Is it just me, or are most people concerned about weight loss?

M

Mr_Anderson

New member
It baffles me when everyone around me talks about losing "weight", because weight shouldnt be the goal.
They only pay tribute to the almighty scale and not the mirror or their health; I would much rather weigh 220lbs with 10% BF, than 180lbs with 30% BF.

What do you guys think?
 
I agree with you Mr. Anderson. But unfortunately we live in a world where vanity trumps health and low body weight is equivalent to being healthy (to the majority). There is such a stigmatism placed on weight that this is what the industry focuses in on. Take, for instance, the BMI calculators. Someone who is 165 lbs and muscular could be in the unhealthy range. Somewhere along the road a person's weight has become synonymous with their health. Lately there has been more of a shift toward being healthy as opposed to being thin but society is not completely there yet.
 
I think you're half right.

While there IS a problem of 'scale mentality' out there, where there are some who are too focused on the numbers without really knowing what and how it applies to them personally... last I looked I believe the percentage of overweight Amercians was, what... 65%? And about 30% of Americans are obese. That's a pretty alarming number when you consider nearly 1/3 of the population is considered obese.

Some are realizing they need to get the extra 'weight' off to be healthier.
 
I agree with Phoenyx and I also think that many people like to just talk about it and not take action. I would assume that most who are talking about it have no control or know how to approach weight-loss, IMO.
 
read the thread entitled the scale mentality...

Some of us spend a lot of time on this forum and elsewhere taking the focus off of weight and putting it on how a person feels instead..

but the teenage girl mindset is incrediby prevelent in people who are no longer teenage giirls..

Goals should be SMART - Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic and Timely - in many cases -people take the easy goal and focus on xxx lbs.

One of my common rants about people and their obsession with a number.. is what exactly does that number mean. One of the places i hate the most on this forum and find the least motivating is the before and after forum.. read the comments -most every picture you will see the comment you don't look like what you weigh...

Throw away the scale and focus on what you see in the mirror, how you feel after walking up 3 flights of stairs, etc...
 
Rock on, Mr. Anderson. I am considered "obese" and though I have never been tested for body fat, I am pretty sure it isn't very high. It is nice to hear that someone agrees with the fact that low body fat is better than low number on the scale. I have tried to get down to "healthy" weight range before and it has fueled me to stop exercising and stop eating because it was the only way to lose to muscle to get under a certain weight. I am starting to realize that is worse for me than the exercise I love and the pounds I can't get shake.

Though I agree that working towards healthy is important, some people need to realize that there are people out there (like the Williams sisters, for example) that are 30 pounds "overweight," but have some of the best bodies in America.

If anyone knows where to get body fat tested, I would actually be really interested. I have never done it and maybe my perception is wrong, in which case I will withdraw my statement. I just think it is important for people to realize that the number is not as telling as appearance and physique.
If you keep working toward a certain physique, you may be less discourage if the numbers on the scale don't change much.
 
This site has a body fat test that is pretty good... Its within a couple % from what the body fat monitor at my doctor's said this morning.

The way I am using the numbers on the scale now is to determine the approximate poundage I am or will be at in the range I want to stay when I'm done losing weight. Since I'm done with the majority of the weight loss (down to a healthy body fat %) I'm really in a 'fine tuning' phase. Since I want to whittle down a little more in the body fat category I'm guessing the 'range' I want to stay within is 155-160. I feel good at this range, and it was the range I was in while in high school and my early years in college when I did a lot of weight lifting. Looking in the mirror, I think I look pretty good at this weight range and will look better with more firming (getting rid of a bit more fat, and putting on a little more muscle). Since I know I can't 'spot reduce' I will continue to work at it.

Keeping it looking good, well that's a lifelong project. The scale will be a valuable tool for me to make sure I continue to stay within my range, and if the numbers start creeping up without any indication it is because I've added muscle... then its time to cut back the calories and get rid of that extra pound or so before it brings more friends.
 
there are a lot of online body fat tests - and they might or might not be accurate -what you are interested in is changes over time.

I have a body fat analyzer on my bathroom scale and the instructions say very clearly -it's the trend you are interested in seeing - don't obsess over the number...
 
As long as you're in a weight range that's too heavy for some chairs then actual weight is going to be an issue.

When I get to a range where I can the see the results of the weight loss on my body then maybe the scale number won't matter to me, but right now it's the only indication I have of whether I'm moving in the right or wrong direction to reach my goals. (yes yes, I know there's always measuring the inches on your body but that's not always so obvious either).
 
For women I'd say yes, for men I'd say just looking fit is the main goal. For example, no man boobs or love handles. When you become obsessed with the 6 pack things might be getting out of hand.
 
I don't mean this to be argumentative, but this point serves no purpose but to give the impression that the OP is superior to others.

This topic has been beaten to death.

The truth is people want FAT loss. A lot of people have the impression that the scale is the best measurement. Why? There are numerous possible reasons. Yes, he or she could just be misinformed -- though, had they read all the stickies he or she would not be. Its the easiest way to measure that shows immediate progress (pound for pound.)

People aren't cutting off limbs to get to their goal weights.
 
LowFatMilk said:
As long as you're in a weight range that's too heavy for some chairs then actual weight is going to be an issue.

When I get to a range where I can the see the results of the weight loss on my body then maybe the scale number won't matter to me, but right now it's the only indication I have of whether I'm moving in the right or wrong direction to reach my goals. (yes yes, I know there's always measuring the inches on your body but that's not always so obvious either).
Click to expand...

Agreed, sometimes the scale just can't be denied either. Not in comparison to others or to an "ideal number", but in comparison to your own weight at times when you were indeed a much lower weight and you damn well looked and felt a lot better. So yeah, it is a good measure of reality. And when its creeping up huney its time to get it in gear and stop the upward spiral. There's no denying when the scale goes higher you are putting on more fat. Maybe a tad bit of muscle, and sometimes a bit of water (so dont worry about daily fluctuatios), but mostly its fat and its undeniable.
 
Mr_Anderson said:
It baffles me when everyone around me talks about losing "weight", because weight shouldnt be the goal.
They only pay tribute to the almighty scale and not the mirror or their health; I would much rather weigh 220lbs with 10% BF, than 180lbs with 30% BF.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Losing weight is part of the goal. I doubt any person just wants to lose weight, pretty much a bonus if they end up toned or fitter. I'm sure deep down they want to be healthier, more energetic and happy.

As long as they are paying attention to something, even if it is a number, it's better than not doing anything and getting bigger.

Weight shouldn't be the only goal but it's a good start for anyone who is overweight.
 
Saying "I want to lose weight" is simply easier to say then "I want to lower my body fat percentage" and though "I want to get fit" is as easy to say as "I want to lose weight," it's a lot more broad. Same goes for saying "I'm on a diet." Saying you're making "a lifestyle change" requires some explanation as to what you mean, where as saying that you're on a diet gets the same idea across, but much faster.

This is the time of year where everyone starts thinking about their weight and physique, because they want to get into their beach bodies. So, yes, I would say during this season, weight is on a lot of people's minds. However, once mid to late summer rolls around, the topic of weight on TV ads and Magazine covers--as well as people's minds--are going to drop substantially.

But again, saying "weight" is easier than saying and having to explain "body fat percentage." Saying "I want to lose weight" gives everybody the general idea of what you want to accomplish (i.e. getting a sexier, and/or healthier body) without causing any confusion.
 
poplolly said:
*awkward*

Isn't the site called *cough* weight loss forum *cough*?
Click to expand...

Exactly right. Its called "word parsing". Everyone and their mother knows that when someone says they want to lose weight, they are talking about losing fat and not their internal fluids and not their muscle mass nor their bone mass.
 
I look at it as cleansing toxins from my body rather than 'weight loss.' Fat stores toxins from processed foods, chemicals, pills, unfiltered water, dirty air, etc. By nutritionally cleansing the toxins from your system, the fat begins to melt away.
 
what is wrong about a little weight losing?
I kind of get the point you make about ''fat loss'' and health being more important, but like others have said it is hard to track those. people notice change through the scale or how clothes fit. and ultimately, we all want to look a little better and not just feel better.
I believe that it doesn't matter if you do it for health only or to fit in your bikini, as long as you are having a better quality of life and exercising regularly.
 
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