Weight Loss Article - The Mirror or the Scale?

"Should I believe the mirror, the scale or the measuring tape?"

With the help of the Smart Technique, 6-week Body Makeover, or other dynamic weight loss program, you will be building yourself from the inside out. In short time, your energy level will improve, your mood will improve and your need to rest or nap after rough-housing with the kids will subside. You will gradually shift from having to force yourself to avoid soda pop, chips and candy to naturally avoiding them without a second thought.

As you progress through the weight loss program, you will notice that we focus on shifting your interest from the bathroom scale to the mirror to the measuring tape. We care more about your body's tone and composition than the weight reported by the scale. There is often a mix-up between what the scale says and how that relates to the accomplishment of your ultimate goal.

When starting a diet, most people say things like, "I want to lose 10 pounds" or "I want to gain 10 pounds", but they are losing sight of their true goal. When trying to lose weight, do you really want to lose 10 pounds or do you want to look and feel thinner? If you lost 10 pounds but looked the same, was the diet a success? On the flip side, if you put on 10 pounds while trying to gain weight but it was all in your belly, would you consider that a success? After all, you met your goal didn't you? You can see where we're going with this.

The temptation to hop on the scale is hard to resist, but you must focus your efforts on something that better assesses your body's composition. What matters most is not the number of pounds you have gained or lost, but the fat you've burned and the muscles you've toned. This is the true determinant of your success. How do you look and how do you feel? Do you have a before picture you can refer to? Have people noticed a change?

The mirror is also a better solution than the scale, but the image it reflects can often be distorted by your mood. When you're in a good mood, the tendency is perceive yourself as thinner and vice versa when you're in a bad mood. The skin's texture is also a good indicator for the state of your underlying condition, especially where cellulite is involved.

In the grand scheme of things, the mirror is always better than the scale for determining your progress, but your best bet is actually your body's measurements. They reveal without ambiguity your body fat ratio (how much fat versus how much lean body mass you have). Even though it is not the most accurate among the body composition assessment techniques, it certainly is the least expensive and probably the most reliable when a professional is unavailable.

Interpreting the feedback from the above methods is not always simple. The scale can give a false sense of failure or even security and your mood can distort the mirror's reflection. The measuring tape, however, can't be affected by moods or an undigested meal and it remains the best way to analyze your results. Keep in mind that inches will drop or rise slower than weight, but at least the progress you make will be permanent and encouraging.

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