Why does the scale suck so much?

We see it here at Movimento all the time. Someone has just joined us or is coming in for a reassessment and there’s the dreaded look when we ask them to step on the scale. For so many people, that number has determined their mood, happiness levels, and even their personal value or worth for many years.

We actually preach detachment from the scale, but at the same time, it’s important to have numbers by which to track progress, and the scale is one of those numbers that gives us data.
One question that comes up a lot is why the scale can be slow to move when you are eating right and working out hard.
It can be frustrating, and we get it! But here’s why…
Because you are building lean muscle at the same time as burning fat.
It’s a simple matter of density. No, muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat because a pound of fat and a pound of muscle will always weigh the same.
It just so happens that muscle takes up a lot less space. In fact, fat can take up THREE times more space than muscle of the same weight!
Our example muscle and fat in the studio both weigh 5 lbs but look very different:

This is why we can see clients stay at the same weight — or even GAIN weight — while dropping dress/pant sizes!
Many factors can also play into what the scale says on any given day, including hydration levels, muscle glycogen levels, stress levels, and for women, time of the month.
So, if you’re feeling married to the number on the scale, it is important to focus far more on body measurements, tracking clothing sizes, and progress photos because the scale is not the only measure of success!
To your best health,
~ Juan