, which puts me at right around 15 pounds to goal. This morning I stepped on the scale, and was shocked to see 223.7! I KNOW I've been good, eating carefully, exercising a LOT (tons of cardio plus weight training plus calisthenics at home plus now yoga), so there was no reason for that much of a change.

On a whim, I stepped off and back on the scale -- hmm, 221.5. Somehow I'd lost two pounds in 30 seconds. Oh right, where you stand on a scale and what your posture is, etc., drastically affects the weight reading. Weighed a couple more times, same number, around 221. So then I thinks "oh wait, I've had one and a half BIG (22 oz) cups of coffee this morning." I know the old "a pint (16oz)'s a pound" adage, but just to be sure, I go weigh a full cup of coffee, and it's almost three pounds. So, I've drank four pounds of coffee -- check. Then I realize: oh, I usually weigh in boxers or in the buff before my shower, and I'm wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt; surely those can't weigh more than a few ounces? No -- they weighed nearly three pounds. So I chuckle, realize that the scale is just not super accurate, and go about my day. I do my morning calisthenics plus my cardio (30 minutes of intense sweating, probably losing another pint of fluid). I go upstairs to shower, and weigh again in the buff, after going pee, using my regular foot positioning and posture -- 216.7.

What does it mean? THE SCALE LIES. It's good to keep an eye on your weight, but you simply CANNOT get too hung up on little blips along the way. You can EASILY swing the number a couple pounds in one way or another just by standing differently. For the reading to have ANY use, you have to make sure that every damn thing is the same -- same amount of Fluid, same clothing, same time of day, same position and posture on the scale, everything. Even then, tiny Water weight gains can add or remove a couple pounds in a day, easy -- and when you're further along the weight loss thing, like me, it's good to lose a pound or two (of fat!) per month, so these "little" scale fluctuations can EASILY swallow up your "real" weight (fat) changes, and you simply can NOT let yourself get too hung up.

Better is to measure your body fat percentage, if you have access to a body fat scale (or best yet, a dunk tank) since what you really want is not for your weight to go down, but your FAT to go down. Also, measure your shape changes -- tummy, hips, arms, legs, etc. -- so that you can see where your body shape is changing even when your weight isn't (even though my weight has been stubbornly in the 215-220 range for a while now, I can tell that I'm getting *buff*, so it's still progres).

Bottom line, the scale lies. PLEASE don't get too hung up on the exact number. It'll drive you nuts! Just keep doing what you're supposed to do (eat lots of lean Protein, lots of good complex carbs, drink lots of Water, get lots of exercise) and... live your life!

Edit: I should add that my scale is a good, high quality weight watchers scale; it's about as good and accurate (even for larger weights) as you're going to get in a non swing-arm scale (you know, the kind in the doctor's office). It's not just a case of a crappy scale, it's a case of all scales being imprecise, and other factors making as much of a difference as actual fat weight changes.

[kimmy*custis 276]

You just made my day! I did the same thing! I now just weigh myself in the am, naked right before the shower ( TMI, sorry) I was amazed how much clothing weighs and yes, the liquid we are drinking is waaay more than you would think. Thanks for the post, you made me smile!

[mnbsleeve 87]

"Somehow I'd lost two pounds in 30 seconds"

I want that scale!!!!

(LOVE your post!!!)

[KellyL 173]

So true!! And how funny that I just saw this on Facebook then came here and your post is the first I see! haha

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

This made me chuckle! Thank you so much. My scale is the perpetual liar in town. LOL

[Enerfina 50]

ur so cute.. Rrrrr... oh ... yea i have a weight watchers scale n it freaks me out even if i move the scale it does give different readings.. but yea it works..

[Felicia 28]

This is so true! Thats why I can never understand the people who weigh in multiple times in the day. They must be getting so many different numbers, I would go crazy. I weigh myself every morning. I don't get too hung up on the numbers but darn it I would like to break my stall and get under 200 pounds!

Good post! Makes everyone really think about how much the scale is really telling us.

[ouroborous 519]

Ideally, we should only really weigh ourselves about once a month (not even once a week). But I'll be the first to admit that it's hard to be patient when you're hoping against hope to hit some "magical" number (onederland for a lot of us, although I strongly doubt I'll ever get below 200, and I'm really okay with that...)

Best is to just not focus on the numbers on the scale too much, and focus on other measurements like body fat percentage or skeletal muscle percentage or waist diameter, etc. Better yet, focus on all the good stuff -- how much better you feel about your body, how much more energy you have, how much better your clothes fit, etc. The scale will just drive you nuts!

[Liliana Arleen 173]

Oh yeah my scale totally sucks!!!! I have a LOVE & HATE relationship with mine… She got me again today when i told myself I was only weighting myself saturdays!!! HUH!!!!

[wishes 125]

Lol, that would kill me. I love my scale. I can weigh myself 6 different ways to Sunday and my scale doesn't change. I love it to death.

[Dooter 1,457]

OH that scale IS a wicked, wicked liar!!! Although if I lean forward I can lose 5 pounds instantly!

[Lissa 2,631]

I love and hate my scale, too! I finally moved it out of the bathroom and into the kitchen so I'd quit weighing every time I went pee. That was a good move since I didn't lose an ounce in February, although I did drop 3 pants sizes. I'm glad I live alone so that no one has to see me dart through the house in the morning to weigh before I shower, though!

It's finally moving again, though, so I may allow it back into the master bath!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Just a quick tidbit.

Last week at weigh-in on Friday morning, I was just a tad over 216, which puts me at right around 15 pounds to goal. This morning I stepped on the scale, and was shocked to see 223.7! I KNOW I've been good, eating carefully, exercising a LOT (tons of cardio plus weight training plus calisthenics at home plus now yoga), so there was no reason for that much of a change.

On a whim, I stepped off and back on the scale -- hmm, 221.5. Somehow I'd lost two pounds in 30 seconds. Oh right, where you stand on a scale and what your posture is, etc., drastically affects the weight reading. Weighed a couple more times, same number, around 221. So then I thinks "oh wait, I've had one and a half BIG (22 oz) cups of coffee this morning." I know the old "a pint (16oz)'s a pound" adage, but just to be sure, I go weigh a full cup of coffee, and it's almost three pounds. So, I've drank four pounds of coffee -- check. Then I realize: oh, I usually weigh in boxers or in the buff before my shower, and I'm wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt; surely those can't weigh more than a few ounces? No -- they weighed nearly three pounds. So I chuckle, realize that the scale is just not super accurate, and go about my day. I do my morning calisthenics plus my cardio (30 minutes of intense sweating, probably losing another pint of fluid). I go upstairs to shower, and weigh again in the buff, after going pee, using my regular foot positioning and posture -- 216.7.

What does it mean? THE SCALE LIES. It's good to keep an eye on your weight, but you simply CANNOT get too hung up on little blips along the way. You can EASILY swing the number a couple pounds in one way or another just by standing differently. For the reading to have ANY use, you have to make sure that every damn thing is the same -- same amount of Fluid, same clothing, same time of day, same position and posture on the scale, everything. Even then, tiny Water weight gains can add or remove a couple pounds in a day, easy -- and when you're further along the weight loss thing, like me, it's good to lose a pound or two (of fat!) per month, so these "little" scale fluctuations can EASILY swallow up your "real" weight (fat) changes, and you simply can NOT let yourself get too hung up.

Better is to measure your body fat percentage, if you have access to a body fat scale (or best yet, a dunk tank) since what you really want is not for your weight to go down, but your FAT to go down. Also, measure your shape changes -- tummy, hips, arms, legs, etc. -- so that you can see where your body shape is changing even when your weight isn't (even though my weight has been stubbornly in the 215-220 range for a while now, I can tell that I'm getting *buff*, so it's still progres).

Bottom line, the scale lies. PLEASE don't get too hung up on the exact number. It'll drive you nuts! Just keep doing what you're supposed to do (eat lots of lean Protein, lots of good complex carbs, drink lots of Water, get lots of exercise) and... live your life!

Edit: I should add that my scale is a good, high quality weight watchers scale; it's about as good and accurate (even for larger weights) as you're going to get in a non swing-arm scale (you know, the kind in the doctor's office). It's not just a case of a crappy scale, it's a case of all scales being imprecise, and other factors making as much of a difference as actual fat weight changes.

I could NOT agree more!!!

And I'm going to pin this up for all to see.

[aroundhky 1,174]

Good point "ouroborous"! I weighed at the gym today and I was right at 250, about 4 pounds heavier than a week ago. But the past 2 weeks I have been lifting especially heavy and also remembered that I started a creatine cycle (which adds Water weight to muscles). But now my pants are more loose than they were a week or two ago when I weighed less. It seems the measuring tape is a better indicator of progress. I know when I come off the creatine, that I will drop 6-8 pounds, but I only weigh myself about once every 1-2 weeks. That water weight is quite significant.

[Liberated Sleeve 148]

Okay, so I couldn't agree more!

Even though I had read on here that I would probably gain weight after surgery because of all the fluids they pumped into me I guess I must not have believed it possible or of course it wouldn't happen to me the scale loves me right? Wrong!! I had surgery on the 5th weighing in at 222.6. I got home yesterday afternoon around 2:00 pm. Did all my stuff getting settled back in and knew I shouldn't weigh but really couldn't resist and imagine the shocked look on my face when the scale spit back in my face 228.4. WTF!!?? Okay, maybe a few pounds but really 6??? So I just shrugged it off and knew I would be peeing it out soon enough, but still, how rude!!

This morning I decide okay gonna do it again just to see.....226.2 - okay so I could still be discouraged or say "Hey wow I discarded 2 pounds since yesterday!" LOL - so I opted for the "discarded" approach!!

I love this forum and am glad I found ya'll because you understand the ups, downs and overall in between!

Everybody have a great day!!