Personally, I’m not a huge fan of constantly getting on and off the scales.
I’ve seen clients eat really well all week, reduce their calories, exercise and make genuinely positive changes — only to step on the scales and discover that their weight hasn’t changed.
Immediately, they feel disappointed.
“What’s the point? It’s not working.”
But the scales don’t tell the whole story.
Your weight can fluctuate for all sorts of reasons. You may be retaining water after eating something salty. Hormonal changes can affect your weight. Exercise can temporarily increase water retention in your muscles. Your digestion, hydration and even the time of day can change the number you see.
Meanwhile, you’ve still spent that week nourishing your body, exercising, improving your fitness and creating healthier habits.
The danger is what happens next.
You see a disappointing number on Friday morning and think you’ve failed. Then the weekend arrives and you eat more because “it hasn’t worked anyway.”
Suddenly, one little number has undone some of the motivation you’ve spent all week building.
Look for progress beyond the scales
I encourage clients to notice other changes.
Are your clothes fitting differently?
Do you feel stronger?
Do you have more energy?
Are you sleeping better?
Can you walk further or lift heavier weights?
Do you feel fitter and more confident in your body?
These are all signs of progress.
And if you’re strength training, the scales become even less useful on their own. You can be losing body fat while building or maintaining muscle, meaning your body shape and composition can change without a dramatic change in body weight.
For some people, weighing occasionally — perhaps every month or two — can be a useful check-in. For others, regular weighing works perfectly well and doesn’t affect their motivation.
The important thing is to understand your relationship with the scales.
If weighing yourself helps you stay informed without judging yourself, that’s fine.
But if that little number determines whether you feel successful or unsuccessful that day, perhaps it’s time to put the scales away.
Your health is changing in ways the scales simply can’t measure.
