Why the Scale Misleads (Water & Salt)

0:00 Introduction: 11 reasons to stop weighing yourself

1:07 Why you shouldn’t weigh yourself

2:58 Hormones and weight loss

8:12 Sleep and weight loss

11:22 Healthy weight-loss tips

16:36 The best weight-loss advice

Scale obsession is not helpful for weight loss. The rise in cortisol from scale anxiety alone is enough to stifle your progress!

Here are 11 reasons why you shouldn’t weigh yourself:

1. Water weight

Some people can lose up to 11 pounds of water weight in just 2 days! Initial water weight loss can cause unrealistic expectations. Most people only lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.

2. Salt

Salty foods can cause you to retain fluid, especially if you’re consuming them with sugar.

3. Hormones

A woman’s menstrual cycle can often cause weight-loss fluctuations of around 3 to 7 pounds. A rise in cortisol can also prevent weight loss.

4. Location of fat

The worst type of fat is visceral fat, which accumulates around the organs. If you don’t see weight loss right away, you could be losing some of the more dangerous types of fat first.

5. Muscle loss or gain

Losing muscle isn’t healthy! Your weight may be decreasing, but it could also be accompanied by serious side effects. Similarly, muscle weighs more than fat, so you won’t see weight loss if you’re building muscle.

6. Myxedema

This type of fat is often found in people with hypothyroidism and is difficult to eliminate with diet and exercise alone.

7. Poor sleep

One week of poor sleep can increase insulin resistance! Poor sleep leads to snacking, increased visceral fat, lower testosterone levels, and higher cortisol and stress levels.

8. Ozempic

People lose weight with Ozempic, but typically regain it when they discontinue use. Around 20% to 40% of this weight loss is attributed to muscle loss.

9. Microdamage from exercise

Overtraining breaks down your muscles. Edema and swelling can cause your weight to increase after exercise.

10. Medication

Medications such as calcium channel blockers can cause weight gain.

11. Constipation

Fiber intake and constipation can affect the number on the scale.

Stop weighing yourself and focus on these healthy weight-loss tips instead:

1. Waist-to-height ratio

2. Fasting insulin

3. Appetite decreases

4. Tiny amounts of carbs can block fat burning

5. Fix insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is the root cause of many chronic diseases. Fixing it is the key to getting healthy and losing weight.

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:

Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.

Disclaimer:

Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.