Why You Shouldn't Worry About the Scale 15/84

If you ask 10 people what they're goal at the gym is, 9 will give you a number that they want to weigh. All that they care about, or all that they will say they do, is what the scale says. Now, I'm not saying that checking the scale is a bad thing, I make all my clients weigh in each week, but you need to track other metrics as well. So many people use the scale as their only means of tracking any progress at the gym that they forget everything else. For some people, it goes so far that they don't even care how they look or feel and just based it off of the number that they see.

Honestly I struggle with this just as much as anyone else. Right now, since I'm cutting, I'm trying to lose body fat while keeping my scale weight as high as I can. The point is to keep my weight up so that I'm not losing muscle. BUT, if I think I look better at 240 then at 250 don't you think I should be 240? I think so. So I'm getting over my mental barrier just as much as anyone else.

For all of my clients, we do scale weight once or twice a week as well as 7 sites of circumference measurements and body fat percentage twice a month. I also encourage my clients to take progress pictures to track visual progress as well. We also track weights used during lifting as another means of progress. All of those together give us a good picture of ALL of the progress that is happening with each client.

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't weigh yourself, you just need to be able to handle the mental challenge  of it. If your weight is up when day when you're trying to cut, don't freak out! Stuff happens, and just because the scale is up doesn't mean you got fatter. Things like food, water, salt, exercise, and going to the bathroom can all change your weight drastically. To responsibly use weight as a means to track this is what I would recommend...

- weigh yourself 2-3 times per week and look at the average
- Weigh yourself first thing in the morning with no clothes on right after you go to the bathroom.
- Always use the same scale and try to use it at the same time of the day
- Don't overthink what you see. You need to graph and track the numbers so you can look at trends, not single days.

Combine that process with other tracking means like bodyfat, progress pics, and strength gains and you can get a better picture of how much progress you are really making.

Bottom line, don't just look at the scale. It means next to nothing but drives so many people crazy! Don't forget, if you want to be the first to hear about new posts, new programs, and get discounts on paid services, make sure to leave your email in the space above and join my Newsletter list! The list is growing rapidly so don't miss out!You'll also receive a free PDF cheat sheet of my Top Muscle Building and Top Fat Loss Tips when you join!

See you tomorrow!

Facebook: Greg Herceg - Personal Trainer
Instagram: @Greg.the.Trainer
Email: gsherceg@gmail.com