I see so many people getting frustrated with the scale these days... and I wonder if all low carbers should abandon scale weight as the end all and be all measure of success and rely strictly on achieving a healthy body composition (BF%). Another bonus of body composition is that it takes into account your age - generally speaking, we can't hope to be as "unfat" at 50 as we could at 15. Body composition recognizes that - scale weight and insurance industry standards do not. I wonder how many people on this Forum have totally unrealistic weight goals? Unrealistic goals that are depressing them and defeating them and diminishing their quality of life?

Personally, I was terribly surprised that a healthy body composition (of about 22% -25% BF) puts me at about 155 lbs. of scale weight. The insurance industry guidelines tell me my medium frame has to carry around no more than 137 lbs.

Folks, that would require me having nearly an impossible and/or unhealthy standard of BF% - probably below 12% - or, worse yet, force me to go on a diet that relies on muscle wasting/depletion to yield results. Which slows down my metabolism. Which means I am always going to be fighting and struggling to maintain that artificially low, arbitrary and ultimately unhealthy weight. Why? Because even though I would be "right on" as far as the scale goes, overall, I would be closer to being "overfat." And that fat only burns about 3 calories whereas the lean muscle mass I gave up to achieve scale nirvana was burning 50.

And I don't want to do that. You shouldn't either.

From all my reading, studying and poking around on this Forum, I have realized that just like we have to abandon the low fat dieting principles, eschew the food pyramid guidelines, realize that calories work differently for LC-ers, learn that it is okay to drown veggies with butter and cream sauces, WE HAVE TO LEARN THE SCALE DOES NOT WORK FOR THIS WOE EITHER.

Your buddy who lost 100lbs. on a low fat diet might weigh less than you, but I wager that in the grand scheme of things, even at your current weight, your body is healthier and more efficient. Muscle weighs more than fat, is more metabolically advantageous and it does all of this for you while occupying a considerably smaller space. (Does anyone hear the tape measure calling to them yet?)

I know I don't wear my scale weight tattooed to my forehead, but I damn sure walk around in my body. That is what people see... not the stupid number my scale spits out every morning. And you know what? No one can see your scale weight either . But they can darn sure see your rapidly/slowly/steadily improving body composition. When you admire someone's figure do you do it because you know for sure that they weigh what the insurance industry says they should or because their figure is visually pleasing/healthy/proportionate?

That's why some days you wake up just feeling "thinner" - because you are! Then you jump on the scale and defeat the rush of joy that comes from those little victories. Learn to rely on your feelings of improvement rather than the scale (which by the way only measures the effect of gravity on your body, not how "fat" you are). Learn to take your measurements. Stand up tall - your grandmother was right - good posture does make you look about 10lbs thinner.


We've smashed the pyramid, now let's smash the scales!

Are you with me?