One of the main reasons people drop out of weight loss programs is because they feel defeated when they don't see the number on the scales go down consistently. And while I've called my program a weight loss program (because that's the term that people are familiar with), what we're actually focused on is fat loss. We're not trying to lose muscle, or bone density. We're trying to lose body fat, so the body weight scale is actually my least favourite method for measuring success. And here's why...
Because, there are so many factors that go into the number on the scale that have nothing to do with fat!
Fat is only ONE component of what's indicated on the scale. But more than likely, it isn't what you see causing day to day weight fluctuations.
Over time, of course you can gain fat if eating in a caloric surplus, however it takes 3,500 calories (on top of your maintenance) to gain ONE pound of fat. That's highly unlikely to occur from one meal out, one night out, or one blowout!
So what is the cause of the increase then? It could be one (or several) of the reasons below:
You're dealing with stress
Stress can cause a rise in cortisol levels which can impact the number on the scales.
You didn't get a great night's sleep
Again, cortisol levels rise with interrupted sleep, causing a rise in the number on the scales.
You're out of your typical routine
When we're off routine, traveling, dealing with jet lag (etc.), again cortisol fluctuates and impacts the scales.
You ate a high carb dinner the night before
Every 1 gram of carbohydrate can absorb up to 4 grams of water. This is water retention, or what is typically referred to as “water weight.” This occurs every day and is temporary, yet needed, for our body's proper function.
You've had alcohol recently
Alcohol contains empty calories so consuming it can put us over our daily calorie goal, however even if we tracked it and it was within our calorie goal, alcohol is a toxin to the body so the body prioritises the metabolising of alcohol before everything else, this can cause food metabolism to slow down and the number to increase on the scales. Alcohol is also dehydrating...
You're dehydrated
Being dehydrated causes the body to hold onto whatever water it can - this is what we know as water retention and can cause the number on the scales to increase.
It's that time of the month
Body temperature rises, hormone levels shift, and so will the scale. Again, this is normal and in no way related to body fat!
You did a good workout
Muscles can store glycogen after workouts which lead to in influx in overall weight, again this is temporary and a good thing!
You're building muscle
This is a great thing, but muscle weighs something too. There are so many examples of people whose bodyweight stayed exactly the same, or even increased but they completely changed their body composition (muscle versus fat). If they had focused only on the scales as a success metric, you can bet they'd have dropped out pretty early on.
So, instead of solely relying upon the scales to determine “success”, here's what I suggest measuring alongside bodyweight:
Measurements
This is one of my favourite methods for gauging overall success that's much more indicative of TRUE progress. The fit positive app has the capability to track all of your body measurements, but the key one I like to track is waist circumference, because the waist is often where body fat gathers so you'll see a big difference here over time as you lose the fat.
Assessing how your clothes are fitting
If the scale is creeping up, but your clothes are fitting well, you can guess it isn't fat causing your increase.
Progressive overload
This will allow you to understand if you're building muscle. If you're lifting heavier over time, you're building strength (aka muscle!!). In the fit positive app, we can track our weights in every workout and the app will tell you every time you are hitting PBs, or increasing your weight.
Biofeedback
Are you sleeping better? Getting in better workouts? Lifting heavier? Notice more energy throughout your day? No more afternoon slumps? Mental clarity at an all-time high? These are signs of positive biofeedback from your new diet and lifestyle, which are the worthwhile success metrics to can look at! So often we ignore or get used to these so that we forget just how much progress we have made. In my programs I encourage calling out our #fridaywins so that we acknowledge and celebrate those less obvious successes on our health journeys.
Don't get me wrong, the scale is a great tool to use to determine overall trends, but it's just ONE tool and doesn't tell the entire story. So track those other success metrics and don't let the scale get in the way of you smashing your health goals!!
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