5 Reasons Why Your Scale Shouldn't Be Part Of Your Fitness Journey
Ah, the scale.
It started out as something you only saw at your annual checkup with the doctor, but for some, it quickly spiraled into a routine, anxiety-filled meeting each morning in your own bathroom.
When did the the number on the scale become a reflection of whether or not someone is "fit enough?"
How can a single measurement have so much control over how you live your life?
The truth is, that revered number doesn't matter at all in comparison to how you feel during your fitness journey -- and science backs that up 100 percent.
Elite Daily spoke with Instagram star and wellness blogger Rachel Mansfield to get her take on why your scale simply ain't sh*t.
She says,
There is so much more to our health than the number on a scale. I spent years waking up and weighing myself daily, and never did I feel good about it. Watching the numbers go up and down, thinking that would give me the self-love I craved, was so brain-washing and did more harm than good. Once I tossed the scale, listened to my body, and focused on how I felt, it was life-changing.
Preach, sister.
If that doesn't convince to end all this numeric nonsense, here are five more reasons to say sayonara to your scale.
1. Your Body Composition Changes
Body composition is not the same as your body weight.
When you work out, your body composition changes -- as the ratio decreases, it leads to less fat and more muscle.
That's why, as you get stronger, the number on the scale could actually increase to reflect all those lovely #gains you're making.
Peace out, scale stress.
2. Your Weight Fluctuates Every Single Day
If you've ever weighed yourself multiple times in a short timespan, you know the number isn't going to remain constant -- whether it's day-to-day or even hour-to-hour.
There are so many things affecting your weight, including hydration, how much you exercise, bowel movements, and certain salty foods or carbohydrates that cause more water retention.
Even sweating a lot on a humid day could cause you to drop a few pounds of water weight. Does this mean your body has really changed at all?
Nope, of course not.
Focus on how you feel instead of letting that number control you.
3. That Number Doesn't Equal Health
A thinner person can be unhealthy, just as a heavier person can be very fit (and vice versa) -- it all depends on the person.
Regardless of what you do to achieve that number on the scale, it's a literally meaningless measurement as far as your true inner health is concerned.
If you're not physically active, but you restrict your diet to appease that scale, you might not be technically "overweight," but your metabolism certainly wouldn't be happy.
Find ways to exercise and eat foods that make you feel good -- you'll feel genuinely happy.
4. Because The Scale Doesn't Determine Your Happiness
Why are you weighing yourself every day?
It seems like an obvious question to ask yourself in this context, but seriously.
Ask yourself, and see what honest answers you come up with.
If your self-worth depends on the number, you might want to reevaluate your priorities and find different factors to focus on in your fitness journey.
5. There Are So Many Other Ways To Measure Fitness
And better ways, at that.
Instead of paying any mind to the scale, you can easily find other factors in your life to clue you in on your progress -- how you sleep at night, how alert you feel when you wake up every day, how your body feels after eating a hearty meal.
The whole point of your fitness journey is to feel better, to be more vibrant, to find ways to harness your natural energy as a human being.
