If you have read any of my blogs in the past or you train with me in my gym, you know that I hate the scale. When we test our clients body fat we have to obviously weigh them in order to calculate the results. I have seen one too many women lose 6+ inches and illustrate a decrease in every part of their body according to the calipers but as soon as they step on the scale and they see that number either didn’t move, went down 1 pound, or OMFG it went up….they become noticeably crushed.
Why is that?
You lost inches. Your clothes fit better. Your body fat percentage went down. You are stronger than ever. You have more energy. You are sleeping better. People tell you that you look freakin’ amazing.
But the scale said 140 when you started and now it says 142.
You are pissed.
That pisses me off. I can’t blame these ladies because for so long the only way they were gauging their results was through the scale. Obviously they were not measuring their own body fat and they were likely not training the way they are now with weights, explosive jumps, kettlebells, ropes and sleds.
Maybe they weighed that weight when they were in high school or on their wedding day. Yeah I remember weighing 120 pounds in high school but I was a baby and I stood 5’4″. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be 5’4″ with very little muscle tone now at age 33. (no offense to people that are 5’4″, my point is that we all grow 🙂
Helping women learn to see real results is a challenge. Here is something eye-opening.
Here you can clearly see an increase on the scale (OMG) but how awesome does that woman look?
Also compare the fat and the muscle. According to the scales they are sitting on, they weigh the same. How much less space does the muscle take up? A-freakin’-lot.
Muscle does not technically “weigh more than fat.” A pound is a pound but it’s all in the structure of it. You could be 140 pounds and have 20% body fat which would be 28 pounds of fat. That’s a really healthy, fit range for women. Or you could be 130 pounds and 30% body fat which is 39 pounds of fat.
Lighter on the scale but more fat….hmmm….
So how do we avoid the scale obsession and stop focusing on just that number, instead of all the awesome results that I listed above?
You have to break the habit of stepping on the scale. A fellow fitness colleague of mine, Nia Shanks says it best in this article. Give it a read.
http://www.niashanks.com/2012/07/stop-weighing-on-the-scale-for-weight-loss/
This will not happen overnight. Every time you step on the scale I want you to remember what the focus is. Is the focus to be as light as possible or is it to be as lean, strong, athletic, energized and awesome as possible?
I’d take the latter.
The other night I had a client that absolutely killed it with her monthly check in. She started training at our gym in March. In that time she’s lost 18 pounds of body fat and the scale was only down 1 pound. How is that possible you ask? She had very little muscle tone when she started. She lost fat and gained lean muscle. She is stronger, she looks awesome and she’s dropping fat and inches by the week.
She also has an incredible attitude because she doesn’t care one bit about the scale. She knows it’s all about body composition and that’s what we all need to strive toward.
How do you know you are doing the right stuff to get those awesome results and screw the scale?
1. Lift weights 2-4 days each week
2. Perform 2 days of high intensity interval training- sprints, stadium sprints, bike sprints, jump rope
3. Eat lean protein, healthy fats and increase your carbs on the days you train
4. Drink 70-80 ounces of water each day
5. Sleep 7-9 hours a night
6. Be kind to yourself
If you have all of these things aligned, you will be able to say screw the scale and instead focus on the changes in your body and your mental happiness.
Leave a comment below if you have been able to break through this mindset and why you feel better about your results.