How to Read Scale Weight Language
How to Read Scale Weight Language
Scale weight.
Perhaps just those words on their own made you feel a certain way.
Do you have a rocky relationship with the scale? Then this article could be perfect for you.
Does the scale make you feel no way at all? No doubt you'll still leave having learnt a bunch by the end of this.
By the time you finish this article, you'll:
Know how to weigh yourself as accurately as possible.
Have solutions to common mistakes you may be currently making.
Learn why it could be ideal to weigh yourself more than once in a blue moon.
Be provided with real-world examples.
Be briefly covered on psychology.
Have taken an extra step towards becoming a polyglot as you'll soon be able to add 'scale weight' to languages spoken on your CV/resume, just like my Kairos Online members.
Let's get stuck in.
Let's Start With How to Weigh Yourself.
"How do you weigh yourself? Pfft. I don't need to be educated on that! All you've gotta do is step on the scales for a few seconds and then step off again."
Well, actually… that thought process is precisely why you need this section because that's far from the case.
First of all, here are a few variables that can impact your scale weight:
Hydration levels.
Heavy weight lifting the day before.
Sodium intake.
Whether you need to poop or pee.
Stress levels.
Medication.
You ate a big meal recently.
Alcohol intake.
Illness.
To name a few.
Scale weight can fluctuate a ton daily; for example, if you weigh yourself on a Wednesday morning at 8:38am and then that same day at 7:19pm, you can easily expect a wildly different reading.
This is why it's also recommended that you always weigh yourself in a consistent state, e.g. first thing in the morning after using the toilet in a fasted state with minimal clothing.
Weigh-ins should also be done on a flat hard surface; avoid weighing yourself on a carpet if possible.
100% perfect? No, of course not - because fluctuations will happen all the time.
But will this minimise any external variables that could impact your scale weight? Absolutely, especially with the tip I'm about to give you next.
Why It's Ideal to Weigh Yourself Regularly, Using the Example of Someone Trying to Lose Weight
Because to put it simply, more weigh-ins = more data. If you have more data, you have more accuracy.
First of all, it can help notice long-term trends.
The graph at the top shows someone who took a weigh-in every day during the month, giving that person a better idea of their trend.
Although the second graph is just a single reading, with 0 ideas as to how the trend is looking.
As you already know, scale weight can fluctuate a lot from day to day.
So if you weigh yourself only once a month, you may weigh on a day when your weight has spiked up.
Although you won't know that it's a spike because of how sporadically you weigh yourself.
It's also important to highlight that your current weight loss approach may not be helping you get to your weight loss goal and, in fact, working against you - causing you to gain weight. You won't know until a month or two later due to how sporadically you're weighing yourself.
To monitor something more accurately, you need to collect more data.
Yes, you could take measurements and use progress pictures to help you, which are both great ideas - but scale weight is another tool that can be great when used correctly.
Here are my examples that I took a screenshot of from an old Instagram story:
How did I know that I was 100% making progress between the two periods and that I wasn't maintaining as the two scale weight reading 30 days apart would suggest? Because of all the data I had collected in between.
Note:
If you mentally feel it's not easy to weigh yourself most days right now, then feel free not to do it.
None of these are 'must-dos'.
Again, this article is just an example of how to 'more logically' use scale weight. Still, human psychology can be more complex.
Do whatever you feel is best for you after reading and learning from this article, even if you end up not changing anything.
At least you would have learnt something new.
Here's a Common Mistake You're Probably Making
Comparing your weight day to day or even within the same week may be the number 1 way you misuse the scale - setting yourself up for failure.
How so? You're treating this data point illogically and emotionally rather than the priceless tool it could be if and when used correctly.
In the same way, you shouldn't expect it to go how you want, even between Tuesday and Saturday.
That's 0 logic in the relationship with the scale - just pure emotion.
You're not going to lose weight every day or week.
So what should you do instead? Do not compare day-to-day weigh-ins because one-off weigh-ins mean nothing.
Take weekly averages and compare them month to month, e.g. May week 1 to April week 1, and then May week 2 to April week 2.
Because now, you're giving yourself the necessary amount of time for progress to happen - and putting your attention where it's most important, which are long-term trends.
Remember, one-off weigh-ins mean nothing.
But is it Necessary to Weigh Yourself Every Day?
Well, it depends - what are you working towards right now? Here are a few examples of when you'd perhaps do well to weigh in more frequently:
If you're trying to improve body composition for the first time.
If you're trying to gain weight (helps minimise fat gain).
Because as you know by now, more weigh-ins give you much more data to make better decisions.
Although if you're at a point where you maintain your weight well due to the great habits you've previously built - then you could easily reduce weigh-ins to every once in a while.
Or feel free to do no weigh-ins if you just don't give a damn.
What Does Maintenance Look Like?
It's essential to speak about maintenance whilst you're here, too, because eventually, there will come a day - or maybe that day is now - when your next best step is to start working towards prioritising maintenance.
Because you can't lose weight forever.
When it comes to maintenance, or as I like to call it, 'the momentum phase' - it's important to highlight that maintaining your weight doesn't mean there's going to be one solid number throughout, e.g. if you're trying to maintain 75kg, then maintenance doesn't mean your weight will always be 75kg.
Instead, maintenance is where your weight fluctuates within a range, e.g. between 74kg to 76kg daily.
Note:
If you're worried about going into a 'maintenance phase' because you think you'll no longer be making any progress.Then let's make this clear: being in maintenance doesn't mean you won't be making progress.
Significant progress can and will still be made when your weight is around maintenance - so I prefer calling it a 'momentum phase' rather than a maintenance one.
Once you reach this stage, whether today or sometime in the future, make performance goals your biggest aim, which you should be doing already (more on these later).
Food for Thought
In an ideal world, you'd apply all of the advice mentioned throughout this article without an issue - but human psychology doesn't work like that.
So, let's expand further:
Psychologically
If you feel like the advice throughout this article makes a ton of sense, but psychologically, you know you're not ready to weigh in more frequently, e.g. if seeing a spike on the scale can make it feel like it's 'ruined your entire day' - then go at your own pace.
Weigh as often as you feel comfortable, or not at all if preferred.
As mentioned before, there are other indicators of progress that you can use, such as measurements, progress pictures, strength gained, improved habits etc.
The important thing is that you're consistently taking at least a select few indicators.
To Play Devil's Advocate
Throughout my experience as a coach, some Kairos Online members initially say they feel anxiety about the scales - although they do end up weighing themselves more frequently (out of their own choice).
More often than not, do you know what this results in? Desensitisation towards the scales.
Think of it this way: If you weigh yourself only once a month, it's easy to put a huge emphasis on that one weigh-in and put a ton of pressure on yourself.
On the other hand, if you're gathering this data daily, you could realise that the fluctuations are normal and get to know your body well. For example, a temporary spike is most likely to occur after a meal out, after a heavy leg day, and/or once your time of the month starts.
This learning curve from the constant exposure can leave you feeling much calmer when taking scale weight.
Ultimately, where you stand right now is a decision that's yours to make because there's no 'right or wrong answer' - this is more just food for thought.
Nor should you feel guilty for whichever approach you decide to end up picking.
It would help if you also aimed for a performance goal so that your focus isn't solely on the scale.
Well Done on Completing This Article
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Speak soon,
Leo
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