ο»ΏAre You Playing Russian Roulette with the Scales?
Have you ever got on the scales after a week of perfect eating and dedicated workouts only to see the number go up instead of down? That sinking feeling in your stomach. The frustration. The voice in your head saying "what's the point?" All you want to do is pick that damn scale up and smash it against the wall.
Or maybe you've had a big weekend and you're too scared to get on, but you do anyway. And then, to your surprise, your weight's gone down. Seriously, it can be all over the place. And if this sounds like you, you are not alone. And you're definitely not crazy.
The truth is, most of us have been playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette when it comes to the scales. And today I want to share with you a much more strategic way to weigh yourself. So whether you are checking your weight daily, weekly, or maybe you're someone who has thrown the scale out of the window, this episode is going to be a game changer.
Because here's the truth: The scale isn't your enemy. Misinterpreting what it's telling you is. And that's what we're going to deal with today on the Why Weight? Start Now podcast.
Welcome to the Why Weight podcast. I'm your host, Sheryl Takayama, qualified nutritionist, emotional eater and weight loss coach who walks the talk. I've maintained my 30 kilo weight loss for the past 23 years following a low carb plan, and now I coach other women online so they can do the same.
It's my mission to help women get off this crazy diet wagon and find a way of eating and a way of thinking that works. So you too can lose your weight for life. Join me each week for lots of practical advice, tips and motivation, so you can start now.
Hello, hello! How are you going? I can't believe I'm already up to episode 12 on this podcast, and I would love to know if you've listened to any previous episodes. Have you made any changes with your nutrition? Have you tried some low carb foods? Maybe had a bit of a look at what you are eating and just made a few changes? If you have, I'd love to hear how it's working for you. And of course, if you have any questions, please let me know because I will be doing an upcoming Q&A episode, so I'd love to help you in your journey.
Today's topic is something that is so near and dear to my heart, and I know it's something that we talk about so much in my office. It's those bloomin' scales and the love-hate relationship we can have with them. And I've certainly had my fair share of the love and hate over the last 23 years that I've been on my journey. And of course, many of my clients have too.
In fact, there's probably been several times where people would love to pick my scales up in my office and smash them against the wall. But today, I want to share with you a far more strategic way to look at the scales-to look at what they're telling us and how we can use this to our advantage when we're on a weight loss journey and really change the story. So it goes from being something that can annoy us emotionally and hinder our progress to something that we can use really strategically as a tool to give us a great insight into our health.
Why Scales Fluctuate
What I'm going to talk about today is why the scales fluctuate so much, why it really is like playing Russian roulette if you're getting on the scales every now and then, or maybe you're doing a weigh-in every Friday. And then I'm going to talk about what I recommend instead-what I do and what I recommend my clients do that really does make such a difference.
By the end of this episode, hopefully you're going to have some new tips to change your relationship with the scale, because it is a very useful tool on this journey. I must start by saying, though, that there is no rule that says you have to weigh yourself, okay? It's always just an option. And if for whatever reason, you've decided that it's just not for you, well, that's absolutely fine. There are no rules in this game, okay? All that matters is that you do what works best for you so that you can keep going and nail your result.
Over the last 23 years, I've tried many different strategies when it comes to weighing, and what I used to do was I would weigh myself when I thought the number would be good. So when I'd been taking really good action and I was stepping up, that's when I would be a bit more confident about weighing myself. You know, I like to do it on my terms, but as soon as my actions weren't so good and I knew that probably the scales would have gone up, well, I just didn't get on them. You know, I would just think, "Oh yeah, I'll wait another few more days or maybe a week or so." And when I did get on the scales, usually it wasn't particularly good news. And it really can be such a journey of highs and lows when you're doing this.
About five years ago, I decided to change my tune, and I made a commitment that I was just going to get on the scales and look at it, especially when I didn't want to. Now, when I made that commitment, it changed everything for me, and it's really changed my relationship with the scales. And I've seen what an effective tool it can be to measure so much more than just fat loss.
I've also seen the impact it's had on clients as well, when they've changed how they weigh themselves and get a lot more strategic about it. So that's what makes me really passionate to share this episode with you, to share a different way of looking at it, to help you and your journey.
It's Not Fat, It's Fluid
So let's look at why the scales fluctuate. And really, the biggest thing that you need to know is that when you get on that scale in the morning, it's very unlikely that you are actually seeing much to do with fat. Because body fat does not go up or go down very quickly at all. In fact, I would say that if you are going up or down by more than probably 200g overnight, it's not fat. It is fluid. And this is what most of what we're seeing on the scales is-the fluctuations of your fluid.
Now our body is about 70% water. So there are a lot of fluctuations that go on. And it's incredibly normal for your fluid levels to go up and down between a two kilo range on a very regular basis. And there are many things that can impact your fluid levels.
What Causes Scale Fluctuations
If you eat something salty, that's a big one. You might go out for dinner and have a low carb salad or something that you feel is a really good choice, but they might put a whole lot of salt in with the meat. You're not aware of it. You eat more salt, you get on the scales in the morning and you've gained a kilo. Like, that's quite typical. I see that in clients, and I know for me, if I have a salty meal, I can easily gain a kilo.
The other thing that will cause your scales to go up is if you eat carbohydrates, because one gram of carbohydrate will hold on to water, and particularly if you are doing low carb, and then you go and eat some carbs, your body's going to have a bit of water retention to help process those carbs. You're going to get on the scales next day and think you've totally blown it. You haven't. It's just water.
The other massive thing that makes such an impact on your fluid levels are hormones. And of course, there's not much we can do to control those. So where you're at in your menstrual cycle can have a huge impact on your scales going up and down, particularly at certain parts of your cycle, like ovulation.
I often find with clients that when they are ovulating, they will have sometimes a one kilo increase in fluid. And of course, right in the lead up to your period as well, you can have a bit of fluid retention, especially if you're feeling really bloated. So it's not that we can control that, but being aware of it helps us to understand why the scales might be going up, even though our food is completely on point.
If you are taking medication, that can also impact your fluid levels as your body's holding onto water to help process that. The other thing that can really make the scales go up is inflammation. And where I see this particularly impacting clients is if they do extra exercise. So they might do an intense workout, their body's sore. So then your body holds on to fluid just to help deal with that muscle pain and get things rebalanced again. Well, you're going to get on the scales and you're going to see a big jump.
And that can be very frustrating, especially if people are doing all this exercise thinking that it's going to help the scales go down. And of course, the long term effect of exercise is good, but in the short term it can definitely play havoc on the scales.
So when you are getting on the scales each morning, what you've eaten is really just a small part of how that number is changing. Yes, it is important. Of course we need to know how to eat, but you're not just seeing the impact of your food, okay? You're seeing the impact of a lot of things that could be happening in your lifestyle.
Weekly Weigh-Ins Are Russian Roulette
So these constant fluctuations and just how much it can change from day to day, is exactly why I do not recommend you weigh yourself on a set day each week, or perhaps a particular day of the month, because it really is like playing Russian roulette on the scales. It is absolutely hit and miss. It's not telling you really anything at all. And it's a big risk.
Because what if you decided that Friday was going to be the day that you weigh yourself? Now, you might have had a really good week. You're taking good action. And then on Thursday night, you go out for a meal and you eat something that's a little bit salty. You don't really realize it. In fact, you probably say no to a lot of things that other people are eating because you know that you want to stay on track.
You get up the next morning feeling proud of yourself for the decisions you've made. You get on the scales and oh my goodness, it's gone up a kilo since last week. That is soul destroying. Now those are the moments when it's so easy to think "stuff it, it's not working," when in actual fact, the truth might have been that over the course of that week, your weight was actually steadily dropping. Things were going well, and then it was just this little blip that happened the day before that caused your scales to go up.
So when you're just getting on the scale on that one day, it's giving you a snapshot and it is absolutely hit and miss as to whether that number is going to make you feel better about your journey or worse. So why risk this?
Daily Weighing: A New Approach
So this is what I changed five years ago. I decided that instead of just doing it half-heartedly, whenever I felt that I could get a good result, I was going to commit to looking at it every day, whether I wanted to or not. And what I soon discovered is that it is a brilliant way to see what's going on in your body.
I can tell exactly where I'm at hormonally, because I know now, based on my weight, what's happening with my menstrual cycle. You can tell if something you're doing is causing inflammation. I know if I've gone and done a hard workout, my scales are going to be going up. I can see that I'm inflamed, but I totally know why it's happening.
It's also a brilliant way of noticing how different foods are impacting you, because you can see quickly if your weight's jumped up that possibly what you've eaten has caused a bit of inflammation. So what I found by weighing myself every day is that it's given me this brilliant insight into what is happening within my body. It's the kind of data that is so useful, and I've been able to interpret this and benefit from it, because I've just removed the emotion from looking at that number and thinking that that is in some way a reflection of my health, or whether it's good or bad based on what actions I've been taking.
I don't look at it as an emotional ruler of what I'm doing. I look at it as data, and this is what I tell my clients. You know, you've got to put on your chemistry coat, look at that number and say, "What is this telling me about my body, my health and my actions?"
And yes, it is a great way of getting accountability for what you're doing. I mean, if you have a big meal and you overindulge and you don't want to look at the scales the next day, that's a really good time to just jump on and have a look and see what the effect is of that food. You might not like what you see, but at the end of the day, it's just data, you know?
And if you're willing to look at it and not get too emotional about it and just observe and then maybe modify your behavior based on the number that you're seeing, it can have such a huge impact on your journey. It's not a judgment on us as people and on our actions and of our health. All it is, is data, and you've got to expect fluctuations.
In fact, the more that I've weighed myself, the more comfortable I am with seeing the scales go up and down, because I know that that's simply how my body's going to react. And I also know that when the scales jump up, they are going to come down again. I trust that because I've seen it in myself so much.
Other Factors Affecting Your Weight
The other really interesting thing that I've noticed through daily weighing is the impact that sleep has. If I have a bad night's sleep, or I go to sleep too late and wake up too early, the scales very regularly will jump up. So again, because I've seen this data, it really makes me value bed time and want to go to bed as early as I can, because I know that if I don't do that, there's that inflammation that lingers on, and it's those kind of things that can really have an impact on your health.
Now I don't want to go getting all woo-woo here, because I could probably do a whole topic on this alone. But there are many cultural perspectives of tracking patterns with the moon. And you've also got to think about it-the moon controls the tide, it's controlling water. So what I find so fascinating is that often when it's the new moon, which encourages a release, I will see that lots of women on my scales, they experience a nice little drop in fluid. And I know that if one lady's having that, probably every lady that day is going to have it.
So I've started to identify this pattern. The same thing on a full moon. The full moon can encourage a bit of fluid retention. So I know that if someone's got unexpected fluid retention, probably everyone will that day. So that's another way that you can be a bit more strategic. You might decide, "You know what, I'm just going to weigh myself on the new moon." And it's a pattern, it's a cycle that you can use strategically to get an idea of what is going on without just jumping on the scales at random and not really getting any data at all.
Other Ways to Track Progress
Of course, weighing yourself is by no means the only tool that you have to start tracking your progress. You can choose a particular pair of pants that might be a bit too tight now and then try them on at regular intervals to see if they start fitting. Another option is to get a piece of string or a tape measure and measure various parts of your body.
It doesn't matter what you use. All that matters is that what you're doing is giving you the information that's going to help you know, "Is what I'm doing working?" Because there's no doubt that data is very useful, because if you're not seeing the changes that you would like to see, then you know that you can start changing your actions.
Conclusion
No matter where you're at with your journey and the scales, I hope that this episode today has just given you a different perspective on how to look at that number. It's not a judgement, it's just data. So start using it to your advantage. Realize that weight fluctuations are so normal, and it does not mean that anything's going wrong with your food. It's just a sign that other things are happening within your body.
So use that data to learn and start to recognize your own patterns. Knowledge is everything, and when you start to see your patterns, I think it's a really, really effective tool and far more useful than just the Russian roulette, the hit and miss of jumping on the scales at random intervals. That is not going to tell you anything.
Get into a routine of weighing that works for you. I would always suggest first thing in the morning, no clothes on if you can, and just set your own boundaries with when you're going to do it and how you are going to interpret your data. What I think is the more often you do it, the better. And if you're really struggling with the scales, find another tool that might work for you. Whether that's taking your measurements or using a piece of clothing, it doesn't matter what it is, all that matters is that you keep your head in the game, so you keep going.
I always like to finish this podcast with a little tip of one thing you could do to get started now, and I think for today, I would love you to just look at what you're doing at the moment with weighing yourself. And if you have been getting on the scales every now and then, why not try just weighing yourself every day for a week? You don't have to do it any longer than that. If you do it for a week and just think, "No, this doesn't work for me," that's totally fine, but why not give it a try? You might find that just trying something new can give you a new outcome, which is always what we're looking for in this journey.
Thanks so much for listening. And if you want support on your weight loss journey, I would love to help. You'll see the links in the show notes for my socials, as well as my fab freebie, a five day low carb meal plan, and five delicious dinner recipes. You'll also see the link for my four week Foundations of Fat Loss program. This is the program I've designed specifically for the fat burning needs of women over 35.
Remember, the only thing that's going to stop you reaching your goal is if you quit. Never, ever give up.
