Why we shouldn't obsess over the number on the scales

I was feeling a bit deflated on Sunday after I weighed myself, I'm not going to lie. I felt like I had lost way more than 1lb and could visibly see and feel a difference.

I mentioned in my post that I was going to take my measurements that night, so I had another way to measure my progress aside from the number on the scales. It's dangerous, sometimes, to get so wound up by the number it shows.

People say "muscle weighs more than fat" which isn't typically true; although I know what they mean. It's like that silly question: "what weighs more, a tonne of bricks or a tonne of feathers?" Well, they both weigh the same as they weigh a tonne. There will just be far, far more feathers to get to that tonne than there would be bricks. Just like with fat and muscle.

As the below image shows, 5lbs of fat takes up more space than 5lbs of muscle. It's not that it weighs more, it just takes up less space.

I often see pictures on Instagram when I'm stalking fit women (I swear I spend more time searching 'body goals' than I do looking for hot men!) who weigh more now they're toned and slimmer.  It always reminds me that the number on the scales is really such a small part of a bigger picture.

Like below. This popped up on my news feed earlier.

Her legs are slimmer, her waist is trimmer, yet her weight is more. 

So, after I felt like a failure for "just losing one pound" last week, I took my measurements and compared them to my measurements when I got to target.

My hips, on Sunday night, measured at 35" and my waist at 29" - just half an inch away from what I was when I got to target last March.  When I got to target, I had lost 8" from my waist and 7" from my hips.

So, while the scales may show I still have a few pounds to go, my body is showing me I'm not actually that far away. If I wasn't obsessing over the scales, I'd definitely be more than happy with my body how it is now. Maybe not totally satisfied, but every girl can pick herself apart and focus on her flaws. Even Michelle Keegan.

I really don't want to let myself get too obsessed over measurements and numbers on scales, because it's not a healthy headspace to be in. But I needed to know that my efforts were actually paying off. It's so deflating when you feel like you're trying so hard but the scales missed the memo. But I need to remember that I look better and feel better, and that's what matters. Not some piddly number on the scales.

I won't give up on Slimming World, hell no. I totally could not have found any better way to lose weight and still eat all my favourite food.

But I can't let myself stress about the scales. When I went to group every week I didn't have scales at home, so the only time I weighed myself was a Wednesday night. When I stopped going to group, I bought some scales of my own to keep a track of my weight at home.

Now, I weigh myself every night. I weigh myself when I wake up on a morning (absolutely love that number every morning!) and I weigh myself after I've been to the toilet (we all want to know what difference it really makes, let's not kid ourselves!) I am scales obsessed. And I hate it.

If I knew how to take the batteries out of them, I totally would. The fact my size 10 super skinny jeans still fit me is the only measurement I need in my life.