The SCALE…uugghh! The evil little device that sits in most bathrooms in a corner just eyeing you up every morning. Do you or don’t you step on it every day? I hope that you you don’t! The scale, obviously used as a tool to keep track of weight management has become and OCD nuisance. We get so caught up on the number it blurts out at us that it can make or break our emotional well being for that day, week, month.
So how do you avoid it? STOP STEPPING ON IT EVERY DAY! Or get rid of it all together!
As a trainer I do utilize the scale for clients. It’s a measuring tool to keep track of progress and to change anything if needed. Mine sits in the corner of my office, usually collecting dust until the next client with precise goals steps on it. But why are we as humans obsessed with a number that does not define who we are? My guess is the world around us has, in some ways very blunt, made us “think” that skinny is good, skinny is healthy, skinny is where it’s at and if you are not a certain weight you are out! Sounds like high school cliques to me.
I say WHO CARES! You are a PERSON! My concern is are you healthy? Are you at risk for disease because of weight? Are you a good person to others?
Healthy= takes on many forms in our minds. Healthy does not = skinny.
Webster dictionary defines it as – “in good health”, ” healthy cells”, “not diseased”
Healthy shouldn’t be a number on the scale. The number on the scale will not determine cancer, certain types of diabetes, heart complications, or if you are just a down right mean person. The number on the scale CAN offer insight that you may be at risk or higher risk of those mentioned as well as many others. Should we be concerned about our weight, yes to a point. Obsessive is what I am trying to single out here.
What we should be more concerned about is body fat percentages. The amount of body fat one has can be more threatening than ones weight. This is especially true if that body fat is found around your organs.
So what do you do about it? You get up off your butt and MOVE! You put the fork and spoon down and eat an apple!
Lifting weights will help to build lean muscle mass. Lean muscle likes to destroy fat. With lifting you should incorporate cardiovascular exercise. Get more bang for your buck and do them both at the same time! Next, and most importantly is your nutrition. Plain and simple…YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! It is pretty much guaranteed that if you it crap consistently day in and day out, you’re gonna feel like crap. Your body will/could end up looking like crap. You get my point. You are an adult, (well I assume those reading this are), you know you have a choice. I believe I talked about this before. If you are tired of feeling, looking a certain way. If you are tired of being tired, tired of taking medications…WELL it’s really not rocket science, CHANGE YOUR NUTRITION! CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE! STOP MAKING EXCUSES!
My overall point, and you can look at the picture attached. Is 150lb to some is a lot of weight, to others it is an ideal goal weight. 150lbs looks very different on different heights/types of women and men too! 150lb can be all muscle with a very low body fat percentage, or 150lbs can be excess body fat. Both will look very different. What type of “health” suits you? What is maintainable for you? What can you do today to change the health status you are currently at? Does your weight define you (it better not)?
Look inside yourself, answer these questions honestly with yourself. Take action to change if you need too. You’re weight is not a symbol of who you are…
(photo credit at reddit i.imgur.com)
DO THE WORK!
MABFIT!
*As with any exercise or nutritional regime you should seek the approval of your medical doctor before starting either.