What is the danger
How does this happen in practice? A person bravely overcomes all the temptations of the world gastronomic backstage all day long, and instead of relaxing in the evening watching TV, he sweats in the gym. In the morning he gets on the scales, expecting a reward of “minus 300 grams”, and then there’s a plus! The next shot is “screw it all, there’s no point anyway!” - a forced march to the refrigerator with the destruction of everything that is not nailed down. The second option for the development of events is to “cut” the daily calorie intake even more, in especially severe cases, go on fasting-kefir diets or some other fashionable obscurantism from the pages of Instagram (they won’t lie there!)
In both cases, nothing good, of course, happens. And these unfortunate scales are to blame for showing an increase. Although, provided that only two factors are observed - a reasonable diet and adequate physical activity - the process of burning fat goes on as usual. And it does not always directly correlate with the readings on the scales. In just a day, weight can change by kg or even more. There are many reasons - shifts in the water-salt balance (we ate salted fish at night), muscle swelling after high-impact strength training, changes in hormonal levels, which is especially important for women.
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Advantages and disadvantages
Mechanical devices are necessary to control body weight. They show the correspondence of weight to height and age - the state of human health.
Advantages of mechanical floor scales:
- the cost is low;
- strength;
- no special storage conditions required;
- understandable to anyone;
- operation does not depend on electricity or batteries;
- easy to use;
- long service life.
Disadvantages of mechanical floor scales:
- error;
- no additional features;
- limiting the weight of the person being weighed.
How to do it right
So what happens, don’t weigh yourself at all? I’m afraid that no one losing weight can withstand such torture. The brain loves to measure and analyze everything. And it wouldn’t hurt to motivate us to know that just a couple of months ago we were carrying, say, 7 kg more. It’s just that scales, like any other tool, must be used correctly.
1. Take measurements once a week. 2. Always in more or less similar conditions. For example, on Sunday morning, before breakfast. 3. Use the same scales, since an error in the settings of different equipment can “steal” all the positive dynamics. 4. It is better to purchase scales with additional sensors that calculate the percentage of body fat. The data will, of course, be very, very approximate, but over a distance they will clearly show the dynamics. 5. If expectations (lost weight☺) differ from reality (weight hasn’t changed☹), first analyze what happened last night. Maybe the body has gained a little extra water. Of course, women should take into account the fluctuations associated with their cycle.
But even following these rules does not guarantee that you will be able to avoid the “weight trap.” For example, beginners who have recently entered the gym can sometimes build muscle mass even on a diet, when it would seem theoretically impossible. There are few calories coming in, so the building material for new muscle fibers has nowhere to come from. But the body somehow twists around and still builds muscles, it seems like it’s literally out of thin air. This period, unfortunately, is short-lived, but it exists! This is the bonus for neophytes, for which experienced athletes are ready to sell their souls. But, alas, this is no longer available to them. That is, the body can “eat up” fat and grow muscle over a short period of time. And as a result, there is an increase on the scales.
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How to weigh yourself. Let's understand the results
It is very important to understand not only how to weigh yourself correctly, but also what the scale actually shows. The correct attitude to the results of weighing will allow you to avoid disappointment in the process of losing weight.
So, having stepped on the scale with a very strong desire to see less weight than yesterday, we may encounter the following situations:
- Weight has decreased . Hooray! Good mood for the whole day is guaranteed.
- Weight has increased. Horror! Nothing helps!
- The weight stays the same. I won't lose another gram of weight again!
Before we analyze each of these situations, take a look at the actual weight loss chart of one blog reader.
Are you surprised that it looks so wavy?
In fact, this is exactly how the normal, physiologically correct and safe process of weight loss proceeds. There should be periods when weight decreases (A), there may be periods of weight growth (B) and stages when weight freezes at one point (C).
Weight cannot be lost constantly and at the same speed!
This is perhaps the most important rule you should know. Accept this as an axiom that does not require proof. Weight loss is always a wave-like process, going through periods of sudden gains and stops.
It is very important to understand that when weighing you determine not only mass, you determine the weight of your body, which consists of tissues, bones, liquids, including water. Therefore, observing the dynamics of weight, we see a change in the mass of not only fat, but also other components of our body.
Based on this, let's analyze each case in our graph.
Additional indicator
In general, scale readings, as you already understand, are an insidious thing; relying only on them is a big risk of ruining your mood. Therefore, I always recommend once a week not only to step on the scale, but also to measure your waist. The most common measuring tape (tailor's or sewing meter). The rules are generally the same as for weighing.
1. Unity of time and conditions (Sunday morning on an empty stomach). 2. Do not change the measuring “device” (the tapes have different levels of stretch, which sometimes takes half a centimeter, but sometimes they are so important). 3. Do not pull in or protrude the abdomen, maintain a neutral position. 4. Men measure their waist at just below the navel, women - at the narrowest point. But the most important thing is to always measure exactly at the same level.
In practice, the weight may remain unchanged, but the waist will become a whole centimeter thinner in the same week (sometimes more). Of course, this means that the fat layer is thinning, and this is our main task! It also happens the other way around: your waist doesn’t change, but the weight is gone. Also good. It’s absolutely ideal if there’s a “minus” here and there. But this doesn't always happen. Very often these indicators will play catch-up. But it’s important for us to have a safety net so that the scale readings don’t spoil our mood and take away the much-needed motivation to continue.
By the way, if you choose between scales and tape, I definitely vote for the latter. So you can try to save money. Both nerves and money (the initial models of scales with an adipose tissue analyzer cost a couple of thousand rubles and more, a tailor’s meter costs 200 rubles). A little life hack. And your waist circumference can quickly tell you whether it’s time to lose weight or whether you can still “take a walk.” If the measurement result does not exceed half of your height, then everything is not so bad. Was there more? Well, as an option, you can try to grow up.
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What do the scales show?
Let's take a closer look at how to correctly understand weighing results.
Stage A – weight loss period
The most joyful period, which inspires, gives strength to further follow the weight loss program, and maintains motivation.
As a rule, the rate of weight loss at the very beginning is quite high and can be up to 2 kilograms per week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Subsequently, the rate of weight loss decreases. This is natural and you need to be prepared for it.
The physiologically safe rate of weight loss is 4 kilograms per month. It is this rate of weight loss that does not harm your health, increases the chances of maintaining the achieved results, in addition, in order to ensure such a speed, you do not need to starve yourself to the point of fainting, give up everything tasty and high-calorie, or torture yourself to exhaustion in the gym.
You may think that 4 kilograms is too little. I would like to remind you of the well-known saying that speed, as you know, is only needed when catching fleas, and when losing weight, this is the very last indicator that you should pay attention to.
Think about it, you didn't wake up one morning with 20 kilograms of excess weight. The weight was gained gradually, perhaps over more than one year. So why do you expect him to leave in a week?
Losing fat takes time. And this is very important to understand so that temporary difficulties do not drive you into depression. If you were able to choose a diet that promotes weight loss, if you move in the right direction every day, you will inevitably get results. It's only a matter of time.
It is important to correctly evaluate your daily results. If it seems to you that minus 200 grams per day is very little, imagine these grams in the form of a stick of butter.
Doesn't this already seem like a very small result?
You might argue that the Internet is full of diet sites that promise to lose 7-10 kilograms per week.
Let's take an honest look at the situation. Even in a clinical setting under the supervision of doctors and nutritionists, it is extremely difficult to achieve a rate of fat breakdown of more than 1 kilogram per week. Note that I'm talking specifically about fat.
All “vaunted” diets provide weight loss not at all due to the breakdown of fat. The loss of kilograms in these cases is achieved mainly due to a decrease in the mass of intestinal contents and the excretion of water. By the way, the action of almost all teas for weight loss is based on this effect.
A sharp decrease in calorie intake (which is typical of almost all express diets) leads to a decrease in the amount of glycogen in our body. Glycogen is a reserve of carbohydrates, although it is not large (about 150 grams), it holds up to 2 liters of water. Due to the fact that water is removed with the consumption of glycogen, weight loss of up to 1 kilogram per day is achieved. But, as soon as nutrition returns to normal, glycogen reserves are restored, and water and weight return with it.
Stage B – period of weight gain
When, during weighing, the scale needle shows an increase, your mood deteriorates for a long time. Is this really a reason to be upset?
The most common cause of temporary weight gain is fluid retention in the body.
When this happens:
- eating salty foods. 10 grams of excess salt will retain a liter of fluid in your body. It’s very easy to gain these 10 grams of salt - just eat about 100 grams of salted fish and a morning gain on the scales is guaranteed;
- alcohol also retains water, which means it will cause weight gain;
- Insufficient water consumption, oddly enough, causes swelling, i.e. water retention and weight gain;
- The female body also retains water before the onset of menstruation, so weight gain during this period is almost guaranteed.
It is important to understand that in the cases described above, weight gain is not associated with fat accumulation and is temporary. Therefore, when you see an increase on the scales, treat it with understanding and calmly.
Be patient
What to do if both your waist and weight have not changed in a week? Do not panic! Firstly, the body does not like to lose weight. This is fat for you - a source of dissatisfaction with the reflection in the mirror, and for him - a stash in case of hunger. And you know, no one likes to take something out of their stash. And he tries his best not to do this. So wait another week. And if even then the process does not move in the right direction, then there is a reason to make adjustments to nutrition and physical activity.
In general, don't rush. You haven’t been getting fat for a month or a year, so give your body time to remember what it’s like to be beautiful and fit again.”
Is it worth replacing weighing with measurements?
Total weight and body size are unequal values. The first indicator is formed by a combination of many factors, including diet, lifestyle and others. The second parameter refers to the size of individual parts of the body.
It must be borne in mind that weight is determined taking into account all parts of the body. But at the same time, fats that are “burned off” during diets and physical activity are often deposited in certain parts of the body (arms, legs, and so on). That is, the total mass may exceed the recommended values, and the dimensions of the limbs may correspond. This means that both procedures are necessary to control weight and body condition.
How to choose a mechanical bathroom scale
Load
The choice of scales is determined by the intended weight of the measurement. The device for home use determines weight from 1 to 150 kilograms. The maximum figure reaches 250 kg.
Weight
Depending on the size of the platform, material, type of dial, as well as the presence of additional accessories, the weight of the scale changes. Compact scales weigh about a kilogram. A more massive device - 2 kg +/-0.5 kg.
Scale feet
The bottom of the device is equipped with legs, usually four of them. Serves as a support. The material used to make the legs is plastic or metal. Sometimes they are rubberized, which provides additional protection against slipping.
Division
The markings of most models are calculated in one kilogram; there are scales with marks of 0.5 kg.
LCD screen
Some models have an electronic display, but the mechanism of action is the same spring. The deviation is measured by a special sensor.
The accuracy of this is established during production, reaching an error value of ten or one hundred fractions of a kilogram. The readings are much easier to read.
Material
The weight of the scale, appearance, and service life depend on the composition of the case.
If the body is made of metal, it is more durable and resistant to mechanical stress. The cost will become much higher.
Plastic ones are characterized by a long service life if the plastic is of high quality. But the composition of the case will not provide protection from damage due to falls or impacts. And low-quality ones break under a person being weighed.
Availability of a rug
Some models are equipped with a corrugated pad, which prevents the person from slipping when weighing.
Sight glass material
There are two types of display coating - glass or plastic. The plastic is susceptible to clouding and scratches. Over time, the appearance will deteriorate and it will be difficult to look at the scale. Tempered glass stays clear longer.
Dimensions
The model range is represented by scales with different digit sizes. If you have vision problems, choose a large dial with large numbers. Better with red marks.
Additional equipment
A height and weight chart helps determine fitness levels. Using special marks (colored markers), the previous weighing result is saved or the current weight value is recorded. The function is convenient when comparing body weight indicators.
Design
The standard shapes are circle and square. There are also oval, rectangular and triangular. A wide palette of colors is possible.
