[dms6k]

I've read about people who count calories and work so very hard only to step on the scale and see that they have lost nothing or sometimes gained which is really a downer in weight loss.

So how do you measure success: by the weight on the scale or by your measurements?

Also, how can you go down in size (by measuring) but not in weight on the scale? Never really understood that.

[Vex]

By both!

I think people get wrapped up in not losing anything on a particular day, or if they lose nothing for 2 weeks in a row or so. Weight loss usually isn't a constant set amount over a time.

Long term, if you are eating at a caloric deficit, 99% of people will lose weight.

[TheLauren]

I started with having my feelings of success tied to the scale. But now I feel success at having changed my life for the better! I feel lighter, and healthier, and happier, and finally in control of my life. I still love to see the weight dropping, but that is just an awesome side effect.

[Mozzy]

The scale is my first indicator of sucess. But recently I've been able to fit smaller clothes sizes so that has also helped. You can lose inches with gaining muscle, retaining water, etc. you may not see a loss of weight while losing inches

[elvislover324]

Obviously I love to see the scale go down and it makes my heart skip a beat on a good week! But then this week, I only lost 1.8lbs even though I was fully on plan and drank all my water, excercised, etc. I was so bummed! But then I tried on a pair of pants that 1.8lbs isn't going to effect either way and the pants finally fit!! Something shifted in my body somehow to change the shape/weight/something as these pants hardly fit 2 weeks ago, I couldn't get the zipper up and the button wasn't even close. Of course it takes more than 2 weeks of your body adjusting for that change to happen but I couldn't see it happening (physically or on the scale) but pants don't lie! Hopefully next week I will make up some of the lack of weightloss (in my head, that is) but if it doesn't, that's ok. I'll just wear my newly fitting pants and get over it!

[sontaikle]

Measurements matter to me more than the scale, but the scale is still a tool for progress...it's just not THE ONLY tool one should be using.

There's a bunch of reasons why you could go down in size but not in weight: you could be holding onto water, you may have changed your body with exercise, etc.

Muscle takes up less room than fat, so it's possible to weigh the same as someone else and be smaller. I like to talk about the time I purposely gained around 5 pounds and yet found that my clothes fit better. I gained while lifting so I build some muscle there

[lex talionis]

I measure by my body fat percentage. I never get too excited about a loss on the scale unless I see that I've lost some body fat along with it. If I'm just going to lose muscle, I don't want to lose.