If you don’t like what you look like, what difference does it make what number the scale says?

“If you don’t like what you see in the mirror what difference does the scale make?” Vince Gironda

This has always puzzled me when it comes to how other people (men and women) feel about being/seeing a certain number on the scale. The number means absolutely nothing in terms of how you look or feel. You can look and feel completely like shit (all relative) at 150 pounds but look completely different and feel amazing at 150 pounds also. The same bodyweight but look completely different. This happens for a number of different reasons but one important being muscle density and focusing on ratios, symmetry, and proportions of the body.

If you strength train and develop more muscle density, while losing fat and emphasize different areas of the body to accentuate your figure you can weigh the exact same amount but look completely different. This is why it is so important to not worry about what the scale number is because it doesn’t tell you anything in terms of your health, what percentage of your body is bone, fat, muscle etc. If you focus on anything, focus on your health, how you feel, and emphasizing certain body parts over others. For men, focusing on the lateral aspects of the muscles to create a wide and tapering look give a more visual pleasing effect (all of this is relative). While women might want to focus on glutes, thighs, triceps etc (once again, all relative to what makes you feel and look the best).

Another thing to think about when it comes to sexual attractiveness (totally subjective) people do not have built in x-ray systems that sees what number you weight. Most men and women do not care or even know what number you weigh if they are attracted to you or not it isn’t because of what number they think you weigh but based on how you look to them based on the shape, curves, different emphasis on bodily structure which comes from not the number but bodily ratios, proportions, etc (without writing about all the other important factors that come into what makes another person sexually attractive like personality, confidence, values, etc, this post is on looks and the scale number).

Regardless of what you choose to do, the main thing is that you do what you love for yourself and not what you think someone else might want you to look like.

Example of Why the Scale Sucks

Another reason why the scale will always suck and does not measure progress whatsoever. And NO, muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. 1lb of muscle weighs the same as 1lb of fat. 1lb of muscle is denser than 1lb of fat. This means the same weight of muscle takes up less space than fat which is why you could lose fat but gain muscle and remain the exact same weight on the scale but look completely different.

Client: I have been restricting carbs and doing lots of running and I lost weight, YAY.
Gregory: Did you lose fat? Or did you lose water, muscle, bone density, while keeping the fat and damaging your metabolism. Essentially you are a sicker, smaller but still fatter version.

Client: I don’t want to gain weight though.
Gregory: Gain weight? You mean gain fat. You want to gain muscle. Gaining muscle means you are burning fat at rest. Gaining muscle means you can eat more without restricting. Without being miserable. You can gain weight (muscle) but lose fat and end up shaping your body in a great way but end up heavier on the scale but look smaller on the outside.

Client: I don’t want to gain weight though.
Gregory: *Blank stare* …I wish you well on your journey!

Don't Step on Scale Illustration
Image: Don’t Step on the Scale Illustration
Girl on Scale Vintage
Image: Woman on Scale Vintage

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