When I started working on my body I was glued to the scale. Every other day I was jumping on the scale trying to find out how much weight I had lost. I wanted to know If I was making progress.
I thought I just had to eat less, with no regard for what I was eating, and after the pain of abstaining from my favorite foods, I wanted some level of gratification.
I remember how happy I was when losing 10 lbs in a week. I also remember being furious when my weight would rebound after one “bad” meal.
“How?!” I would exclaim to myself…. “I only had a little pasta!”…”This is what I get for my efforts?”…
I began to feel like the effort was not worth the reward.
My mistake required a shift in perspective.
It is VERY HARD to appreciate change when you’re hypersensitive and even harder when you’re looking for the wrong things.
In hindsight, I don’t know why I was so upset. I WAS making change – averaging a loss of 1.5lb fat a week. By any standards I was doing great! I was eating good, and it was reflected in the mirror. People were noticing. I was getting compliments. But that wasn’t good enough.
Weight fluctuations frustrated me to no end. When I would see my weight go up I would be heartbroken and start questioning myself and get disheartened. “I thought I was doing the right things… Why couldn’t I stop myself from eating that?… Now I’m back where I was 2 weeks ago….”
With experience comes wisdom, and from my own experience and that of my clients I have learned that fat loss and weight loss are two very different things.
If only someone had told me when I’m telling you now….
If you’re frustrated by the number on your scale then you’re measuring the WRONG things.
Your weight is comprised of MANY factors and weight fluctuations are largely due to changes in water retention and digestion Yes!… fat is a contributing factor, but fat is a relatively small contributing factor for the majority of dieters.
What boggles my mind is that people would rather measure their total weight than measure total fat. Sure it is easy to jump on a scale, but doing to fails to grasp the larger picture.
Take weekly pictures, or buy a 15 dollar skin-fold caliper.
Measurements like this will show an accurate view of progress and enable a healthy mindset. Both of which are ESSENTIAL for positive, LASTING change.
Do yourself the favor and start tracking the metrics that matter – FAT and Function. Don’t waste time checking your weight every other day.
Save yourself the frustration and DITCH THE SCALE or hire a qualified coach.
When I coach clients I use their weight regularly to measure water retention, hydration, overall body composition change, and rate of progress, but none of those things outweigh the value of how you look, feel, and perform. Your weight is only a single measurement of success. Quite often i'll have a client stay the exact same weight but they are dropping pant sizes, and looking better on a weekly basis.
Do yourself a favor.
Don't let one number define your worth.
