Admit it, ladies. You know your weight fluctuates daily, yet you still can't resist weighing yourself every chance you get.

Then, if the number on the scale is higher than the day before, you freak out and end up in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Right?

Well, knock it off!

I hate the scale. In fact, I think that for certain people and at certain times, it actually can be dangerous.

Here's what usually happens: A client comes in, not feeling so good about herself, but ready to take the first step, pay the money, and make a commitment to weight loss and better health.

She starts lifting weights two or three times a week. She starts doing the cardio routine and nutrition program that I recommend. Two days later, she calls me to say that she feels great already. Her energy level is up, she's less irritable, more motivated, and she's even beginning to enjoy her workouts.

And then it happens.

She gets up one morning and wants to see how much progress she's made. So she steps on the scale. In the space of about two seconds, her smile fades, her enthusiasm withers, and all the progress she's worked so hard for seems insignificant in the shadow of those three evil digits.

"I Gained Five Pounds!"

That's why I hate the scale.

A few weeks ago I happened to overhear the following conversation between Wendy and Sally (not their real names):

Sally: Oh, my God, Wendy, can you believe that I gained like, five pounds since this morning?

Wendy: Maybe it's muscle! Muscle weighs more than fat, you know!

Sally: Hmm, maybe so. The inner and outer thigh machine must be working!

Wendy: Yeah, I love those machines. I really feel it!

Sally: But still, I don't want to gain weight! I won't lift weights or eat anything for a week, so I can lose these five pounds!

Wendy: Good for you! Come on, our second aerobic class is starting in two minutes!

(All right, maybe I exaggerated a little. But it's not too far off. )

Don't be Ruled — or Fooled — by the Scale

The scale can be a useful tool in your success, and I'll grudgingly admit that regular scale users see better and faster results. My problem with the scale is that while it doesn't exactly lie, it doesn't tell you the whole truth, either.

For instance, sixty percent of your body mass is water. That's a lot. When you step on a scale, it gives you a number, but it fails to tell you how much of that number is muscle, bone, water, or internal organs.

It can tell you that you've lost or gained a pound, but not what that pound is made of.

Of course, you already knew that, right?

So why do those three little digits dictate our mood for the entire day? If the scale tells us we lost weight, we're happy. If the scale goes up a tad, we go ballistic.

One of my clients used to be like this. She said she could be happy, energetic, receiving compliments from friends, and having terrific workouts. Then she'd step on the scale. If it wasn't what she expected, she'd forget all about the positives, and just throw in the towel.

This is why I always try to educate people as to why the numbers on their scale fluctuate from day to day. Once they understand this, the bathroom scale no longer controls their lives.

Understanding Your Scale

In order to get the most accurate reading on your scale, follow these three rules. You probably know them, already.

1) Always weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before eating or drinking anything, but after going pee.

2) Always weigh yourself on the same scale, on a hard, flat surface, standing directly in the middle.

3) Always weigh yourself in the buff, or at least wearing very little clothing.

Even following all three rules, the scale can still fluctuate. Weigh yourself this way for a week, and see for yourself.

Here are several factors that can alter your scale's reading:

Glycogen Stores

Glycogen is a polysaccharide of glucose, produced by the liver and muscles, that functions as the body's first-line energy store.

Glycogen is like a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Depending on your carbohydrate intake and usage during the day, this supply will fluctuate, tilting your body weight as much as two pounds in either direction at any given time of the day.

Sodium

Your sodium intake plays a big role in water retention, because your body retains water in order to dilute all that sodium.

A single teaspoon of salt contains over two grams of sodium. We should generally have only between one and three grams of sodium a day, but it's easy to go overboard. It's a little tricky, because a food doesn't necessarily have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium.

In any case, if you have a salty dinner, don't be surprised if you wake up two or three pounds heavier the next day.

Dehydration

Just as your body tends to hold onto fat when you severely restrict calories, the more you restrict your fluid intake, the more your body will retain water.

Blame it on your body's survival reflex, but understand that if you dehydrate yourself, your body will hang onto its water supplies, causing the scale to inch up another pound or two.

Hydration

This should be painfully obvious, but whenever you eat or drink anything, the weight of the food or drink is going to show up in the scale. That's why, to get the most accurate reading, you should always weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before putting anything in your mouth.

Two glasses of water weigh a pound. If you're properly hydrated, you'll weigh more than if you're not.

Constipation

Shit happens, and it affects your weight. The fuller of it you happen to be at the time, the more you will weigh. I know that some people take laxatives as a form of "weight loss," which I don't recommend, but you should understand that when you're constipated, you weigh about two pounds more than usual. So if you are, take care of it.

Menstrual Cycle

This has to be God's ultimate practical joke on women. Not only do we get all cramped up and bitchy, but we have to watch the scale go up too, which doesn't help our mood.

Women can retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. Hormone fluctuations in the three days leading up to your period can make you retain up to 5 pounds of water. That's a lot!

True Measures of Success

Be honest with yourself. You know whether you're progressing or regressing. You know if you're eating right or not. You know if you're being intense in the gym or if you're slacking. You don't need a scale to tell you that.

I often hear women practically bragging about how they pigged out at a party and "didn't gain a pound." Impressive.

But does this mean that their health is any better? Does it mean that their cholesterol level and body fat is lower? Does it mean they've adopted a healthy lifestyle and are headed for long term success?

Hell, no. It just means it hasn't shown up on the scale yet.

This would be funny, if it weren't so sad.

My own mother has had a love-hate relationship with the scale over the past 40 years. She dieted off a total of 150 pounds, and today weighs 240. She loved the scale when it told her that her weight was going down, even though it didn't tell her anything about her health or fitness.

Here are three of the best true indicators that you're on the right track:

You Feel Good

This is the biggest one. You can always tell when people are "on a diet." They have no energy, they feel like crap, usually look like crap, and are generally irritable and bitchy (with good reason, usually. Not saying I blame them).

But you should feel good! You should feel excited and motivated! I'm not saying you have to scamper around as perkily as Richard Simmons, but come on! You're healthy, fit, and active. You should feel good!

By the way, you should always smile. Looking fit and happy makes people want what you've got, and it pisses off the people who don't.

Your Clothes Fit

I once had a client tell me that slipping into a pair of jeans that used to be too snug "felt even better than sex!" I'm not sure if I agree with that, but I know what she means.

Isn't it great to slip on a pair of your favorite jeans? I once did that, and the next day the scale said I had gained two pounds. I tossed that scale in the trash that very day (I've gotten a new one since, and learned how to use it properly).

But yes, it's a great feeling, and a sure sign of success!

You Get More Compliments

True friends will always compliment you. Don't count on many compliments from everyone else, though. If you get them, great. But most people are a little insecure, out of shape themselves, and simply too jealous to give someone who's worked hard a well-deserved compliment. Such is life, I guess!

I tell my clients, "If true friends say you look great, and your fat co-workers are whispering that you've had gastric bypass surgery, you know you're doing something right!"

Compliments are great, and are very motivating, but don't expect them to come too often!

Conclusion

I hope you now have a better idea of what your scale is really telling you, and a better understanding of true success. If you're a scale-fanatic, try practicing what you already know about eating right and exercising, and put the scale away for a month.

Yes, a whole month. You'll survive, trust me!

About the Author

Sandy Joyce is a personal trainer and nutrition specialist in the Boston area who specializes in helping women of all ages lose fat, and maintain better health. She has a reputation for getting women into great shape quickly, and helping them adopt lifelong healthy habits. For information on her online training services, visit her website or contact her by email.