Are results linear?

When it comes to fat loss or any other health goal, it might seem logical that if you are doing everything right, that you should see a linear trend.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Some days the scale might go up and some days it might go down. Salt intake, water intake, stress, menstrual cycle, time of day, bowel contents etc can all cause shifts in bodyweight. This is usually a reflection of changes in body water and not body fat.

Side note: this is why if you want to track weight, you need to weigh daily and take the weekly average. This will give you a better picture of what is going on.

Our body is a rather complex system. You are not living in a vacuum.

Some weeks, everything might go smoothly. And some weeks, you might have more stress and other commitments. It is important that you monitor overall trends and not react based on a single day’s reading or measurement.

Are you being too hyper focused on the number on the scale?

While scale weight is an easy and objective measure for measuring dieting success, it is NOT the only measure. I have had clients who managed to improve their body composition and drop several sizes without any changes in weight.

I’ve also had clients who have achieved all of the above but are frustrated that the number didn’t go down. If you are progressing, does the number actually matter? Please do not use the number on the scale as a measure of self-worth. It tells you nothing other than the force of gravity that is acting on you. Change your perception of scale weight and don’t let it dictate or undermine your amazing progress!

There is more to life than just seeing results and looking at the scale.

Look out for these:

• Are you gaining strength?
• Do you feel better and more confident?
• Are your clothes fitting better?
• Do you have more energy?
• Are you moving better?
• Are you getting better sleep?

These are ALL signs of progress! In fact, I personally feel that these matter even MORE.

Shift your focus and mindset. FOCUS on building healthy habits! Keep going!

If you are feeling lost and need help, reach out to us!

The post Fat Loss Progress: What to expect? appeared first on Nutrition Track.

You’re not alone!

The scale provides an objective measure of fat loss. Studies have shown that those who track their weight frequently were more likely to maintain it.

Whenever clients sign up for my program, I get them to weigh themselves daily. However, taking daily measurements can cause a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

How do I help my clients deal with this?

Here’s what I help them understand:

• Scale weight fluctuates daily

Daily fluctuations in weight can be caused by hydration status, stress, food intake, sleep, bowel movements, hormones etc. For example, if you ate foods that were higher in salt the night before, you may wake up heavier due to water retention. The reason why I get my clients to weigh themselves daily is so that they can take the average over a week. This gives a better picture of what is going on.

• Scale weight alone fails to capture actual fat loss

The scale is just ONE of the tools to measure fat loss progress. I encourage my clients to also take body measurements (waist circumference etc), snap pictures, notice the fitting of clothes, how they feel etc. If you are actively going to the gym and building muscle, scale readings may not even move much as muscle weighs more than fat!

• Progress is not linear

This is NORMAL! There will be ups, downs and plateaus along the way. What you need to do is to make sure that you KEEP GOING! Of course, you need to make sure that you’re ACTUALLY in a calorie deficit.

If you still think you’re doing everything right and not seeing results or if you are unsure of anything, shoot me an email!

The post Scale Weight – Why You Shouldn’t Rely On It appeared first on Nutrition Track.