Scales Are Evil

I have many friends who are currently on their own journey of fitness/weight loss and most of them rely heavily on a scale to tell them their accomplishments. I have never had a scale tell me what I wanted to hear.

Why do I weigh the same as I did 6 months ago, but wear a pants size that is two sizes smaller?

Because the scale doesn't know what it's talking about. When people are obsessed with the number on the scale, they don't stop and realize that even though they may weigh the same, or haven't lost as many pounds as they wanted, they are stronger now, healthier, composed differently (muscle v. fat).

But the scale steals that from them. Steals their accomplishment. Makes them feel like a failure because it doesn't tell them what they want to hear. It's true that you need a good measurement to rely on to figure out how far you have come since your starting point and no one method is 100% reliable, but the scale is by far the worst.

So many things factor into your daily weight. They say that you should always weigh yourself at the same time, every time, to get the most accurate reading. They say that first thing in the morning is better since you have not yet ingested anything. Weigh yourself naked so you aren't having to account for your clothing in your weight (because let's be honest, that shirt does not weigh 3 lbs.). If you HAVE to weigh yourself, it should be weekly, not daily, in order to make yourself less crazy. And it should always be on the same scale.

It kills me to hear people say, "I lost a pound and a half since yesterday!" or "I can't believe I'm up two lbs in two days!"

That's because you just went to the bathroom, or because you are retaining water, or because you ate lunch. Not because you suck at life and are a big fat fatty. I rarely ever step on a scale, and when I do, I remind myself why.

I challenge you to throw away your scale (or at least hide it) and see how much better you feel about those 2 pants sizes without a number telling you what it means. Do it.