In the battle to lose weight, the scale often becomes your arch nemesis. The Joker to your Batman. Weighing yourself on a scale is the most convenient way to get immediate feedback on whether your efforts to lose weight are paying off. The problem becomes allowing it to be the only component you take into account. To successfully lose weight and become healthier, you need to know what the scale can and cannot do for you.
What It Does
Historically, the purpose of any scale is to weigh the total weight of an object placed on it. When you step on the scale, that is the information the scale gives you -- your total weight, including bones, muscles, organs, hair, skin and anything else you have on when you step on the scale. Knowing your weight is important, but keep in mind the scale is weighing your total body not just fat loss.
What It Doesn't Do
The basic household scale is not set up to measure actual fat loss. The scale will not tell you if the decrease in your weight is due to fat loss or water loss. Chances are if you are gradually reducing your calories and increasing your activity, the weight loss you see is a reduction in fat. However, if you are on a very low calorie diet and/or a very low carbohydrate diet, your weight loss might be more water than fat. This is often evident if your weight fluctuates quite a bit week to week. Weight due to water loss will come right back as soon as you drink more fluids or change your diet.
Scales That Can
You can purchase scales that have additional technology able to estimate your percent body fat, thereby giving you information that is important to achieving the goals you have set. According to an article in the Winter 2006-2007 American College of Sports Medicine Fit Society Page, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) scales measure body fat by sending a small, safe electrical signal through the body. How quickly this signal is able to pass through the body is determined by how much fat to lean body mass proportions you have. More fat will slow the signal, whereas fat-free mass will speed it up. With most of these scales, this information is combined with your height, weight, gender, age and fitness level (you will input this information) to determine an estimated percent body fat. A drawback of this method of measurement is that hydration levels will significantly affect your results. Being dehydrated will lead to a higher percent body fat result. To offset this factor, be consistent when using the machine. Weigh yourself at the same time of day, be hydrated prior to the test and, if you are a woman, consider where you are in your monthly cycle when measuring.
Another Way to Measure
Another way to measure body fat is the skinfold method. To use this method, find a certified personal trainer or exercise physiologist to perform the test on you. Many health clubs offer this test for a nominal fee. Skinfold assessment uses calipers (they look like big tweezers) to measure various sites on the body. These measurements are then added together and put in a formula to determine your percent body fat. The online sport science website Top End Sports suggests skinfold measurements are best to indicate changes in body composition over time. To improve the accuracy of your pre- and post-tests, schedule your appointment with the same person each time.
Don't Weigh Yourself Down
Don't let any scale or measurement be the only way you determine your weight loss success. If you don't have access to a bioelectrical impedance scale, following a few simple rules can help you reach your goals with long-term success. Use feedback such as how your clothes fit, your energy level, and how you feel to support your goals as well. Eliminate 250 calories a day in your diet and burn an additional 250 calories a day to help you lose a pound a week. This could be as easy as not eating after dinner, cutting out soda pop or your afternoon trip to the vending machine. Combine those eating changes with 30 minutes of additional activity each day and you will reach your weight loss goals easily.
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