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Weight Loss Exercise

Is a Measuring Tape Better Than A Scale?


The need to lose weight is something that many of us have. The truth is, however, that we should be seeking to lose fat specifically. Muscle weight is fine, but weight from fat is not.

The problem is that it can be hard to measure your progress when you’re making effort to lose weight. This is especially true if you work out regularly as part of your weight loss process. If you incorporate strength training three to four times a week, you may gain muscle, which will add to your weight. This is not a gain in fat, but in muscle.

The Problem With Scales

If you use a scale to measure your progress, you can never tell the difference if the weight you lost or gained is water weight, fat, or muscle. This is why a measuring tape is more appropriate to track your weight loss progress. By using a measuring tape, you can see if you are losing inches off your body. When you lose inches, chances are you are losing fat. And ultimately, that’s the whole point of losing weight.

Does this mean that you should throw away your scales and rely completely on a measuring tape? Not necessarily. Use both to measure how far you’ve come with your weight loss efforts. Use the number of the scale to see if you are heading in the right direction, and reconfirm whether it is fat that you are losing with a measuring tape. This way, you get a way better picture of how things are with your weight loss. Weight varies from day to day, but fat loss is less variable.

Go Beyond The Measurements

Besides the scale and the measuring tape, what else can you use to measure your weight loss? Well, you can judge by whether your clothes are becoming looser, and whether you feel lighter and fitter. These may be more subjective, but sometimes all you need to confirm that you are losing weight is the fact that you can fit into your old jeans.

Many people also report feeling more energetic, and generally happier and more confident in themselves. So, even if the scale shows slow progress, don’t discount this kind of evidence when it comes to motivating yourself by knowing that your efforts are paying off!

If you want the most accurate measurements possible then there are more ways to measure body fat – calipers, for example. Just know that, by tracking your progress every day or every week, you’ll help keep yourself motivated to continue.


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What Is Water Weight?


Going on a weight loss journey can seem overwhelming for the total beginner, with the amount of usually foreign jargon suddenly having to become an important part of life. One of the most used terms with regards to weight loss is probably water weight. But really, what is this water weight everybody keeps talking about? Well, you’re about to find out.

You probably already know this, but our body is made up of mostly water. All our bodily cells contain stored water, which helps keep things moving smoothly. However, when we take in too much of certain substances such as salt, or if we are dehydrated, our body retains even more water, and the weight of this extra water is called water weight.

Water Weight and Weight Loss

Often when people talk about weight loss, they think it’s naturally fat loss. But actually, weight loss is very subjective. When you see the scales moving backward, it could be fat, muscle or water that you are losing.

Most of the time, the first couple of pounds that you lose is usually water weight. This is why in the first week you often lose a large amount of weight compared to the following weeks. When the water is gone, that’s usually when the body chooses between muscle and fat to burn, depending on how many calories you take in. If you take in too few calories, your body will burn muscle instead of fat since muscle provides more calories than fat.

That’s not to say that you will certainly lose water weight at first; if your diet is still high in sodium and alcohol and if you don’t replenish your body with water adequately, then your body will still cling on to your water weight.

How to Lose Water Weight

There are several things you can do if you want to lose that excess water weight. First of all, be sure to drink enough water – that is, more than eight glasses a day if you can manage it. Also, restrict the amount of salt, sugar, and alcohol that you take in on a daily basis. Do note that if you are a woman, it is possible that your body will hold on to up to five pounds of water weight when you are having your menses. So during this period, don’t stress out if you suddenly put on a lot of weight; just keep to your healthy diet, and when your menses are over the weight will slip off again.

Understanding what water weight is can hopefully keep you motivated if you find that your weight is fluctuating in between weighing sessions.


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Weight Loss Surgery Costs: How Much Does It Cost?

Weight loss surgery costs can really add up. It does not come cheap and can cost an average of $25,000. However, it is worth the money paid because this type of surgery can greatly improve the patient’s health and quality of life. Nevertheless, people would still want to know all they can about weight loss surgery costs in order to prepare their finances before the treatment takes place. Bariatric weight loss surgery typically costs $17,000 to $35,000 but the actual cost will depend on many factors and will differ from one patient to the next.

Ask for the Overall Weight Loss Surgery Costs

In order to get a good idea of the weight loss surgery costs, you have to talk to a bariatric surgeon and ask for the total cost of the procedure from start to finish. Your surgeon will let you know about the different bariatric surgery options available, and will recommend a procedure that is suited to your health and weight conditions. From there, the surgeon should be able to give you a good idea of how much it will cost to have a weight loss surgery.

Be sure to ask whether the quoted price of weight loss surgery costs includes consultations before the surgery and follow-up visits after the surgery. Bariatric programs differ, so it’s important to know what services are included in the quoted price.

You will also want to know what costs will be billed by the hospital, and what costs will be for the doctor’s office.

Paying for Weight Loss Surgery

Weight Loss Surgery Costs: How Much Does It Cost?

Weight Loss Surgery costs

Once you have a good idea of the weight loss surgery costs, the next step is to determine whether your health insurance company will cover the procedure. Some insurance companies do not cover bariatric surgery, or if they do, the amount of coverage may differ from one company to another.

If the cost of weight loss surgery is not covered by your health insurance in part or in full, you can inquire if the doctor’s office or hospital is willing to accept monthly installments. Most medical facilities require payment upfront, but it won’t hurt to ask. The doctor’s office may be able to put you in touch with patient financing companies where you can get a medical loan to finance your weight loss surgery.

Insurance Coverage of Weight Loss Surgery Costs

Your health insurance provider may agree to cover the cost of bariatric surgery if your doctor is able to establish that the procedure is a medical necessity and if you meet the requirements set by the National Institute of Health, which recommends weight loss surgery for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 40.

Cases of chronic morbid obesity (BMI above 40) can be covered by insurance, as long as your doctor can certify to the insurance provider that the surgery is a medical necessity. Appropriate documentation is required, including records of your attempts to lose weight using conventional methods, which must be supervised by a doctor.

The insurance company may also be more willing to cover the weight loss surgery costs if you suffer from obesity-related disorders like diabetes or cardiovascular disease.


Weight Loss Surgery Costs: How Much Does It Cost?

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