Clothes size verses weighing scales

[dotty_segs]

Well, most people go by the weight the scales say... Despite making an effort and eating more sensibly, cutting down on snacking, only drinking water and tea, for over 3 months, (I started before I joined Health Unlocked) and then last month starting the c25k programme (now half way) my weighing scales don't give me as much loss as I had hoped. HOWEVER, this morning I suddenly realised I can put on my work trousers with ease, (and my jeans now too, come to think of it, yday!) my wedding ring feels looser on my finger, I can actually slide it off rather than having to twist it to get it off! My face shape looks a bit slimmer, etc etc... and I have gone down a clothes size. I still have a VERY long way to go, but hey, for me, its a start to a longer healthier sustainable (the key word here, not a fad diet) life... for me, clothes size don't lie! The whole thing about BMI leaves one to ponder - not everyone "fits in the box" if you like - some slim people have heavy bones and some fat people are slimmer than those... BMI score isnt always accurate.

So, whats your take on this? Clothes size v weighing scales? I'd be interested to see what your opinions are! Let's have a debate!

[Hidden]

I threw my scales in the bin, I'm not joking you .... For my age and height Im only just in the healthy range and it says because I'm in my 30s I should aim for the lower end of the scale to be "healthier" roughly 1 and 1/2 stone it would take me to get to that side of the graph .... well I'm not dieting as I already eat normal and I run 3 x a week and cycle everywhere else, as far as I'm concerned weighing scales suck all the happy positive feelings accrued by excerise so they can stay in the bin 😜 .

[old_git Graduate]

I was a great advocate of the 5:2 diet and the Dukan before it.

Managed to get down to 25 BMI but friends and family asked if I was ill and urged me to stop.

Now I have started this running lark again, I have dropped said diets, eat sensibly (usually ) and have still managed to lose a bit more weight, however my face is not as gaunt and my belts are all loose.

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

I haven't lost any weight since starting c25k but have had to tighten my belt one notch and have a pair of denim shorts that now literally will not stay up without a belt.

[50NotOut Graduate]

Haven't bothered with scales for over a decade. I judge according my clothes/how they fit. I prefer to stay within a range of jeans sizes (up into my bigger sized ones, or down a bit into my 'normal' ones, depending on various factors like time of year and amount of exercise).

I think fad and crash diets are rubbish (as is anything based on the principle of deprivation - I know I won't sustain it, and very few people do.)

[Rignold]

BMI and absolute weight are very blunt tools. They give you a broad stroke indication but,a s you say, do not take into account a lot of variables. The only really sensible measure is body composition how much bodyfat vs lean muscle you are carrying. I know some skinny and probably underweight women who are flabby and have almost no muscle mass whatsoever, but the BMI chart would say they were ideal. Likewise most of the girls at the crossfit gym who have scarcely any bodyfat and are superfit show up as overweight.

[useitorloseit Graduate]

I haven't lost any weight at all, but my clothes are looser and I have lost several centimetres everywhere except my calves!

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

I think BMI and weight are probably useful tools, but as rig says, they're very rough. My BMI puts me into the underweight category despite my GP saying I'm healthy and strong and my mum's snazzy scales putting me in the healthy range for body fat percentage. My sister's dad-in-law who has dense bones and does manual labour as part of his farming comes out as obese despite wearing 30" waist trousers and being very fit. So yes, I reckon ditch the scales and go by 'do I feel well? Have I got enough energy? Can I run without getting too breathless?'

[the_tea_fairy Graduate in reply to the_tea_fairy]

Not to mention 'am I happy?'. That one wins.

[Noaky12 Graduate]

I'm officially overweight but when I was at the top end of my "healthy" weight range I looked ill! I could do with losing some weight now but since starting this running lark I've lost no weight but I have most definately changed shape & lost inches. There have been a few comments at work recently on how much slimmer I'm looking which is fab. All in all I'm happy with the change in shape & no longer as obsessed with the numbers on the scales (quite so much). As long as you're happy in yourself I don't think it matters.

[Irishprincess Graduate]

I very rarely weigh myself and never have done. I've never denied myself any foods and eaten, more or less, what I want. I go with what I FEEL like and how my clothes feel and look. I've never had a weight problem apart from trying to keep weight on! My BMI? I haven't got a clue. But I'm fit and healthy and this running lark has toned up my body like nothing else so I'm very, very happy!

Throw away the scales. They tell you nothing.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

i initially lost weight on C25K and then I ate loads and ran loads. Now I am back to my original weight but instead of a size 14 ( which I was then ), I am a size 10!!!!!

[rmnsuk Graduate]

BMI works for almost everyone. Only a relative few at the extremes of body composition can claim their BMI is deceptive. The problem of people "looking ill" when they approach their 'normal' weight is a very sad commentary on how our society now thinks that overweight and obese stature is normal. Weight isn't about looking good it's about health. If you are overweight/obese your chances of suffering weight related illnesses and death is increased.

It seems that few here have seen any effect on their weight from running, but we all think our fitness has improved. Fitness and weight are also not well correlated. fitness is good for everyone regardless of whether they are obese or underweight, and likewise losing weight (more accurately as rignold says, fat) is good for the overweight regardless of how fit they are.

[Prin]

I am always at the top end of my BMI but it suits me, I use the scales to prevent relapses, but everyone is different, it's WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. I KEEP A size 8 non stretchy dress - smallest thing in my wardrobe as I am a 10-12 and what ever my weight I like to pop it on just to make sure it fits!

[mfamilias Graduate]

I say that if people reason in terms of eating healthily and taking exercise to take care of their bodies, then the weight loss will take care of itself. We don't need scales to tell us what our ideal weight is - I knew when I was overweight, because I could feel it - whatever the clothes I was wearing. I decided to treat my body like I'd treat a new Bugatti - only put the right fuel in, and take it out for regular runs in the country roads. I sneaked a peak at the scales today after three months of this and was surprised to see that I am 1 stone lighter. And I feel good (la la la la la la la, I knew that I should, da da da da da da da...).

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Haven't lost weight or inches, but that was never my focus. On the other hand, my pants are getting noticeably tighter around the calves. I'm hoping my newly acquired calf muscles will eventually make it look like I have proper ankles which were obscured by my shapeless legs