Our family is going to undertake a diet and exercise regimine...as a part of that we are all gettiong the equipment and things we are going to need. Me and my brother want us to buy a scale. We see it as a tool of encouragement and measurement of our progress or regress.
My father thinks it is a bad idea because its demoralizing and it is bad for dieting.
What do you guys think? Should we or should we not? It's upto Yahoo Answers..Thanks
2006-09-12 10:36:31 · 14 answers · asked by NARC 3 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
buy a scale... but it's off limits to everyone except for one day a week... for example, everyone gets to weigh themselves on saturday morning and that's it for the week.
make sure that whatever tracking system you use to measure weight ALSO tracks inches and general feeling of health and energy. so, say your sister only loses 1 lb, but she loses inches on her body and her energy level goes from a 7.5 to a 10!. that would be very motivating.
your dad is right that weight is only a small part of the big picture... but it's still a part of the healthier lifestyle picture.
2006-09-12 10:44:12 · answer #1 · answered by Patti B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I say your dad is right. This little piece of equipment causes more trouble for the people that I work with! This is why: When people have a scale around close by, they weight themselves way too much to gage their progress or regress as you put it. It can set your mood and the way you feel about yourself for the rest of the day! You can either feel good or bad about yourself all day long. For some people, they get really down and upset if they've gained a pound, and for some , when the scale doesn't move fast enough really discouraged.
This would be my suggestion: get a tape measure and measure these areas. Type out a form, put these areas on it, and have someone do the measuring, then in 6 weeks, have the same person measure you again. Biceps, chest, neck, waist, hips, thighs, calf muscles. In this way you can see how much you've lost. I've never really understood the scales anyhow, how in the world can that really gage anything, as it weighs everything, we fluctuate so much with fluids daily. This is what I do for my clients. You can start out with one initial weigh in, and then don't do it again for 6 weeks, hide the scales in a safe place!
2006-09-12 10:45:06 · answer #2 · answered by trainer53 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy the scale. If the truth hurts you just have to get over it in order to have any tangible results. Also you need to eat right. That means reading the labels of everything you eat and eliminating Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated oils, refined flour products such as white bread and pasta. What you will find is that most everything sold on the shelves of the supermarkets is hazardous to your health. Eating right is hard work, but it has great results. Also the best exercise there is is walking. Take a walk two or three times a week as a family and rekindle the adventure.
2006-09-12 10:47:04 · answer #3 · answered by yes_its_me 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry ShaMayMay you aren't very smart about the "muscle weights more than fat" it doesn't mean a pound of fat weighs less than a pound of muscle, it means that if you were to take 1 square inch of muscle and 1 square inch of fat, that the muscle will weight more than the fat does. Fat, although it weights less, takes up more space.
Get the scale, it is a great tool for measuring loss, but also use a measuring tape like others have suggested.
2006-09-12 11:04:49 · answer #4 · answered by cittykat99 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scales are great,but be aware...that when you get a good excerise routine, the # on the scalse may increase, not because you are gaining weight but the water in your body is shifting aroung which may make you weigh more. I have seen alot of people get dicoraged but scales keep you in check
2006-09-12 10:42:39 · answer #5 · answered by All Of the Above 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I belong to Weight Watchers and they say you should only weigh yourself once a week. See, your body weighs different amounts, all week long. It all depends on how much you ate, how much you pooped, how much you peed....So if you do get a scale, weigh yourself once a week. Your whole family should weigh in on Friday for example, write it down and forget about it.
But the scale can also lie....see, if you are working out, you are replacing fat with lean muscle, so you might weigh the same, but your clothes will fit different.
My friend on WW was working out every day and not loosing weight, but her pants were falling off! She couldn't figure it out.
And please don't ever believe ANY one who says, "muscle weighs more than fat". How can one pound of muscle weight more than one pound of fat? Its not scientificly possible! A pound of feathers and a pound of metal both weigh....One Pound. One will be bigger, bulkier and take up more room....the feathers!
good luck to you and your entire family....if you use the scale wisely, you may win your argument with your dad.
2006-09-12 10:45:11 · answer #6 · answered by ShaMayMay 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what is wrong with getting a scale after you start a diet everyone weigh in once a week say like every friday this just gives the ppl who didnt lose weight more incentive to do better next week
2006-09-12 10:39:38 · answer #7 · answered by oceanlady580 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think a scale is a very good idea. but don't get on it every day. get on it once a week, say, maybe sunday night or something. it can be very motivating, especially when you start seeing the results. but don't scrimp and buy one of those cheap scales. spend a few dollars more to get the better brand.
2006-09-12 10:48:10 · answer #8 · answered by Vol_Fan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get the scale, but only take it out once a week and do a group weigh in!
2006-09-12 10:42:35 · answer #9 · answered by Wendy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just remember not to get frustrated when you don't see a change on the scale, because it will happen. Use you clothing as a sign of weight loss.
2006-09-12 10:41:19 · answer #10 · answered by Dr. Chiro 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋