I don't think the scale lies, exactly--but I do think it's impossible to know what exactly one is measuring with it.

It's virtually impossible to gain 5 pounds of lean body mass in one month. My guess is that the blogger's body fat percentage test was either wrong to begin with or wrong at the most recent testing. I also am guessing that the loss of only 1 pound reflects water retention in overworked muscles.

My opinion is that it's the food. The poster of the blog probably needs to get a "real" food plan going. Exercise alone usually doesn't accomplish weight loss, no matter how "good" the trainer is.

Jay

The scale can certainly influence my day. I need to remember it is a tool and not an end all to my emotions.

Recently Matt put a link on here to a weightloss "tool" that took your daily weight and averaged it out for you so you could see if you were loosing or gaining. That looked interesting to me. I may try it.

Does the scale lie? There are so many variables to the scale...did you poop recently?...is it your time of the month?....are you holding water?... The scale can keep me honest...but I don't want it to rule my life!!

I so agree with this post. I was relying so much on the scale and what it said. Now I rely more on my measurements and how I feel. How my clothes are fitting etc... Much more accurate and confidence boosting. As far as the scale is concerned. I have gained a couple of pounds. But my measurements are down and my clothes are fitting better. So that is what I am focusing on.

The scale can lie, especially in the beginning, especially if you're doing a "drastic" diet. I don't think it lies in the way the poster says it does, though.

During my first week - back when I was following "strict Atkins" - I lost almost 12 pounds. TWELVE POUNDS. That's Biggest Loser epic right there. It was all retained water. My belly was flatter, but not because I lost fat. I no longer had the "gluten/sugar" bloat I'd been building up post-gallbladderectomy. I lost inches, too (about 5 of them, mostly around the middle regions) and, had someone not skilled with calipers done my test, I'm sure my BF% would have gone down, too.

I agree with JayEll. Something was probably jinky with one of the BF tests. Of course, the writer's mileage may vary. She could have been a prime candidate for a body overhaul. Whatever she was eating might have been inducing her body to hold on to fat like gangbusters and removing that food just let the fat flow (out) freely.

Still, I'm not sure this is the best motivation for new dieters who don't see a reflection of change on the scale. The scale keeps us accountable and gives us really good clues as to what works and what doesn't. Along with mild food journaling, I've identified foods that cause water retention and/or slow weight loss, and which ones don't. I know I can safely have a piece of ludicrously dark chocolate (99% - that's bitter!) and a 2 ounce glass of dark red wine nightly without interrupting the fat loss. I also know I can't eat potatoes without the scale stubbornly sitting still.

Do you have a link for this?? I searched on here and googled it, but couldn't find anything like this. It sounds really interesting.
Thanks!