Do you find yourself stepping on the scale, only to see it fluctuating up and down, or not moving any at all? We have heard this a lot with our nutrition clients over the years. They deem that the program isn’t working anymore because the scale isn’t moving. But this isn’t the case! Let’s look at why.
The Totem Pole Of Importance
When we look at measuring our results with our clients, we do this in numerous ways. Some are more important than others, but all are great objective measurements. Some of the things we use to gauge biometric change are:
- Weigh scale.
- Body measurements like chest/waist/hips.
- Pictures.
- InBody Scan*.
*This is a new service we are starting to offer this week to our membership and nutrition clients, so stay tuned for more information on this!
When we look at the things that matter the most, the weigh scale is definitely on the bottom of that list, yet it’s the thing that we are all attached to the most as a society. Somehow we determine our success based on the number at our feet, but it really doesn’t tell the whole story. And because of that, that’s why it’s the least important.
What’s The Whole Story?
Often times when the scale stops moving or is fluctuating in the opposite direction, we forget about all the other things that might affect this number. Some of the things that might make the scale move or not move include:
- Water intake.
- Salt intake.
- Bowel movements.
- Stress level.
- Sleep amount and quality.
- Food volume.
- Exercise.
- And many other reasons!
This list of things can make the scale jump up or down, or stop all together. So it doesn’t mean that a program isn’t working, it just means we have to dig a little bit deeper!
What Should I Pay Attention To?
When we want to measure our results, we need to take our frame of reference back to more reliable things. Sometimes these strategies don’t always present themselves as the most obvious when it comes to showing results. The scale is heavily relied upon because it gives a quick story of what’s going on. Other methods might show progress but not so quickly, or not so obviously. When we go up the totem pole of importance, these are the methods you should be relying upon:
A More Detailed Scale – Our InBody machine fits perfectly in here. This will give us more accurate results, and more objective measurements to look upon, like body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, etc. There’s more of a true tell-tale story here that we can see results from.
The Real Life Stuff – Keep tabs on how your clothes are fitting. This is a great way to feel and see the results you are looking for. There’s also things like your energy levels, your sleep quality and quantity, and stress management. These are all great tabs to keep track of to know if what you are doing is working.
Don’t Be Defined By The Scale
It’s only a tool we use, it’s not the only tool. There are many different ways to measure the results we are looking for, and the scale is certainly at the bottom of that list when it comes to trustworthiness and importance.
If you need help seeing results, or learning about how to measure your results, book a FREE Nutrition Intro here.
