The scale isn't the best way to measure your success!

Most people go into the weight loss process, wanting to lose weight. But, if you're just getting started,  the scale may be the worst choice for tracking your progress. In fact, your weight may be the least important thing to keep track of. 

It may seem counter intuitive, but the scale is better at helping you maintain your weight than it is at helping you lose it. The reason? There are important changes happening in your body that the scale can’t measure or detect, such as Changing Body Composition and Changes on the Inside. 

Your weight is just one aspect of your progress and, in many cases, it's not even the most important one. It’s unfortunate but, for most of us, the number on a scale is the determining factor in whether we've succeeded or failed. Using your weight as the only measure of your success is a lot like buying a house based solely on square footage. Sure it's nice to have 3,000 square feet, but what if it’s across from a skunk farm?

Your weight loss is the same way. Having your weight at a certain number might be nice, but the scale can’t tell you how fit you are or how much muscle you have. Your scale isn’t going to cheer when you finish all your workouts for the week. Relying only on the scale may even make those workouts feel like a waste of time, even though each one helped you burn calories, get stronger, protect your body from diseases and made you more fit than you were before.

Beyond the Scale

If weighing yourself motivates you in a positive way, there’s no reason to change what you’re doing. However, if the scale makes you feel like a failure, it may be time to try something new.

What most people don't realize is that losing weight can actually make weight loss even harder. The more you weigh, the more energy your body expends to move that weight around. As you lose weight, your body will naturally expend fewer calories, something we often don't account for in our calorie intake.

For example, if you're 5'8" and weigh 180 lbs, your basal metabolic rate might be around 1545 calories, not including any exercising you're doing. If you lose 20 pounds, your BMR changes, dropping anywhere from 50-100 calories. That may not seem like much, but if you don't adjust your calories as you lose weight, you'll end up at a frustrating plateau.

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These numbers can be helpful, but there are some drawbacks:

1. They're Only Estimates: The formulas used to come up with these calculations are limited, so they can only offer estimates - estimates that could be so far off the mark that they can actually sabotage your weight loss. Some calculations we know aren't always accurate include:
   • BMI - The BMI formula uses weight and height to measure how healthy your weight is, but it doesn't take into account lean muscle mass, frame size or gender, all things which can skew the numbers in the wrong direction.
   • THR - Many THR formulas are based on an old maximum heart rate equation (220 - age=MHR) that usually underestimates how hard you should be working.
     
     
   • BMR - There are different formulas used for calculating BMR, but some are inaccurate because they don't take into account activity levels or body composition. If you're very muscular, the calculator may underestimate how many calories you need. If you've got more body fat, you might get a higher number than you really need.
     
     

• 2. They Don't Give You the Whole Truth: It feels really good when the elliptical trainer tells you you've burned 500 calories after a 30 minute workout. The problem is, that number is most likely overestimated. It doesn't take into account your fitness level or how much muscle you have, two factors that can change how many calories you burn. Another problem is, it doesn't factor in the calories you would've burned if you weren't exercising. You still burn calories even when you're not exercising, so you should subtract the calories you would've burned to get a more accurate number.
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• Weight loss calculations can give you a jumping off point, but you don't want to be a slave to those numbers. INFO FROM: http://exercise.about.com/od/gettingweightlossresults/