To be straight up…
I don’t really get into reality shows. However my hairdresser is a reality show fan freak!
After her going on at me that I should watch the Biggest Loser because this season apparently rocked I figured I’d book it into my schedule.
Boy was I pissed when I saw the following…
I have a real issue with encouraging folk to focus on the scales.
I saw a guy who has obviously lost a substantial amount of weight, increased his fitness level through the roof – both of which are huge and admirable achievements – apparently he / they train several times per day – anyway he had put on a couple of kilos in the “weigh in”. The poor guy was absolutely guttered!
This man who has been slugging his guts out for weeks looked like has was ready to break down and cry. Making some comment about “the scales never lie” (I’m gathering that’s a quote they use on the show?) and that he couldn’t understand after everything he had done how he had gained weight. The other contestants were just as gob-smacked expecting him to have lost a considerable amount due to his strict commitment to his training and eating plan.
I felt like reaching into the tv and giving him a hug and then telling him that relying on scales is a pile of B.S.!
Did anyone…
Take his measurements (with a tape measure) – seeing if his midsection / waist, his chest, thighs or upper arms had reduced? Did anyone do skin folds on him (measure his body fat percentage) to see if his body fat had reduced? Did they take into account his lean muscle he may have gained?
Nope! It was the scales and the overall percentage of body weight lost.
Look, I understand this show is about losing the most amount of weight, trying to inspire overweight folk to lose weight and of course it’s a competition and a reality show – but seeing these poor people shattered feeling like they’ve failed (despite their wonderful and enormous accomplishments) due to something the “scales” tell them… is appalling and disheartening.
When I was working as a personal fitness trainer I had so many clients come to me that were addicted to the scales. It was hard work trying to get them to realise that it’s not all about scales – far from it.
My advice, kick your scales to the curb.
Only use them only once in a while as a guide – eg… in calculations for lean body mass. There are so many more precise and effective ways to monitor your progress than just relying on your actual weight and the scales.
Focus on increasing your fitness, improving your health, increasing lean muscle and reducing body fat.
If you’re looking and feeling lean, fit, healthy, fitting into your goal clothes the way you want and kicking ass with your training… then screw the scales!
The scales don’t make, justify or determine your results – you, your hard work and efforts do!
Happy Training! And I’m going back to NOT watching reality shows. 
Kind regards
Mandy Gibbons
PS. Feel free to have your say below… no doubt we’ll get some interesting feedback.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I totally agree with what Mandy says…I work out almost every day, 5 mile run is a breeze and have gained probably at least 10 lbs in muscle. I am actually scared of the scale now, and I think it is just another torture instrument, that goes hand-in-hand with diet pills and other things the weightloss industry is feeding on.
I hear ya..
I have done my time as a PT and even I am shocked at all the hype and stupidity they use to portray this as a good example of how to lose weight, in real life, come on, who can spend the hours at the gym that they do, have a PT albeit a group PT with them 24/7 and have a controlled diet. I am proud at seeing the happiness that the contestants have at losing the weight/size that they have by the end of the shows but they have to be shown a way to maintain and control their weight and eating in a real world scenario, as you have said, throw out the scales, check bodyfat levels, waist, arm and leg sizes, lean muscle gain. I weigh in at 107 Kg, morbidly obese according to the BMI but I have a 96 waist and a 122 Chest. Admit my diet needs work nowadays but I am still healthy and don’t rely on the scales.
Keep those comments coming…
I have to admit I’m not a fan of BMI, Brian. I agree… my husband, when he was competing in fitness comps, was in AWESOME SHAPE, lean and fit as hell! His BMI labelled him as being morbidly obese. His waist was tiny, his body fat was so low his veins were sticking out left, right and centre. His doctor felt embarrassed, especially knowing how fit and lean my hubby was, that the results came up so inaccurate.
I was going to the gym regularly for about 3 months and I put on weight. This made me doubt my efforts at the gym, and hesitated going back to the gym. I am slowly trying to get back into going, but will be avoiding th scales.
I don’t understand how he lost 10 lbs in a couple days! This had all my clients reeling and I told them that even though these folks workout like mad and have consistant monitering on food intake, that it still is a reality show and to keep veiwers interested they have to fix(and I think that is what happened here) the scale. I am with you Mandy on the scale. I tell my clients that it is jus a measuring point on their progress and that it’s on the inside that is becoming more strong and increasing years to their lives.
By the way, I do love BL! 
Tell me about it.
I know soooo many people who get really down because they ‘have only lost 1 kg after going to the gym for 2 weeks solid’
I tell them all about how muscle weighs more than fat and how they probably have put on muscle and lost fat…
…they look at me like i’m crazy and go back to complaining. Sometimes I think they just like to complain. Oh well, I tried!
Cheers
Tom
Keep the comments coming…