A client of mine was super discouraged last week when she came in for her training session.
She told me she felt guilty because she ate too many carbs for her husband’s birthday.
She also got on the scale and it showed she was 5 lbs. heavier than she was 3 weeks ago.
All of her hard work felt like it was flushed down the toilet.
This is a person who is very consistent to working out and eating healthy.
I asked her, “how are your clothes fitting these days?”
She said, “barely any of them fit anymore because they are all too big.”
Then I asked, “how is your energy throughout the day?”
She said, “my energy has greatly improved! I’m not tired throughout the day like I used to be and am able to accomplish more!”
Lastly I asked, “how is your joint pain in your low back and knees?”
She got a big smile on her face and said, “All of low back and knee pain is gone. I feel great!
Then I recapped with her all of her progress:
- Clothes are too big to fit into anymore
- Energy levels have skyrocketed
- Low Back and Knee Pain is non-existent
I then asked, what does this tell you?
She got a big smile on her face and said, “the scale doesn’t give a full picture of my progress.”
If you are using the scale to measure your progress, I would encourage you to stop!
The scale doesn’t tell you how well you fit into your clothes, measure you body fat, or how strong you are getting.
It also doesn’t measure your energy levels, your consistency to working out, or more patience with your kids.
Instead of using the scale to measure your progress, focus on being consistent habits that will help you reach your goals.
If you aren’t sure what types of healthy habits you should be doing, I’ve listed some below:
-2-3 strength training workouts a week
-30 minute daily walk
-Take 20 minutes to finish a meal
-Drinking 100 oz of water a day
-Having a mindset of thankfulness and gratitude
-Making time for yourself
-Spending quality time with your family
-Getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night
There are plenty of other healthy habits you can incorporate into your life.
If you are just starting out, start with one and focus on that for the next month and then add another.
The key is staying consistent and not giving up.
Your body will reward you!
