4 reasons why the scales don’t always tell the truth
When following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge you should never let your scales run or ruin your day.
Nothing can wreck a good attitude or motivation like those numbers on the scale, so don’t let them take over or they could break you down and knock your confidence.
Thousands of moms in our Healthy Mommy community agree – sometimes the scales are actually liars! Many of the moms suggest also using clothing (those jeans you just can’t throw away), progress photographs and measurements to give you a full picture of your results.
There are four major reasons why the numbers on your scales are not a true reflection of your weight loss on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
What you should be aware of is that frequent weighing is misleading.
Did you know that your weight can fluctuate as much as 4-11 lbs in a single day? Yes, that’s right! The thing about scales is that it weighs everything and not just fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, the food you’ve eaten, and bodily waste.
A fluctuation in your weight can be caused by so many things.
The four biggest culprits…
1. Menstrual cycle
Bloating, cramps, swelling, mood swings, cravings, binge eating, and yes, weight gain! And of course water retention. During the menstrual cycle, our bodies hold onto fluids like a drought is coming and the best advice is not to weigh yourself at this time.
2. The weight of food
The optimal time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning when you don’t have any food or liquids in your system. Everything you ingest not only has calories, but it also has some weight to it. The lowest calorie foods can sometimes be the heaviest! You will weigh more after taking in large amounts of fluid and weigh less after a big effort in which your body perspires.
3. Waste in your system
We are constantly carrying around waste. This is the waste that has been in your colon and small intestine for a long time. As the waste builds up in your digestive tract, it will cause you to weigh more on the scale.
You may have heard of people losing a few pounds after doing a detox or a cleanse. Well, they didn’t lose body-fat weight; they lost waste. While a cleanse isn’t for everyone, increasing the amount of fiber in your diet to flush your waste system also can give a similar effect.
4. Lean muscle tissue
As you start doing exercise and light weight-bearing exercise you will gain more lean muscle tissue, which weighs more than fat. So you may actually gain weight.
Even though the numbers on the scale may not be moving, it doesn’t mean that you’re not getting smaller. Muscle is more dense than fat, so it takes up less space. You can be in a smaller pants size, but still not be any lighter on the scale.
That’s why it’s important to use measurements, photographs, and clothes to give you another angle to your success on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge. If you’re now wearing a smaller size of underpants, does it matter that the scales haven’t gone down?
Ask yourself this:
Would you rather fill your jeans with 6lbs of fat or 6lbs of lean, toned muscle?
Which looks better in a bathing suit?
This extra lean muscle tissue has its benefits. Not only will you appear smaller, but muscle will help boost your metabolism too.
Now that you’re armed with the knowledge that the scales can tell the occasional fib, and that weight is only a number, you can view your weight fluctuations with a less critical eye.
No matter what the scales say, make an effort to tell yourself, “Today is the day I take control of my life and my body!” and the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge can help you to do that.
Are you ready to be a Healthy Mommy?
If you are wanting to lose weight and improve your energy – not to mention – help improve your overall health and wellbeing – our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is an awesome program to check out.
Our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge includes:
- 28 days of at home exercise routines (no gym needed) – with video instruction
- Customizable and breastfeeding friendly meal plans (including 7 Day Cleanse)
- Time-efficient exercises for busy moms – under 30 minutes
- Challenge combines Pilates exercises with interval and circuit training (HIIT)
- Suitable for basic to advanced fitness levels
- Home to a library of EASY-TO-MAKE recipes!
To learn more about our 28 DAY WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE CLICK HERE
*Images and references to pounds lost are as supplied by the individual in the story. The Healthy Mommy assumes information and photographs supplied to be true in nature and is not responsible for any false misrepresentations or claims relating to their programs or products.