Let’s face it, weighing on the scales can be a complete mind game for any diabetic looking to build muscle and shred fat.
One minute bodyweight moves in your favour, the next it takes an unexpected spike leaving you confused and ready to swing a sledgehammer at the scales. Check out these 5 super useful reminders to consider every time you step on the scales.
You don’t suddenly gain fat within seconds of eating something ‘bad’.
Fat gain results from consuming more energy than you burn off. Visible excess body fat accumulates over prolonged periods of time (multiple days, weeks, months) not 10 seconds after eating.
One sitting of ‘bad’ food doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll gain fat. What you eat across the day (total calories) in conjunction with how active you’ve been through exercise and basic day to day (non-exercise) activities determines how much fat you gain.
Body fluids can change rapidly over 24 hours.
There are various reasons why body water levels change across the day. Diet, especially the intake of water retaining nutrients like salt and carbohydrate, sweat rate during exercise right through to the use of certain medications all play a role.
If we remember the fact that muscle tissue is comprised of around 70% water, this gives us a fair idea just how heavy body fluids can be, especially in a well-trained individual.
If you have diabetes hyperglycemia can result in more frequent urination which results in water loss/weight loss. Long-term hyperglycemia can result in both muscle and fat loss – influencing weight loss on the scales.
Losing weight this way is unhealthy and counterproductive to diabetic bodybuilding, fitness and sporting performance.
Keep your weighing as consistent as possible: device, time and location.
Consistency is key for accurate weight tracking.
Comparing your morning to evening body weight is a stupid assessment.
You’re just weighing the day’s food, water and bowel content. The next time you weigh on the scales, drink 2 litres of water then weigh yourself before going to the toilet.
You’ll be significantly heavier. Think how heavy a 2-litre bottle of water is?
None of this is ‘FAT’ gain.
Average body weight across 7 days works far better than 1 day in the week to the next.
Weighing from one day in the week to the next is highly inaccurate. Average body weights are much more reliable and take into account day to day peaks and troughs in bodyweight.
If you want to understand more about the science behind what the scales say and why they should never be a sole indicator of body composition progress, check out my hugely popular in-depth article on WHY THE SCALES LIE
Diabetic Shred – 112-day Advanced Body Transformation Guide Built for FAT LOSS.
Diabetic Mass – 112-day Advanced Body Transformation Guide Built for MUSCLE MASS GAIN.
