If you pursue a medical weight loss diet, or are simply trying to improve your lifestyle overall, it is tempting to rely upon your bathroom scale to track changes in your body. But this can be problematic for a couple of reasons.
First, your weight can fluctuate a small amount due to hormones, water retention, and other factors. So you might not get an accurate reading anyway.
Second, it can be discouraging to rely upon an arbitrary number (that we’ve already said isn’t completely accurate all of the time). There is no reason to allow a number to affect your mood or make you question yourself.
And third, you’re not doing all of this to achieve a number. You have deeper reasons for getting healthy, and it might not be a good idea to concentrate too much on weight.
Luckily, there are other ways to track your progress, without relying upon a scale:
Notice how your attitude toward food has changed… At some point, you will truly enjoy healthier foods, and you won’t feel guilt and shame over eating a single cookie.
Has your mood shifted? For most people, getting physically healthier translates into a happier mindset.
Are you sleeping well? If you have trouble sleeping, you might be restricting calories too much. On the other hand, poor sleep will trigger more cravings for unhealthy foods.
Observe your energy levels. If you’re eating a healthy diet and getting a reasonable amount of exercise, you should feel more energetic than before.
Notice how your clothes fit. As you lose “fat weight” and gain “muscle weight” your clothes will fit more loosely. You might also notice that you enjoy your reflection in the mirror.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with periodic weigh-ins, and your scale does offer valuable information. The point is not to get too hung up on a number, and evaluate your progress in more meaningful ways. But if several weeks pass and that number isn’t change, definitely call us for a consultation on medical weight loss and we can help you get the scale moving again.
