Why the Scale Isn't Moving | Sam Shoe Fitness

For as long as people have tried to lose weight, they've relied on one number to measure success: the number on the scale.

I understand. I do. The scale is a great tool to use when starting on a fat loss journey so that you can easily see the results day after day in a round number, right at your feet.

However, while the scale is an obvious resource if you want to track where your weight sits, it can also be deceiving and likely does not tell the whole story. Keep in mind that as a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, I actually advise my clients to track their weight using a scale but it is not the end-all-be-all in my opinion.

In this article I will give some reasons of why you aren’t losing weight when you believe that you should be, and why you shouldn't focus so heavily on the scale in the first place.

Weight Loss versus Fat Loss

It has been my experience that a significant percentage of people on their health and fitness journey want to focus on one thing, losing weight. That is a great starting point. I especially think it's a good starting point if you began your journey because you noticed you had gained some excess body fat and you're trying to reduce it.

If you are this person, I would like you to start thinking of your weight loss goal as more of a fat loss goal. This will help you to understand where I'm coming from when I say that the scale is not the only thing that matters.

Body weight and body fat are not the same.

Losing mostly fat on a weight loss journey will allow you to keep the things that make your body strong and sustainable, like muscle! In my opinion, focusing on losing mostly fat is a lot healthier for the short term and long term.

However, this can lead to the scale not going down at the rate that you may have been hoping. This can be discouraging. When you are losing fat in a healthy way, it takes time and patience. Weight loss often happens faster during the first few weeks before naturally slowing down. This is completely normal.

Reasons The Scale Isn’t Moving

Sometimes the scale does move and not in the direction we want. We all have weight fluctuations every day that do not necessarily mean you are gaining body fat. Weight fluctuations can occur for many different reasons.

One reason your weight may not be going down is as simple as you have had more sodium (salt) in your diet recently. Sodium will cause you to hold water in your body and therefore more water weight, not body fat.

Water retention can also occur from starting a new workout program. The physical stress that you are intentionally putting on your body from intense cardio or strength training can leave you inflamed and holding water weight.

Hormonal changes can also temporarily increase water retention. This is especially common for women during different phases of the menstrual cycle and can make the scale fluctuate even when body fat hasn't changed.

If you have increased food volume, such as a lot of dense vegetables and fruits, this can also lead to initial weight increases. However, again, this is not fat gain, it’s the weight of the new food volume you’re intaking. Fruits and vegetables are good for you, do not start eating less of them!

If you have just started strength training or are learning how to strength train more effectively, you are likely to see an increase in weight, especially for the first few months of training. This is because your muscles are growing. That's exactly what you want to happen. Building muscle improves your body composition, even if the scale doesn't immediately reflect it. You may even be losing fat in the process, but if you are growing muscle at a faster rate than you’re losing fat, you may not see your weight decreasing just yet. This is where you need to be patient and see you are making progress by your results in the gym.

A common issue I see from clients when they are recording their weights is the inconsistency. If you are comparing two or more of your measured weights, you need to make sure they are at the same time and under the same conditions. This helps to eliminate any additional variables that could be causing fluctuations. I always suggest weighing yourself first thing when you wake up before doing anything else.

Lastly, you may not be seeing the scale move because you aren’t in the calorie deficit that you think you are. While all of the nuances come into play when it comes to reading the scales, the truth is that actual weight loss can only come from a calorie deficit. To lose weight you need to be eating fewer calories than you are burning in a day. If you are interested in a comprehensive guide to nutrition based on your goals, check out the Programs page.

Better Ways to Measure Progress

For a lot of people, I believe there are better ways to measure your fat loss progress than the number on the scale.

An easy way to tell if your body composition is changing is by the way your clothes fit. If your waist is getting smaller, your clothes will start feeling looser. Go so far as to measure your waist every now and then to see potential results there. However, you need to make sure you are measuring under the same conditions whenever you do to make sure to eliminate all problematic variables, just like I warned about measuring your weight.

Take progress photos. No one wants pictures of themselves when aren’t in their desired shape until they look back and see where they started. I would suggest taking progress photos on a monthly basis but always under the same conditions if possible. This will give you long enough to see noticeable results to the eye between pictures.

Pay attention to your strength in the gym. Muscle gain has a direct correlation to increased strength. Therefore, if you are getting stronger in the gym, you are likely gaining muscle.

Lastly, pay attention to your energy levels and endurance. Feeling stronger, less fatigued, or recovering faster are all signs your fitness is improving.

Conclusions

The scale might not be moving yet. But don’t think you aren’t changing.

Once you have learned what you need to do to lose fat and build muscle, the only obstacle will be the consistency of putting in the work week after week, and you do not need to go to the gym every day and give up carbs forever to do that.

I hope this article not only gave some tips for how to reach your fat loss goals but showed you that the scale should not rule your world. If you are looking for something specific, measurable and results driven when it comes to your daily nutrition and fitness goals, I am happy to help. Check out my Free 7-Day Fat Loss Kickstart Guide and take a look at my different coaching options and get in touch!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I not losing weight even though I'm exercising?

Exercise is only one part of weight loss. If you're eating more calories than you're burning, or building muscle while losing fat, the scale may not change right away.

Can you lose fat without losing weight?

Yes. If you're gaining muscle while losing body fat, your body composition can improve while your body weight stays relatively the same.

How often should I weigh myself?

I recommend weighing yourself three to seven mornings per week under the same conditions and looking at the weekly average instead of focusing on daily fluctuations.

Why does my weight change every day?

Daily weight changes are completely normal and are affected by water intake, sodium, carbohydrates, hormones, digestion, and meal timing—not just body fat.

Should I stop weighing myself?

Not necessarily. The scale is a useful tool, but it shouldn't be your only measure of progress. Combine it with progress photos, body measurements, how your clothes fit, and improvements in strength and energy.

Sam Shoe is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach who helps busy adults lose weight and build sustainable habits through realistic fitness and nutrition coaching.