I cannot tell you how many times I have had discussions with my clients about their scales. Here is my issue with those devices: 1) They only measure total mass, not actual body fat percentage; 2) Our body weight can fluctuate as much as five pounds per day, and can even change one or two pounds after a meal; 3) Frequent weighing can lead to obsessive behavior patterns resulting in a strong dependency to weigh ourselves several times per day; 4) Weighing dependency can cause a client to rely on a favorable display from their scale...if the result is perceived as negative, i.e., they have gained weight, it can result in a sort of depression that can last from a few minutes to several days...at least until the next weigh-in.
So what do I advise my clients? "Get rid of the scale!" It's that simple. I also advise my clients to pay closer attention to the signals their bodies are telling them, or how their clothes are fitting. I try to follow one simple rule when it comes to client progress in a program..."How do you feel?" I will ask. If the response is, "I feel great!" or "My clothes seem to be fitting looser," then I know they are progressing, and all of the sudden, the numbers on the scale don't seem all that important anymore.
Be healthy...Be well.
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