Intensity

[Merrida]

I think the scale is merely one of many tools people can use to gauge their progress. But OF the tools out there it is the least important and simple so ineffective, it isn't worth having one for. An exception might be if you have some type of illness (I'm tossing bird seed to the wind trying to justifying a reason for a scale), or maybe, maybe if you're pregnant,...but again,....the OB/GYN guidelines are not to put on more than 20lbs (there goes that nasty scale again),.....but we're talking about unique situations not in the mainstream of what we're discussing.

[LiftGirl]

Originally Posted by pierini

I believe "it depends" whether or not you should toss out your scale.

Some people are numbers-oriented, like me. We do best by recording data, summarizing it, turning it into information, then using that information to make decisions.

If you are like that, a scale is a must.

Wouldn't regular (but not daily) measurements give you that numbers satisfaction?

[sweetdream]

I am not doing maximum intensity every workout.. honestly it's too much for me. I work 2 waitressing jobs and I get busy enough to the point where I am tired by the end of the week. I don't want to be working out all the time and getting tired from that. Also, I workout 6 days a week on average only giving myself one rest day or an active rest day with walking or something so I don't think that training to the max EVERY time is something I want to

if someone would like to check out my new workouts in the past few days and let me know if they are intense enough or if I should be adding more

I try to spice things up like today by doing a little bit of everything (well and because my legs are killing me from this new routine)

thanks again!!

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

Wouldn't regular (but not daily) measurements give you that numbers satisfaction?

Yes they would but truly numbers-oriented people like a daily dose of it, sort of like how you may be with your iced tea.

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by sweetdream

Is this where I should be kicking in my intensity?

Does that mean I have to PUSH EVERY SINGLE WORKOUT?

Am I being too greedy? should I give it more time? I was going to give myself until thanksgiving to lose the last 5..is this achieveable?

I'd like to answer these questions. No.1, you should be kicking in intensity from the start and yes, you should push every single workout as best you can. That's how you get better and stay better.

As far as your last question, I find that funny. So what was going to be your punishment at Thanksgiving if you failed to reach your goal and what was going to be your reward if you did? For a goal to work you have to have some kind of +/- consequence if you are going to set ultimatums to yourself!

Refining your physical looks (the last 10lbs) is all about diet anyways. Getting that right means strong determination and a lot of sacrifice from "the normal living" lifestyle of everyday people without weight and fitness goals.

My answer to scale obsession was to weigh myself more often not less. It taught me that my weight fluctuates throughout the day, with hydration levels, hormone cycles, eating patterns and that my clothing has weight to it too. Tracking my weight daily, at the same time, before breakfast and for several months at a time enabled me to see what was going on. I eventually got bored with obsessing over weight once I understood what is and isn't important about my weight changes. Now any change less than +/- 5lbs over a 2 month period doesn't concern me.

You might find comfort or calm in trying something similar to that.

[LiftGirl]

Originally Posted by pierini

Yes they would but truly numbers-oriented people like a daily dose of it, sort of like how you may be with your iced tea.

Now that I can relate to!

[DarkLord]

The plain fact of the matter is most scales even electronic ones are simply not sensitive enough to measure your weight gain or decrease. Don't be down hearted as if you are gaining it is a slow annoying effort. Unfortunately a lot also comes down to getting your balance of fats, protein and carbohydrate wrong. Keep it up and keep up the intensity, don't let it fall, but do ask yourself are you using good form in every exercise as this too can have a great affect on your progress. What I DO, and this is just me, I pick a weight on any exercise which I can get between 6-10reps out of and if I can get it up to 8 or 10 reps I will increase the weight and stick with that until I repeat the same thing over again.