Fat False: “If scale / inches goes up, I must be gaining fat.”
There are SO MANY reasons why the scale and/or your metrics (waist, thigh, bust measurements…) may increase and ALL have nothing to do with fat gain! Sodium and carbohydrate intake, exercise, food intake, bowel patterns, a person’s menstrual cycle, medications, and alcohol can all contribute to daily swings in the number on the scale. Weighing yourself weekly, rather than daily, can help you get a broader view of the changes in your body weight.
Fat False: “If I lose fat, I will definitely lose scale weight.”
It’s possible to gain muscle and reduce body fat without actually seeing a change in your weight. I know most of you track your weight loss progress using a scale. While this can be helpful, most scales don’t differentiate between fat loss and muscle loss. And the ones that due aren’t always accurate. For that reason, tracking only your weight isn’t a reliable way to determine whether you’re losing fat or muscle and in what amounts. Along with scale weight, take progress pictures and take your measurements (hips, thigh and waist) every week!
Fat False: “I should lose weight at the same rate each week.”
Altho’ there’s no shortage of extreme weight loss shows making us think that huge amounts of loss are capable every week, we know better by now! Sure, some people might be able to lose five pounds in the first few weeks or months of dieting, but for many, losing that amount of weight every week is not only unhealthy, but downright impossible!
As we shed pounds, our metabolism—i.e., our body’s internal fat-burning furnace—also starts to slow down, causing us to burn fewer calories than we used to. So the less you weigh, the harder your body will cling to the weight you do have, making it even harder for you to lose. So even though everyone wants to know the amount of weight they can lose in a week—and everyone wants that to be a big number—the answer isn’t always straightforward!
