While working out is beneficial to your overall well-being and waistline, the standard scales can sometimes be deceiving. Exercising builds muscle and muscle weighs more than fat.

Did you know that muscle also grows faster than fat? Eventually as you keep up your new found love for exercise the increased muscle mass will speed up your metabolism and the fat will burn away.

What do you do in the meantime when you’re not getting the results you’re looking for? Rather than tossing out the scale, why not try one that measures your body fat percentage? Not only will you be able to monitor your weight loss progress but you will also have a better idea if weight fluctuations are due to water retention, increased fat or increased muscle mass. Wouldn’t it be nice to actually be able to see the positive effects of your hard earned effort rather than beat yourself up over daily weight fluctuations?

Scales that measure body fat percentage (not only your weight) are all the rage, allowing you to track your progress over time. While body fat percentage scales don’t actually measure fat, the amount of body fat is calculated by measuring your Bioelectrical Impedance or (BI). As you step on the scale, a short, harmless electrical current runs through your body. It measures the body density based on the amount of resistance to the electrical current. For example, a higher resistance to the electrical current indicates a lower body fat percentage.

My favourite scale is the Omron HBF-400 Body Fat Analyser Scale. Although a bit pricey, it’s well worth the convenience and accurately of recording your progress in the privacy of your own home. It calculates your weight, body fat percentage and BMI with an easy to read digital display and also has four settings that can be saved to be used by other people in your household.

Here are a few tips on how to make the body fat analyser scale work for you in the best way possible:
- Set-up the scale to your individual profile and weight to get the most accurate calculation
- Take off your shoes when you step on the scale
- Using the body fat analyser consistently at the same time each day will ensure the most accurate calculation
- Keep track of the results to record your progress
- Maintain a healthy balanced diet and adequate water intake. Attempting to modify either to get lower numbers on the scale will hinder its purpose

Weigh in on the winning numbers!

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Featured Contributor: Stephanie Siemion

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