Some might dislike me for writing this post, but it is actually with good intentions and I think the majority of my readers are adults who are able to think for themselves. If you’re under 18, stop reading :)
When I started running last year I looked for a way to measure my progress and I came upon a great scale that I’ve really loved and that has taught me to not be bothered with my weight! After all I didn’t start running to lose weight, but it was part of my workout to get more fit. As scales are supposed to the scale shows weight, but more interestingly it also shows fat percentage and sends the data through wifi to your phone/computer/ipad. The scale allows you to track trends in your body composition changes over time—graphs and all—and you don’t even have to lift a finger to enter that data. Brilliant, right?
Obviously writing about a scale is very bad for a blogger, but this is when I will explain my good intentions. I think many girls are so obsessed with their weight and especially the number, but the number has very little to do with how your body looks like. It’s how much muscles and how healthy you are that actually matters.
If you just started working out as a new years resolution (well done you!) you might find you’re putting on weight. But don’t let that put you off lifting weights, it’s probably just muscles as muscles weigh more than fat. Although the fat percentage measurement might not be the best on the scale (I really don’t know but I wouldn’t be surprised if the little devices used on your tummy shows more accurate numbers), that really doesn’t matter as it’s not the number that should be important to you. As long as you see the number decrease, and your weight increase you know you are doing something right! My point is, forget about your weight (and BMI for that matter) and focus on getting more muscles on your body and feeling healthy instead :)
Of course I would have to include that no one should get obsessed about the percentage, we all have different body types and different bone structures and going overboards is never a good idea. This post is meant for adults who are just looking to measure their progress while working out :)
As far as I know there are two wifi scales on the market. One is Withings and have been around for years, and the other is Aria which is farely new. I checked up on reviews and it seems the Withings scale is better so that’s the one I bought last year for Monaco and the one I just purchased again to have in our new home gym in London. Both can be connected to gadgets like fitbit that counts steps and that sort of thing. I bought the first scale on Amazon, and the second scale in Apple Store :)
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this post! I’ve definitely started focusing more on being fit than losing weight. There are some very muscular/toned girls in a fitness facebook group that I’m on and they look so healthy and great. I could easily starve myself to look skinny but to get a fit body you really need to be healthy.
The problem with these kinds of scales is that they’re highly inaccurate :/ Personally I wouldn’t waste my money on one and just use a measuring tape instead.
Yes, probably inaccurate but if you measure at the same time everyday you’ll see the curve which is way more important than the actual number :)
I’d love one, if only they were a little cheaper! So far the best thing I’ve ever found for fitness is the couch to 5km app on my phone, which trains you to run 5km straight over eight weeks. It graduates your workout up to the full 5k using run/walk intervals and is great if you’re unfit! There’s also a version called run zombies run which narrates a zombie story as you run – the fear definitely makes me run quicker!!!!
Jeg syntes denne posten var inspirerende heller enn “offensive”. Jeg har selv faktisk nesten gått opp 4-5 kg i forhold til det jeg veide FØR jeg begynte med stryketrening. Fikk SJOKK når jeg gikk på vekten hjemme (eier ikke vekt selv), men jeg merker, ser og får tilbakemeldinger på at det er pga muskler og ikke fett. Passer fortsatt inn i klærene mine, haha. Har alltid hatt lyst å få oversikt over fettprosent osv, men aldri komt meg rundt til å gjøre det. Det er så GØY å se og merke fremgang! Mestringsfølelse til tuuuusen! Kjempebra tips Celina!
Creds for at du i det hele tatt tørr å skrive dette innlegget! :) Du er tøff.
Håper du også er kommet skikkelig igang med trening!
Ha en nydelig dag.
<3
I have been searching for a new scale, the one I have currently will tell you 3 different sizes in a matter of minutes and so I know its time for a new one. This was on my list of things to research this week (so thanks for that). I usually focus on the inches lost rather than the pounds sometimes it can get discouraging but if your clothes fit looser than its a great sign.
Ikke dumt! – men med slike elektroniske målinger, vil ikke inntak av væske osv påvirke resultatet av fettprosentmålingen fra gang til gang? Klart, har man faste rutiner, og bruker vekten til samme tid hver uke har det kanskje ikke noe å si.. Moro at den kommuniserer med telefon/pc, hihi!
Jeg er glad for at du “tør” å skrive om denne temaet, for du har helt rett, vekten ER kun et tall. Man burde ikke henges ut på nett selv om man nevner måter å måle (fysisk) fremgang på!
Jeg bruker faktisk fettklype en gang i blant i tillegg til målebånd, og er svært fornøyd med å kunne si at selv om vekten går opp (og styrken min øker), så minker tykkelsen på fettet over hele kroppen. Hurra for vekttrening!
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I’m glad you posted this, Celina. It’s been pounded in to my brain my entire life that the weight scale is the most important thing to go by when getting healthy, when in fact it’s measurement, not the number on the scale. Of course I do have weight to lose, but I will have to reprogram my brain to focus on measurement and not weight.
Please post whatever it is you like on your blog, Celina. We love you for who you are and afterall, it is your blog to do with what you please. We just like to live vicariously. ;P
Thanks for the post! What a healthy message to send out for New Year’s. People do need to know that it’s not the number on the scale that’s important; it’s more of how healthy, fit and in shape you are. Could you do a post on stress management too, as part of this “healthy series”? Or make it into a series. ;) Thanks! Have a beautiful day!!
Good for you, Celina, for helping to promote the idea that looking fabulous has nothing to do with starving! Over the years I know I’ve struggled with that concept; lots of us think that skipping meals is a short cut to getting the bodies we want, and we end up suffering on many levels. The value of exercise is something we hear about all the time but it isn’t until we really start getting results that we truly understand it! Thanks for being another reminder to women (and men!) everywhere that healthy is far more fab than hungry. :)
It’s great that you write about this subject! There are so many people that misunderstand this and only care about their weight… My trainer is always like “You’ve gained weight! Great! Your muscle percentage has increased!”
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I think it’s great that you’re so positive about health and life – and are aware about coming across positively! You set a good example of what healthy living should be – eating well and getting motivated to exercise! I’ve only recently started reading your blog but love it already – keep it up! :-)
Kjempefint og fornuftig innlegg! Og takk for sunnhetsinspirasjon, det kommer godt med i disse dager ;)
I’m actually glad you wrote this. It’s nice to know that someone is willing to stand up and say it like it is and speak from themselves without letting petty comments keep them back.
You are right in what you were saying. It can be confusing if you are just starting to work out but don’t understand how the body works. Calipers are a fairly accurate tool and I think it is a good idea. It’s better than many other forms of measurement and a good indicator of progress.
Thank you for posting.
Samii
http://aestheticintrigue.blogspot.com/
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Hi Celina,
I’ve never responded to your blog before, but now I really feel I should. I think the message you’re giving here is a very good one, so don’t worry about influencing younger readers. (In fact, I wish there were more people telling youngsters to stop focusing on weight loss and start focussing on a healthy lifestile :)) Keep up the good work and the best of luck with interior designing, I absolutely love your blog and positive attitude!
Hi Hilde-Lotte! Thank you so much for your comment, I’m so happy to hear that :)
I really admire you for posting this! I’m glad someone out there is seriously sending the right message to people trying to not just lose weight, but get healthy! I have way too many friends who are obsessed with being waif thin instead of being healthy and fit! I love the butt picture as an example- it’s so true! Who would rather have a saggy bum than a healthy perky one?! Woo for weights! Thanks for this great, inspiring post! I like you even more now! :)