Q: Shouldn't we ignore the scale during weight training?

A: Good question! Yes and no :) Let me break it down... Suppose you're training to lose fat... Then you should ignore the weight scale in the sense that fast weight loss (when you see 1 pound less on the scale every other day) is NOT your friend. Instead you should use the scale to make sure your weight loss stays slow and steady, 1-2 pounds/week, which is the true FAT LOSS zone. And if you're a beginner then you can make good progress in losing fat and building muscle at the same time so your weight doesn't change at all!

If you're training to build muscle, then you should pay attention to the scale again just to make sure your weight gains are very slow and steady -- 2 pounds per month or slower! Fast weight gains will simply result in a lot of unwanted fat, but little or no new muscle compared to slower weight gains.

Finally if you're an athelte training for strength, then you should only use the scale to make sure that extra weight gain doesn't hinder your performance in other aspects of your sport. If you're a running back in football, you want to stay lighter to be faster. If you're a wrestler, you need to make sure you stay within your weight class.

So the scale is most definitely NOT be the ultimate indicator of your progress -- your looks and your strength are the true measures of that. The scal is however a useful tool to make sure you stay on track.