Hello, friend!

If you’re someone who is or will be working toward a body composition goal, consider this a friendly reminder that while I am a proponent of relying on scale weight to gauge progress, it absolutely should not be viewed in isolation. Interpreting the meaning of scale weight is highly context-dependent!

Many people focus too much on scale weight when working towards their fitness goals, especially if they’re trying to shed body fat. If you’re starting your fat loss journey or if you're already in the middle of it, remember that your scale weight is just data. A lot of things both in and out of your control can have a huge impact on what this number reads, and this can include variables such as:

• any change in your carb intake over the past few days

• any change in your sodium intake over the past few days

• whether or not you’ve had a bowel movement

• how much water you’ve been drinking

• where you’re at in your menstrual cycle (if applicable)

• changes in your stress levels

• changes in your training routine or intensity

It might also help to remember that a lower scale weight doesn’t always mean better outcomes. What if you’ve hit a weight loss goal but your quality of life has dropped tremendously? What if you’ve had to resort to an unsustainably restrictive diet and more cardio than you’d like to hit that number on the scale? Is seeing a lower number on the scale worth a change in your libido or in your moods, thus potentially impacting your personal life or mental health?

Again, while I do use scale weight as one way to measure change, it’s also important to consider other areas of your mental, physical, and personal life that may be changing as a result of your training and/or dietary changes. For example:

• your clothes fit better

• you have more muscle definition

• your form has improved

• you’re stronger

• you have more endurance

• you’re recovering faster in between training sessions

• you feel more energetic

• you feel more confident

• you’re less stressed

• your sleep quality has improved

• your dietary adherence is better

• your mindset towards food has improved

• you feel good

Even if you aren’t chasing a body composition goal, please remember -

the number on the scale doesn’t define you, your value, or your hard work.