Why is a Scale THE WORST Thing to Check Weight Loss Progress?

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Tracking your weight loss progress can be frustrating. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had clients complain that their weight is all over the place, and they can’t figure out what’s going on.

One morning, they wake up, and the scale says they lost weight, and then the next morning, they wake up, and the scale says they’ve gained several pounds.

What gives?

When people want to track their weight loss progress, they almost always turn to the scale. That’s a big mistake. That little piece of plastic and metal can ruin your day in a matter of seconds. One bad weigh-in, and suddenly, you’re convinced all your hard work was for nothing.

I’ve been in the fitness industry for over two decades training clients, and I can tell you firsthand that a scale is one of the most misleading tools for tracking weight loss progress.
 
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Tracking your weight loss progress can be frustrating. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had clients complain that their weight is all over the place, and they can’t figure out what’s going on.

One morning, they wake up, and the scale says they lost weight, and then the next morning, they wake up, and the scale says they’ve gained several pounds.

What gives?

When people want to track their weight loss progress, they almost always turn to the scale. That’s a big mistake. That little piece of plastic and metal can ruin your day in a matter of seconds. One bad weigh-in, and suddenly, you’re convinced all your hard work was for nothing.

I’ve been in the fitness industry for over two decades training clients, and I can tell you firsthand that a scale is one of the most misleading tools for tracking weight loss progress.
Great read and makes sense
 
It might be bad when tracking a recomp, lifestyle changes, or even fat loss. But if the focus is on weight loss then a scale is still the best instrument.
 
It might be bad when tracking a recomp, lifestyle changes, or even fat loss. But if the focus is on weight loss then a scale is still the best instrument.
That was my complaint about this piece. If you are trying to lose weight then there is literally no way to track this without a scale. I don't even think a scale is necessarily bad when trying to lose fat, and I've seen some completely illogical suggestions online to only step on a scale once a week. That could be a surefire way to lead to unnecessary dietary/activity changes due to the inherent fluctuation of water weight. I have a scale that tracks various measurements over time (bodyfat percentage, weight, VAT, SAT, etc.) and plots the points onto a trend for me so it's really easy to see what's happening over time. I don't necessarily trust the accuracy of the bodyfat readings but the trending capabilities are an invaluable tool. I do agree that the recommendations such as photographs, measurements etc. should also be utilized but I don't agree that the scale should be ditched completely.
 
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