Is It Time To Break Up With Your Scale?
Why I Stopped Weighing My Clients
There was a time, about 10 or 15 years ago, when weight and body fat percentage were central to my work with clients. Back then, I trained a lot of pre- and postnatal parents who had gained some extra weight, and those numbers seemed important to them. I’d track progress with weigh-ins and body fat measurements, using them as benchmarks for success.
But over the years, both my clients and I have evolved. Our goals have shifted. Now, the focus is less about what the scale says and more about how you feel, how strong you are, and what you can do in your daily life.
The Scale Doesn’t Tell the Full Story
One of the biggest reasons I moved away from weight as a primary metric is that muscle is denser than fat. If you’re strength training and building muscle, you might not see the scale drop—or it might even go up—while your body composition is changing dramatically.
A perfect example: A client friend of mine trained with me 3 days a week. One day, she pulled out a pair of pants from 10 years earlier. These were pants that had fit when she weighed 15 pounds less than she did now. But when she tried them on, they were too big. The scale said one thing, but her body had completely transformed in a way that the number simply couldn’t reflect.
Body Fat Testing Problem
Body fat testing presents its own challenges. While there are various methods. There are calipers, bioelectrical impedance scales and DEXA scans and many of them can be wildly inaccurate. One of the biggest variables? Hydration levels.
For example, bioelectrical impedance (used in many at-home and gym body fat scales) measures body composition by sending electrical signals through the body. The problem? If you’re even slightly dehydrated, your body fat percentage can appear higher than it actually is.
That kind of inconsistency can be frustrating for clients and, honestly, not particularly useful when it comes to tracking real progress.
A Shift in Focus: Health Over Numbers
As my clients have gotten older—many now in their 50s, 60s, and beyond—their priorities have changed. And mine have, too. We’ve realized that health isn’t just a number on a scale—it’s about how you live.
Can you move pain-free?
Do you have the strength and mobility to do what you love?
How is your energy? Your sleep? Your stress levels?
Are you nourishing your body with food that makes you feel good?
How’s your mental health? Your relationships?
Because here’s the thing: You can weigh 10 pounds more than you did in your 30s and still be in the best shape of your life. But if you’re constantly measuring yourself against old numbers or past versions of yourself, it can be mentally exhausting.
This is especially true for women in perimenopause and menopause, when hormonal shifts often lead to changes in weight distribution—even when diet and exercise remain the same. Research shows that estrogen decline can lead to increased fat storage, particularly around the midsection (Harvard Health). That can be frustrating, and I’ve seen too many women beat themselves up over it. Myself included!
Brain Health is Just as Important as Body Health
One of the biggest reasons I let go of weight and body fat tracking was the mental toll it takes.
I’ve seen how stepping on the scale can trigger an emotional spiral—not just for my clients, but for myself, too. It often leads to comparison, self-criticism, and a hyper-focus on something that doesn’t define your actual health. Studies show that negative body image and weight-related stress can increase cortisol levels, which, ironically, can make it harder to lose weight (National Institutes of Health).
Instead, I encourage my clients to shift their focus to feeling good, moving well, and living fully.
For me, health isn’t just about workouts and food. It’s about connection, stress management, and even healing from past experiences. It’s about being strong enough to pick up your grandkids, hike with your friends, or travel without pain. It’s about taking care of your brain and body in a way that supports your whole life.
So while I won’t refuse to weigh or measure a client if they have a specific goal, it’s no longer my focus. Because real health isn’t found on a scale—it’s found in how you live.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever been caught up in the numbers game, I encourage you to take a step back. Instead of tracking weight or body fat, try tracking:
✔️ How much better you feel in your body
✔️ Your energy levels
✔️ Your strength and endurance
✔️ The activities you can now do with ease
✔️ Your overall sense of well-being
Because in the long run, those things matter so much more than a number ever could.