Why the Number on the Scale Doesn’t Matter

Posted on by Posted in General Health, Self Improvement 5 Comments

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We obsess over it.  We stay awake at night overcome with anxiety thinking about it.  We allow it to define who we see ourselves as. ”It” is that little number that pops up on the scale when we step on.  It’s not an indicator of our overall health.  It’s not an indicator of our fitness abilities.  It’s not even an indicator of our body composition.  That little number on the scale is simply displaying our relationship with gravity.  Nothing more, nothing less.

Forget What You’ve Heard

The greater the mass of your body, the higher the number on the scale.  Traditionally, people associate a higher mass with negative connotations.  The commonplace of the BMI measurement has further skewed peoples’ ideas about their weight.  As an example of how skewed BMI is, using the prescribed calculations, Lance Armstrong would be considered overweight and Mike Tyson, in his 19-year old prime, would have been considered obese.  Two of the top athletes of our generation considered overweight and obese, by BMI.  Think it might be time to find a new way to gauge your weight/health?

A Body Comparison

You see, muscle will always weigh more than fat.  Completely healthy, toned, and athletic individuals will have a higher proportion of muscle mass than their un-athletic, soft, and sedentary counterparts.  This extra muscle will obviously make the number on the scale higher.  Look at it like this: a 140-lb woman with 15% body fat will look a heck of a lot better than a 140-lb woman with 27% body fat.  The scale says they both weigh 140 pounds despite the fact they look nothing alike.

bodyfatexamples

The composition of your body (or your physique) is a more accurate judge of how fit you are.  Unfortunately, people forget this and allow the scale to ruin themselves.  They stop lifting weights, stop eating properly, and start obsessing when they aren’t getting the “scale results” they want.  What they should really be doing is continuing to build lean muscle mass, eating clean to promote these gains, and working in ample amounts of cardio to continually stay trim and toned.

The True Judge Of Health

Jack LaLanne, the Godfather of Fitness once said, ”Your waistline is your lifeline”.  Long before modern health leaders caught on, Jack was preaching the significance of your midsection measurements on your overall health.  Studies today  indicate a larger waistline is associated with shorter lifespans.  In some cases, studies have shown a large waistline can nearly double your risk of premature death, even if your weight is in the ‘normal’ range.  Think back to those 140-lb women used in an example above now…you better believe the one with 27% body fat has a large waistline despite a normal weight.

Lose Weight Fat

Don’t focus on “losing weight”.  Focus on building lean muscle mass, burning fat, and trimming down your waistline.  You make these a priority and stop worrying about the scale, you’ll be amazed at how you’ll be looking and feeling.  The next time you are tempted to step onto a scale to judge your health and fitness progress, think about taking a good look in the mirror and perhaps taking some measurements of your midsection, neck, arms, and legs.  Take pictures, keep a journal, and be sure to refer back to these from time to time.

What You Can Do…

To make sure you stay fit and keep a small waistline, check out these tips:

  • Make weight training a regular part of your total fitness routine
  • Aim to include 2-4 sessions of cardio each week; preferably HIIT cardio sessions
  • Eat a clean diet and avoid high-fat, high-sodium, highly processed foods

Getting over the number on the scale is hard.  What finally got you to realize the true measurement of your health isn’t the scale?  Any tips that help you stay focused on the health indicators that really matter?

Sources: http://www.staffnurse.com/nursing-news-articles/large-waistline-shorter-lifeline-3201.html

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Matt

Co-Founder at Share It Fitness
Matt has been involved in the fitness industry for over 10 years and has worked with, and helped countless individuals improve their lives. After college, Matt started his fitness career working in the trenches as a personal trainer for a big corporate gym. It was here he saw how impersonal Big Fitness really was. Clients weren't people, they were just sales waiting to be made. After branching out and starting his own personal training business in San Diego, Matt soon developed the idea of Share It Fitness and started our (now highly successful) blog. A fitness junkie himself, Matt knows the importance of incorporating exercise into your life. When he isn't working at Share It Fitness, you can find Matt running, biking, taking yoga, or pumping iron around San Diego.

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  • Shellybelly24

    Thank you for this! I’ve been trying to remind myself that my real goal is to lose the fat and gain the muscle and vitality and not worry about what some silly number says.

    • http://www.shareitfitness.com/ Matt @ Share It Fitness

      Exactly. This is something a lot of people need to constantly re-inforce into their heads, but it’s so important. Stick to the plan you’re on, don’t miss workouts, ignore the scale, and you’ll be looking great!

  • Robin Olovsson

    “Avoid a high-fat” food intake when the cause of accumulating fat is based upon the hormone insulin. And Fat having no affect on this hormone, when carbohydrates have ALL the effect on it. Shouldn’t it be “avoid a high-carb” food sources?

    • http://www.shareitfitness.com/ Matt @ Share It Fitness

      Well, I didn’t say avoid high-fat foods. I said avoid high-fat, high-sodium, highly processed foods. There is a big difference. I’m not recommending people stay away from healthy fats, i.e. nuts, avocados, etc.

      I’m recommending people stay away from high-fat, high-sodium, highly processed foods like frozen foods, fast food, etc.

      Accumulation of fat is based PARTIALLY on the hormone insulin. Eating complex carbohydrates are advised, as they have a much lower effect on insulin levels, and provide energy needed for workouts.

      You bring up a good point though, I should have also said, avoid sugar and other simple (bad) carbs as they will cause insulin spikes and lead to fat retention, as you mentioned. Thanks for the comment and hope to see you around the blog more often.

      Matt

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