Why the scale can be your enemy

Everyone on a calorie-reduced diet uses scales to measure their progress - how could it be otherwise? But for many reasons, this seemingly practical instrument is the worst way to track your personal progress in the area of body shaping. In this article, we would like to show you why the scales not only mislead you during your diet, but also hinder you in achieving your goals. In addition, we will present you with some methods that will help you to document your progress much better and also help you to stay motivated.

Don't be put off by dwindling weight loss

Of course, it's no secret that we feel particularly motivated at the start of a diet and start our project at full throttle, which is immediately noticeable on the scales. Just by increasing the amount of exercise and making a simple change in diet, the first few pounds seem to melt away all by themselves, but unfortunately most people don't even begin to understand what's really behind it. Anyone who has previously eaten an unhealthy diet and seen exercise as more of a burden than a pleasure will find that reducing sugar and unhealthy fats in the diet, combined with increased fluid intake and regular exercise, works wonders, especially in the first few weeks. However, this happens primarily because the reduction in energy intake, which is usually accompanied by a lower intake of carbohydrates, empties your body's glycogen stores proportionally, which can amount to up to 600 grams of weight loss depending on your stature. In addition, each gram of glycogen binds around 4 grams of water, which can lead to a total weight loss of several kilograms in the first few days of a diet without you having lost any significant amounts of body fat. Accordingly, many exercisers are disappointed and unsettled when the weight loss on the scales is only minimal or no longer visible - but this is exactly where the actual diet begins, provided you maintain a reasonable calorie deficit.

Weight is not everything

Beginners in particular, who are just starting to exercise, will notice after a few weeks that the weight loss is hardly noticeable on the scales or that the weight even starts to increase slightly. The reason for the slower weight loss or the slight increase in body weight is the fact that your body not only starts to break down stored fat due to the unaccustomed physical exertion, but also ensures that new muscle mass is built up. This is made particularly clear by the fact that muscle tissue is twice as heavy as a comparable amount of fat tissue, which means that you gain weight despite a calorie deficit and a diet that is obviously working. You should also bear in mind that the volume of both types of tissue differs significantly and that weight plays a negligible role in this context. It is therefore no wonder that a trained athlete who weighs 90 kilograms is significantly thinner than an average person with a body weight of 85 kilograms. Women in particular, who are often afraid of building muscle, should be aware that every gram of muscle built up not only burns extra calories, but also actively contributes to toning the body.

Put the scales aside and trust your eyes

As the scales are therefore inadequate for documenting your training progress, you need some alternative methods that allow you to get an objective overview of your physical development. The classic measuring tape is one such method that promises accurate results. However, you should make sure that you take the measurements in exactly the same places every time so as not to falsify the results. A so-called caliper, which you can use to determine the thickness of skin folds at various points on your body, is also suitable for approximating your body fat percentage. Although the method provides fairly precise results, it is quite complicated to use without the help of a second person, so you should ask someone to assist you with the measurement. Ideally, you should also take a photo of yourself every two weeks, preferably at the same time of day to achieve the best effect. The advantage of this method is that you can see steady progress, even if the scales say otherwise. This effectively prevents a loss of motivation, which often leads to exercisers questioning their diet, abandoning it and returning to old habits.

Conclusion

If you want to properly assess your diet and the associated body shaping process, you can confidently leave the scales to one side and rely on the good old measuring tape or, if available, use a caliper to measure your body fat. Regularly taking photos can also help you to impressively document your progress and keep you motivated so that you always achieve the goal you have set yourself.

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