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Scales

Scales are a great way to measure your weight loss, however you must always be wary that whilst they are generally an accurate measure, there are a few things that will affect a weigh-in.

If you are dieting and exercising 4 – 5 times a week and you are doing weight-bearing activities there is a chance that initially your physical weight won’t change that much as you are converting fat into muscle.

Your body shape is changing and you will look slimmer and more toned, however your scale weight may only move by a pound or even less! Only once your body has become accustomed to the new patterns and activities you will start to lose pounds!

Buying a set of scales

It is a great idea to buy a good quality set of scales. If you are using old, rusty, been-in-my-grandmothers-cupboard scales chances are they might be a little “out�? and not as accurate as a newer set.

There are lots of different types of scales available, some are simple and measure only weight loss, others measure not only the weight loss but also fat percentage change. Have a look around and see what would suit you.

There are different scales for every budget and every home. If you are going to be measuring yourself regularly then neat compact scales might be an option. If you are carrying a lot of extra weight you might need to invest in scales that can weight heavier amounts, many ‘common’ sets won’t go over a certain number of pounds.

Using community scales

However if you are not up for buying a new set of scales at the moment and don’t even have a dodgy old set in your cupboard then there is always another option. You can head to your local chemist, supermarket or mall and weigh yourself there.

I imagine there are a few people reading this right now and thinking “over my dead body am I weighing myself in public�? and “you have got to be joking!�?. Well I hear you and I totally understand you, however there are a couple of points that might help change your mind!

  1. It is super cheap (under 50 cents – this could vary in different parts of the world!)

  2. Generally the scales will ask for your height and frame (small, medium or large) and then you are weighed, it can appear on a tiny screen (about double the size of a mobile phone screen) and then it will be printed on a piece of paper for you to keep.

  3. Once you do it for the first time, it is not so bad after that.

  4. Every week you are given a super accurate indication of how much weight you have lost.

  5. Despite what you may believe the machine won’t scream out “you weigh 500lbs�? so everyone can hear!

  6. There will be no music or balloons when you are weighed, in fact I would be surprised if anyone else even noticed! Very few people will actually be paying you any attention, and although you might believe otherwise, they are not that interested in how much you weigh!

Anyway have a think about it, and if you are serious about getting started but don’t have a $100 or so for a new set of scales this is a great option, plus you will get a digital reading which is about as accurate as you get.