My clothes are looser but the scale says otherwise...

chatterweb · February 9th, 2006, 12:49 AM

It says I weigh 7 lbs more than a few days agobut my clothes are not as tight.
I am confused.
Is ther an expert aroung to discuss this scale thing,and the clothes not as tight thing?
Thanks!

Lani · February 9th, 2006, 01:13 AM

The scale doesnt measure inches, doesnt distinguish between water weight, muscle weight or body fat. The simple fact is is that the scale, as a rule, is the worst measure of weight loss. If you've been drinking more water, PMS'ing, exercising more as in weight or resistance training, then yeah there is a good chacne that you could have lost body fat but either you're retaining water or gaining muscle.

My general rule when using the scales is, chose a time - usually morning, and a day and stick to weighing yourself on that day at that time once a month. For the rest of the time get yourself a measuring tape and mark down the inches - especially for the waist and hips. The scale can be more of a hindrence to any kind of weight loss/body shaping goal.

**Tati** · February 9th, 2006, 01:50 AM

^^ Yup. This is why one person can be 140 lbs and a size three and another can be 140 lbs and a size ten. If you've been gaining muscle, that muscle is denser (ie. heavier yet smaller) than fat, so you could weigh more but be a smaller size. The way your clothes fit is actually a very good tool to use when working on losing weight/getting in shape. I mean, who really cares what number you weigh if you look the way you want/fit into the clothes you want/wear the size you want, etc.? A measuring tape will tell you the same thing as your clothes will, only more specifically.

A*O · February 9th, 2006, 03:26 AM

THROW AWAY THE SCALES! It's only a number. If your clothes look good and the mirror tells you that you look great then why worry?? Remember, muscle weighs MORE than fat so if you are fit and healthy and you feel good then your actual weight is totally irrelevant. Unless you are an ana tragic.

Barbara · February 9th, 2006, 03:49 AM

I'm confused too!!! While the scale barely changes its idea of my weight, I have a couple of non-stretch jeans that I can barely wear, let alone get seated while wearing them. I've been aqua-jogging too much!!!

Tenaj · February 9th, 2006, 05:05 AM

Yeah, muscle weighs more than fat. You've probably just toned up, yippee for you! And what would you rather be; Look a lot lighter or weigh a lot lighter? I know which I'd pick

UndercoverGator · February 9th, 2006, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenaj

Yeah, muscle weighs more than fat. You've probably just toned up, yippee for you! And what would you rather be; Look a lot lighter or weigh a lot lighter? I know which I'd pick

What she said! Scales frequently throw you off mentally when you're trying to lose weight because as your converting fat to muscle you're losing inches but not fat.

chatterweb · February 10th, 2006, 12:04 AM

Ugggh!!!... now the scale says I weigh closer to gaining 14lbs...this is my pms week...I always weigh more. I feel fat, and wish I could learn anorexisim... but I love food especially cheese too much...oh well.I am gratefulI am not heavier, I guess I weigh around 180 and should be 150...not a tubbie compared to a lot of fatties, but, still chubbie and chunkier than I want to be...WhaHHH!

I want to be thin!!!

A*O · February 10th, 2006, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenaj

what would you rather be; Look a lot lighter or weigh a lot lighter?

FORGET WHAT YOU WEIGH!!! If you look great and feel great then it doesn't matter. If you don't look great and don't feel great then do something about it!

For what it's worth, I weigh about 20lbs more than the 'ideal weight chart' says but I am still a comfortable UK size 12 (after a long, hard, battle let me tell you) and on a 'good' day I can get away with a size 10 (just). Some might say that's grossly fat but I don't care, I know when I look good. Oh yeah

Lani · February 10th, 2006, 04:36 AM

Untill I threw away the scales I was a mess with my weight. When i thought I had put on weight I would work out harder and eat less - without realising that the fact that I was gaining muscle as well as having drank much more water - contributed souly to the 'weight' gain.

It takes 3500 calories EXTRA in your diet to create half a kilo of body fat. Sure, if you eat something that in total weights 2 kilograms then that will register on the scale, but it wont be accurate - just the weight of the food sitting in your body, not the amount of fat it may have created.

And yeah PMS is a bitch, I gain up to 10 pounds in my PMS week. It all goes when its said and done though.

**Mr. Authority** · February 10th, 2006, 08:23 AM

Most scales are just a measurement of how heavy you are. It's measures how much you weigh, whether it's muscle, fat, water weight, etc. Besides it's just a number, as long as you know that your body is in great shape and it's toned, then don't worry about it or get discouraged.

AliceInWonderland · February 10th, 2006, 11:42 AM

muscle weighs more than fat!

UndercoverGator · March 2nd, 2006, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Authority

Most scales are just a measurement of how heavy you are. It's measures how much you weigh, whether it's muscle, fat, water weight, etc. Besides it's just a number, as long as you know that your body is in great shape and it's toned, then don't worry about it or get discouraged.

and I have to keep thinking that. Been dieting hard and working out even harder. Lost some but this week while my pants are in a smaller size the damn scale jumped up four pounds. ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Once I get close to my ideal weight I'll post my before and after. Two years ago I started losing weight after having found myself scary-fat, Richard Simmons frumpenstein-lumpenstein fat. I've lost a fair amount but I still have a fair amount to go and it's friggin' hard....

chatterweb · March 2nd, 2006, 09:27 PM

I lost 9 pounds total so far, and 32 more to go. I do not eat breakfast anymore, I instead drink 6 cups of coffee with evaporated milk, and 16 oz of h2o with zipfizz, then 16 oz plain h2o. I eat smaller portions and salad for lunch and fish or shrimp for dinner. This week I weighed 6 lbs less than last week. I also walk more.
I hate the scale, but, I hope the weight comes off this way, I think I was eating too much before!

UndercoverGator · March 6th, 2006, 02:55 PM

Cutting your portions in half is good but be sure you cut back on the coffee and zipfizz and make sure you're eating enough fruits and veggies. My nutritionist is saying you need to limit coffee to two cups, sodas/zipfizz to two per day and drink a minimum of 8 full glasses of water a day. Many people cut back too severely or eat the wrong things and while the weight comes off it doesn't stay off as a result, the second they eat normally it comes right back on. Not healthy to lose more than a 2 or 3 pounds a week.