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It's Not Just About the Scale
While filming the National Body Challenge series for Discovery Health TV, I recall the humorous antics that occurred while I was being taped weighing each of the show's participants. The scale I used was actually a body composition analyzer. In addition to body fat and muscle mass, it also showed overall weight. That was enough to strike fear in the hearts of the women, but not the men. Fully clothed, guys would merrily hop up on the equipment, chuckle at the numbers (which weren't pretty), and high five each other laughing about who had the highest body fat.
By contrast, the women would start to peel every bit of clothing they could get away with on a family rated show, tossing off sweat shirts, rings, watches, bracelets and even earrings, before tentatively stepping on the analyzer. Several pleaded with us for a moment to hit the women's room and empty that bladder. Once on the apparatus, some women would squeeze their eyes shut and not look, a few just looked straight ahead never peering down to check out the numbers, and one even stepped on backwards to avoid looking at anything. No doubt about it. This is Scale Scare at its worst. Many people have lived a life of fearing the number that could mean the difference between having a great day, or the moody blues.
I'd like to help you by setting the record straight. Scale weight alone tells you nothing about what's really happening in your body or your health. Instead, you need to pay attention to other factors: body composition, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waistline measurement.
Scale weight is made up of the interplay between your basic body composition elements (bone, muscle, fat). Since bone doesn't change dramatically in the short term, your weight is all about the relationship between muscle and fat. The more muscle you have and the less fat, the smaller your size.Body composition is about not just the quantity but quality of your body. Also, don't confuse body fat with Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI is your weight divided by your height in meter squared and is a number that is used by doctors to assess your risk for medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Also, don't forget your waistline! It's not just how fat you are, it's where the fat is at. If you have too much fat inside your abdomen, you're at high risk for disease. Measure your girth crossing your belly button. Guys need to keep that number below 40 inches, and women below 35 inches.
So you have four main numbers to keep in mind:
Here's a great recent posting from Saginovi30 on my weight management board that makes the point about body composition:
My answer to her is that I can have five women who are all the same age, height and weight, and I will show you five different dress sizes, from a 4 to a 12. That's because the total amount of fat you carry on your body will determine your dress size. Fat occupies more space than muscle. When you're trying to zip up those jeans, that ain't muscle getting in the way! In this woman's case, there is no doubt that she has a low body fat (below 20%) and a higher muscle mass. This is the result of genetics and exercise.
The bottom line is please toss your scale and go out and get a body fat analyzer. They range from simple, inexpensive models that will provide just your weight and body fat percentage, to fancier scales that will show you how many pounds of muscle and fat you carry. To achieve your optimal body composition, it is absolutely necessary to do regular physical activity. If you simply starve yourself all the time to achieve some mythical scale weight, your muscle mass will fall and you'll actually end up with a higher body fat percentage. Instead, your goal is to maximize your muscle and minimize your body fat.
Here are some guidelines for average (non elite athletes or naturally thin people) height men and women:
I hope by now you see that scale weight alone is just one element of a more complex picture of your body and overall health.
Related Topics:
By contrast, the women would start to peel every bit of clothing they could get away with on a family rated show, tossing off sweat shirts, rings, watches, bracelets and even earrings, before tentatively stepping on the analyzer. Several pleaded with us for a moment to hit the women's room and empty that bladder. Once on the apparatus, some women would squeeze their eyes shut and not look, a few just looked straight ahead never peering down to check out the numbers, and one even stepped on backwards to avoid looking at anything. No doubt about it. This is Scale Scare at its worst. Many people have lived a life of fearing the number that could mean the difference between having a great day, or the moody blues.
I'd like to help you by setting the record straight. Scale weight alone tells you nothing about what's really happening in your body or your health. Instead, you need to pay attention to other factors: body composition, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waistline measurement.
Scale weight is made up of the interplay between your basic body composition elements (bone, muscle, fat). Since bone doesn't change dramatically in the short term, your weight is all about the relationship between muscle and fat. The more muscle you have and the less fat, the smaller your size.Body composition is about not just the quantity but quality of your body. Also, don't confuse body fat with Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI is your weight divided by your height in meter squared and is a number that is used by doctors to assess your risk for medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Also, don't forget your waistline! It's not just how fat you are, it's where the fat is at. If you have too much fat inside your abdomen, you're at high risk for disease. Measure your girth crossing your belly button. Guys need to keep that number below 40 inches, and women below 35 inches.
So you have four main numbers to keep in mind:
- Scale Weight = Bone + Muscle + Fat
- Body Mass Index = Weight/Height m2
- Body Fat Percentage = Total Fat/Total Weight x 100
- Waist size = tape measurement across belly button
Here's a great recent posting from Saginovi30 on my weight management board that makes the point about body composition:
"I'm 5'8", wear a size 4 jeans, but I weigh 145 lbs. Usually women my height and pants size weigh 120 or less. I exercise regularly, but I don't understand why on the outside I look 120 pounds, but in reality, I weigh 25 pounds more. Is it true that muscle weighs more than fat?"
My answer to her is that I can have five women who are all the same age, height and weight, and I will show you five different dress sizes, from a 4 to a 12. That's because the total amount of fat you carry on your body will determine your dress size. Fat occupies more space than muscle. When you're trying to zip up those jeans, that ain't muscle getting in the way! In this woman's case, there is no doubt that she has a low body fat (below 20%) and a higher muscle mass. This is the result of genetics and exercise.
The bottom line is please toss your scale and go out and get a body fat analyzer. They range from simple, inexpensive models that will provide just your weight and body fat percentage, to fancier scales that will show you how many pounds of muscle and fat you carry. To achieve your optimal body composition, it is absolutely necessary to do regular physical activity. If you simply starve yourself all the time to achieve some mythical scale weight, your muscle mass will fall and you'll actually end up with a higher body fat percentage. Instead, your goal is to maximize your muscle and minimize your body fat.
Here are some guidelines for average (non elite athletes or naturally thin people) height men and women:
- Average adult men need to keep their body fat percentage between 18-25% for their lifetime.
- Average women should aim to keep their body fat percentage about 20-25% until age 45-50, when the range can increase to 28%, and after the age of 65, up to 32% due to the age related decline in muscle mass after the seventh decade of life.
- Aim for a BMI below 25.
- Waist measurements should be less than 40 inches for men, and less than 35 inches for women.
I hope by now you see that scale weight alone is just one element of a more complex picture of your body and overall health.
Related Topics:
- Weight Loss & Fitness with Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP
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Labels: BMI, fitness, scale, weight loss
