Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program / Tony Ferguson / Weight Loss Discussion / Why The Scales Lie / Latest Posts

RE: Why The Scales Lie

DolphinDream — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:35:43 GMT

I wish I could throw my scales away, I am sure that they are causing me to put on weight:hehe: If I step on the scales and have gained a couple of 100g or stayed the same, I tend to think it is not working so therefore why try anymore:) I should just chuck them in the bin and be done with it.:D

cheers

RE: Why The Scales Lie

niko — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:07:23 GMT

Thanks for that! J I’m printing it out right now.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

lizvin — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:26:17 GMT

the most accurate way to do it is to have a DEXA scan

i had one in melbourne (bodyscan), its really interesting..its run by a doctor

the scale only tells you weight, but sometimes your muscle increases with exercise and fat is lost but nothing changes on the scale

i think there is also one place in sydney

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Kimblob — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:03:00 GMT

Yeah I do the same - I cant help but weigh myself every morning :P

I found the ketosticks to be a little disheartening... I always seemed to be in the 'negative' so I've stopped bothering with them :hehe:

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Kakadu_chook — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:32:18 GMT

How addicted am I to that lying machine?

I weigh every morning on rising and then record it into a Excel chart I have created.

My problem is that I need to have that assurance of the scales to keep me honest.

If the number is atad higher in the morning than yesterday, it motivates me to be more active or drink more water for the day.

I have been also using the ketostix which is interesting and a confirmation from within the body to know all the good step you are putting in place are working.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

DolphinDream — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:08:51 GMT

My scales lie, or that is what I keep telling myself, I plateau alot and yo yo, sometimes I think that I am actually addicted to the scales and just jump on to see how much damage I have done by eating the wrong thing. I have to break out of this habit.

cheers:P

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Tinatoomuch — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:43:18 GMT

thats fantastic info.

at the moment i am also a daily weigher. i think to start with i just got addicted to seeing those numbers lower than the previous time every day. but this week they have been up and down ridiculously!!!! was in tears the other night when it looked like i had gained a kilo in 1 day. (lovely hubby kept insisting the scales were broken)

its also a handy reminder for me to drink more water

RE: Why The Scales Lie

DolphinDream — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:36:04 GMT

I HAVE ALSO DECIDED NOT TO WEIGHT MYSELF SO OFTEN BECAUSE THAT IS A BIG PART OF MY LACK OF MOTIVATION THE DREADED SCALES.

CHEERS

RE: Why The Scales Lie

DolphinDream — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:34:27 GMT

I know exactly where you are coming from. I sometimes get very impatient with my results, I have been good all week, following the program and exercising religiously then I step on the scales and I have lost or gained 200g. Then I decided that it is not working and I am stick of being good so i go one a pitiful binge and punish myself, and then I feel guilty because I have eaten something bad, it is a vicious cycle.

WILL NOT QUIT THOUGH.

cheers

RE: Why The Scales Lie

patchwork smiley — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:06:46 GMT

thanks, I really needed to read this today, I put on this morning & felt so down :crying:, I have been trying hard & not getting anywhere. I do keep reminding myself that I lost 10kgs in 10 days whilst I had pneumonia & pleurisy a few weeks ago & decided to make the most of it as a kick start to getting back on TF.......but I still expect losses like other times when I had been on TF, I subconsciously realise that my body is still adjusting to such a massive loss in a short time.....BUT !!!

I needed this post to reassure me

Lynn

RE: Why The Scales Lie

propertyofranger — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:07:47 GMT

This was a really good read. I'll be sure to come back and re-read this when I feel like hurling my scales out the bathroom window so I can drive my car over them >.<

RE: Why The Scales Lie

DolphinDream — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:48:21 GMT

I have a major problem with the scales also, I cannot seem to not weight my self each morning, it does not help though it can be frustrating and depressing if the scales fluctuate 100-200g all the time. I just want to see a number there that I can be proud of.

Cheers

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Kuro — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:23:07 GMT

Thank you for posting this, and making it a sticky! I am so happy it caught my eye and right now I am printing it. It will be placed next to the scales in the bathroom.

Yes ideally I should be throwing the scales out, but I have not reached that strength yet! :hehe:

RE: Why The Scales Lie

squid — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:57:37 GMT

that was a very interesting read and that also explains alot i think this should be pinned

RE: Why The Scales Lie

sandradeee — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:48:00 GMT

If I'm 100% honest - my scales have NEVER lied.... but I have ;)

My scales fluctuate throughout the week of course, but if they are up after a whole 7 days it's because I cheated myself somewhere along the way and chose to file it like it never happened.

*Eating's cheating ;)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

bakaneko — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:57:01 GMT

[quote][b]ByzGirl (13/01/2009)[/b][hr] As with scales - I refuse to weigh myself every day, because if I find out I've gained a little bit after working so hard, I will fall off the wagon because I tend to overeat when I'm emotional, so I stick to the weekly weigh-ins.[/quote]

I am the same ByzGirl. Even if I see a small fluctuation it can put me off - especially if I've been working my butt off! Also my scales seem to be consistently 2kg's lower than the ones at the chemist so I start thinking I've lost more than I have (stupid cheap scales). I'm still probably not getting accurate results at the chemist either as I tend to go at lunch or in the afternoon after work - after drinking water all day! Though its tempting to have some tangible result like scales I am much happier when I discover my clothes getting looser! On the day I can take my size 16 jeans off without unbuttoning them I will be happy (I've been able to do this in the past) - especially if I've got some muscle to replace the fat!

I still can't help but look at the scales though, its like reading spoilers.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

ByzGirl — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:56:49 GMT

If I'm going for a weigh-in (which I've been skipping lately :angry: I've been very naughty) I'll go in very early before I have the chance to eat anything. You will have an empty stomach and you do weigh less, and it will make you feel heaps better. As with scales - I refuse to weigh myself every day, because if I find out I've gained a little bit after working so hard, I will fall off the wagon because I tend to overeat when I'm emotional, so I stick to the weekly weigh-ins.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

sandradeee — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:26:41 GMT

Hi everyone, I found this article which explains how the body holds it's weight.

Why the Scale Lies

By Renee Cloe, ACE Certified Personal Trainer

We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings.

From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it. Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale’s sneakiest attribute. It doesn’t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you’re just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue. Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn’t differentiate between the two. It can’t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don’t be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It’s a matter of mind over scale.

Originally published on The Fitness Jumpsite™.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

butterfly68 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:21:54 GMT

Interesting. I was so surprised this morning when I jumped on the scales and found I was 1.5 kilos heavier. I only start TF a couple of days ago and expected to loose a couple of kilos in the first week.

Did anyone else experience this?

RE: Why The Scales Lie

AnastasiaH — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:28:31 GMT

Great information there.

In terms of weighing in at TF centre, They tell me to keep my shoes on, Which I don't really see as an issue if I am always weighed with them on... Also If you are lucky enough to be given the option of putting the shoes on the scales why not just hold your feet up off the carpet for 1-2 seconds. Unless i'm over looking any airborn infections that you can catch.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

sandradeee — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:30:09 GMT

[quote][b]Diamonds4me (4/08/2008)[/b][hr]Yes Shirley my Tf said leave your shoes on whilst getting weighed but then once your off, take your shoes off and they will weigh them and deduct from scales reading. huh...wasnt I standing on the carpet in the store now where everyone esle has been barefoot whilst they did the same. Bit hypocritiical I thought.[/quote]

Hi Diamonds - I know this is an old one, but thought it quite hilarious! I was just wondering HOW the shoes were taken off and weighed without the same 'health' concerns not arising. lol... people are weird sometimes haha

Now I can understand them not wanting us to be butt naked in the store, like we would at home, but taking your shoes off hmmm lol :O)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

cher_m — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:03:32 GMT

I had a little laugh at the previous posts, I never even considered taking off my shoes. I guess if I had've had a heavy pair of boots on I might have thought of it.
I have never owned scales at home and recognise weight gain and loss by clothes being too tight (or by feeling yuk as I am now)

Chuck out the scales everyone and just weigh in once a week or fortnight. :-)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Diamonds4me — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:03:04 GMT

Yes Shirley my Tf said leave your shoes on whilst getting weighed but then once your off, take your shoes off and they will weigh them and deduct from scales reading. huh...wasnt I standing on the carpet in the store now where everyone esle has been barefoot whilst they did the same. Bit hypocritiical I thought.

RE: Why The Scales Lie

chikanga — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:00:46 GMT

the place i go to weigh in you have to keep your shoes on too but they weigh a shoe once youre off and x by 2 then take it off your total before writing it down on your card... you will find most places wont allow it, i know weight watchers wont allow you to take your shoes off either... and when you think about it feet diseases are very easily transmitted, so I am happy to keep my shoes on.

Shirley

RE: Why The Scales Lie

MandaRuss — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:29:24 GMT

Thanks for the advice. :)

There's no way I'm getting weighed at the place near me. We weren't allowed to take off our shoes because of "health regulations" and had to keep them on when having our height checked too. The lady just guessed what our real height would be which was absolute bollocks. I know exactly how tall I am and I believe the accuracy of my own electronic scales when I'm just in my knickers is going to be a hell of a lot more accurate than having my sneakers and jeans on. And do you know what relies heavily on your height and weight? That's right! BMI. So she estimated a height shorter than I actually am and a weight that is heavier, real professional.

When I expressed my concerns about the system she just kept on going on about how this was a big "wake up call" for me. Excuse me??! I am in the overweight range by only a few kilos and am doing this to support my boyfriend, get a bit healthier and look a bit nicer in summer. She treated me like I was really fat and should be ashamed. :(

Sorry for my little rant but like it says in the first post the scales will lie if you don't do it at the same time and wear the same weight of clothing (or no clothes).

RE: Why The Scales Lie

TroppoGal — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:50:34 GMT

Thanks for the interesting reading! x

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Dianalt — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:20:04 GMT

Fantastic information & answers to things I suspected but didnt really know.

This information should definately be pinned

Thank you

RE: Why The Scales Lie

treasure — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 03:09:28 GMT

thankx for the info...how kind you are mummapug:):):)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Helen & Ray — Sun, 20 May 2007 10:15:21 GMT

Thank you for this great piece of information Momma Pug. I have printed it out and it will go into my TF information folder that I have created :)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

myxomatosis04 — Sat, 19 May 2007 14:01:32 GMT

makes me feel better about starting this whole thing,

RE: Why The Scales Lie

pinkpolish — Wed, 02 May 2007 10:43:16 GMT

Thanks for that :):):)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

NIZAMMAT — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:14:17 GMT

I don't weigh daily, I like the surprise at the end of the week! Thanks for some wonderful information..I'm glad you pinned it. Thanks

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Mishkin — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:42:18 GMT

I am a daily scaler as well, but I've become more obsessed with measurements, as at the end of the day its how I look in clothes and not what I weigh that matters. So, out comes the tapemeasure every day :)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

BlueJ — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:41:49 GMT

:cool:This is VERY good, something that I just happened to peruse but found a bit of inspiration for myself. Thanx

RE: Why The Scales Lie

BlueJ — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:41:34 GMT

:cool:This is VERY good, something that I just happened to peruse but found a bit of inspiration for myself. Thanx

RE: Why The Scales Lie

oztealady — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 23:26:22 GMT

This has made me feel a whole lot better. Last week, I weight in weekly, I had gained .600k and I had not deviated from the program. I was shocked and disheartened. This week I am drinking lots more water. My clothes are beginning to get really loose, so all is not in vain. Began 10 weeks ago and have lost 6 kilos. Before I go overseas in four weeks I would like to loose another 2-3 kilos. Weights 74.5 now I weight 68.2 (had reached 67.4 before the last weight-in).

RE: Why The Scales Lie

bleu — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 21:47:55 GMT

Very intriguing.

I was never really a compulsive weigher, understanding that things changed on a day to day basis, but this really adds some insight into the workings of our bodies. Thanks very much for posting :)

RE: Why The Scales Lie

Tish — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 09:10:59 GMT

I must admit I'm a scale watcher so really appreciate this very useful information - well done!

RE: Why The Scales Lie

catb — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 09:03:15 GMT

i have to admit, i am a daily scale user(sometimes twice). i actually went out and bought a new set of digitals because my old fashion scales weighed me 10 kilos lighter than i was!!!

however, i know that when it's ttom, and if you are weight training or exercising you are actually more likely to gain weight but lose fat. as much as i am obsessive compulsive about my scales i really am relying more on my clothes and tape measure.

that article still makes me feel better about the occasional 100-200gram gains.

:crazy:well i'm off too bellydancing.....

cheers ant

RE: Why The Scales Lie

scribe — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:08:35 GMT

I can't bare to stand on the scales daily....once a week is enough!!