Maintaining A Healthy Weight Is Important—But Relying On Scales Can Be Misleading. Here’s Why.
People with type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes who are overweight have a greater risk of developing many chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and sleep apnea. That’s why it’s important to maintain a healthy weight. Or, if you’re overweight, lose a few pounds.
Studies have shown that by losing just 2% of their weight, people with diabetes can lower their blood sugar (also called blood glucose) levels, reduce their risk for heart disease, and improve their blood pressure and HDL (or “good”) cholesterol.
The result: you’ll feel better, have more energy, and be better able to manage your diabetes—all with less worrying about developing other complications.
Most people use scales to track their weight. But, though helpful, scales can be misleading.
Scales Don’t Tell the Full Story
Scales measure how much you weigh, but they don’t measure your body fat or muscle mass. Muscle is denser and heavier than fat. That means a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. Because of this, two people can have the identical height and weight, but their bodies can look completely different depending on their percentage of body fat.
Plus, there are many other factors that contribute to your weight that scales don’t measure, such as your water weight, your digestion, even how you sleep.
How To Get the Best Results from Your Scale
To use a scale correctly, try these simple tips:
Weigh yourself in the morning
Do it first thing in the morning—before you eat or drink anything. Plus, your body will have had time to digest anything you ate before going to bed.
Wear the same thing every time you weigh yourself
For the most accurate reading, it’s important to be consistent.
Weigh yourself naked. Or in your pajamas. If you’re going to wear clothes, try to wear the same ones.
Also, if possible, try to go to the bathroom before you weigh yourself.
Weigh yourself once a week
We know, we know—if you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll be tempted to step on the scale every day. But don’t! Chances are, the reading won’t be accurate. That’s because your body changes daily, especially depending on the amount of fluids you drink.
Weighing yourself once a week is plenty—and saves you the stress if your weight goes up.
Record your progress
Keeping a record lets you see your progress week after week. You’ll be able to identify patterns—both good and bad—to help you continue in a positive direction.
Seeing positive progress will motivate you to do even better.
There are different ways to track your progress: you can do it manually by keeping a spreadsheet or a diary. Or invest in a smart scale that connects to an app on your phone. In addition to tracking weight, these apps also measure your body fat percentage and muscle mass, which gives you an even greater overview of your health.
Sometimes, It’s Best to Scale Back on the Scale
Has this ever happened to you? You step on the scale. The numbers rocket up—higher and higher. Your heart sinks. And you end up being depressed.
Yeah, us too.
Remember, the scale should be used to help you feel better, not make you feel worse. If it does the latter, stop using it.
Also, for people with eating disorders, rely on your doctor rather than your scale for healthcare advice. You’ll feel healthier and happier.
Measuring Progress without a Scale
There are a variety of simple measures you can take to measure your progress—all without a scale.
Get your body fat tested
You can do it yourself by using calipers or even the “pinch and pull” method, which gives you a rough idea of your body fat. You can also ask your doctor to get your body fat tested, with a method such as a body scan.
Dust off out the tape measure
It’s old school but it works. Wrap a tape measure around your waist, hips, thighs and record the results. Then track your progress over time.
Take photos of yourself
“Before” and “after” (and a lot of “during”) pictures are an easy, effective way to visually observe your progress. Keep the photos consistent by taking them at the same time during the day and wearing the same apparel.
Check to see how your clothes are fitting
How do your clothes fit? Pants feel a little looser in the waist? You may be losing some tummy fat. Pants feel a little tighter around your thighs? You may be building leg muscles.
Pay attention to your clothes and how they fit. You’ll learn a lot!
You’re More Than a Number
Scales are great—as long as your goal is to track weight loss. But they don’t provide all the information you need to keep your weight in check and your blood glucose levels under control. Need help? Ask your doctor to weigh in!
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