Why the Scale Might Be Lying to You: Changing the Story You Tell Yourself
Let’s talk about that number.
You know the one—the number on the scale that somehow has the power to make or break your mood. It’s easy to step on that square of glass and metal and immediately feel disappointed, frustrated, or even defeated if the number isn’t going down.
But here’s the truth: the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. In fact, it often tells a very misleading one—especially if you're strength training.
You’re Doing Everything Right... So Why Isn’t the Scale Moving?
You’re training hard. You’re eating better. You’re consistent. And yet, that number hasn’t budged. Or worse—it’s gone up.
Cue the self trash talk:
“Am I failing?”
“Is this even working?”
“Should I be doing more?”
This is the moment we need to rewrite the story.
Because if you're lifting weights, eating enough protein, and putting in effort, there comes a point when your body composition changes in a way that the scale just can’t capture.
And this is when we say:
F*ck the scale.
Let me get personal for a second.
Right now, I’m 170 lbs, squatting more weight than I ever have in my life, eating more calories than I ever have, and feeling the most confident and powerful in my body than I ever imagined possible.
But if you had told me five years ago that I’d be comfortably sitting at 170 lbs, I probably would’ve had a panic attack. Because back then, I was 145 lbs, chasing a smaller body instead of a stronger one.
That number on the scale used to rule me. Now? It means nothing compared to how I feel in my skin, how much I can lift, and how deeply I trust the process.
Muscle vs. Fat: The Real Body Recomp
Muscle is denser than fat. It takes up less space, but it weighs more. So when you gain lean muscle and lose fat at the same time—which is very common in people who are new to or returning to strength training—the scale might not move at all... or it might even go up.
And guess what? That’s a good thing.
This is where transformation starts—not just physically, but mentally. It’s where we toss the scale and start tracking what actually matters:
Smarter Ways to Measure Progress
Let’s shift the focus to what really reflects your results:
Inches lost – Your jeans fit better. Your waist is smaller. Your shirts feel looser. That’s fat loss.
Body fat percentage – A lower BF% means you’ve dropped fat, even if your weight stays the same.
Lean body mass (kg) – This tells you how much muscle you’ve built. More muscle = more strength + higher metabolism.
Strength gains – Are you lifting heavier? Getting more reps? That’s progress.
"Gains" and visible changes – You see more definition. You feel stronger. You’re carrying yourself differently. That’s real.
Metrics Don’t Measure Effort
Here’s another truth bomb: Your effort cannot be measured by the scale.
It doesn’t see the meals you’ve prepped.
It doesn’t feel the burn in your last set.
It doesn’t know how consistent you’ve been showing up when no one’s watching.
Same goes for your Apple Watch.
That ring you didn’t close?
That “calorie burn” it said was too low?
Yeah—f*ck that, too.
Because like the scale, your tech doesn’t tell the whole story. You are not a number. Your value, your progress, and your journey aren’t measured by a beep, a ding, or a data point.
The Bottom Line
If you’re lifting weights, eating well, and staying consistent—you are making progress. You’re changing your body. You’re building something sustainable. And no device or number can take that away from you.
This is your reminder to change the story you tell yourself. You're not stuck. You're not broken. You're evolving.
So maybe it’s time to put the scale away. Or even better—ditch it altogether.
Because effort > metrics, always.
And you're already moving in the right direction.
With love,
Coach Mel
