Kirsty's Thoughts / Ramblings...
Q. Are we being fair to ourselves in basing our results around our body weight on the scale?
What do you think? Are we being fair to ourselves by basing our goals around reaching a certain weight?
While I was out running the other day (this is always where my thoughts come to fruition), I was thinking about how I can encourage goals to be linked to fitness and wellbeing rather than goal setting set around the scales - which are not always kind to us, even when we are doing everything as we should be!
So, my thoughts on this can be found below and I would love to know what you think about my ramblings.
FITNESS. HEALTH. STRENGTH.
How can we start to make the focus on our wellbeing rather than getting stressed over the number on the scales?
Don't get me wrong - I do completely understand the relationship that people have with the scales and yes, it is a form of measurement as well as body measurements. But so many times, we put too much pressure on ourselves to reach a certain number on the scale and we push to the side our accomplishments in our health and our fitness.As a Personal Trainer, I work with people day in and day out to reach certain goals - many times these goals are initially related to weight loss but a few weeks/ months in these goals are usually converted to goals based on their fitness, strength or health - that is always a 'whoop whoop' moment for me.
Body weight measurements are not always our friend. Do you get those weeks (months) when you have been eating and drinking really well plus exercising - you go to stand on the scales and you have put on weight? ARRGHHH! What is that all about? We talk about water retention, muscle mass etc etc and then how often that makes you GIVE UP?
DON'T GIVE UP!
That is where it makes me scream and shout from the rooftops - focus on YOU, how you FEEL, what you are can do in terms of FITNESS and STRENGTH and how do you feel in your general HEALTH? This is where we feel the benefits of our diet and exercise.
For those that want that weight loss. The weight loss will happen - but think of a yoyo, it will keep bobbing up and down and will slowly go lower and lower. But it is more than weight loss - your body shape will change, your mindset will change, you will feel healthier, you will have more energy, your mood will feel more stable.
So next time, you look on the scales and they do not say what you want them to. I want you to do this...
First of all, put the scales to one side.
Next, take note how you feel in yourself after eating well and exercising. Think about your sleep, mood, how your clothes fit, what you can do with your fitness and strength, how your general health and energy levels are.
Finally, keep doing what you are doing.
