The Scale is a Filthy Liar

My name is Kaci and I'm a recovering scale addict. For a year straight I weighed myself every single morning before I did anything else. It was an obsession and it led to endless frustration. If I was up a pound I saw it as a huge failure. I now weigh myself once a week and I always weigh first thing in the morning.

There are reasons why the scale could show a gain: water retention from not drinking enough water (or eating too much salt) and also muscle gain. If you're weight training, it's best to not go by the scale and instead take measurements and go by how your clothes fit. For example, I started seriously weight training in January. I have lost only 2 pounds since January 1st, but I'm down a pant size and have lost 10 inches. The scale is a liar!

 

This is not me, but an example of someone else. See how the scale can be a liar?!

 

 



If it's such a liar, why do we give it so much control over us? I wish I had an answer! That number on that blasted little square on our bathroom floor can ruin your day before it has even begun. It can make you feel like throwing in the towel because all of your hard work doesn't seem to be paying off. But you know what? That scale doesn't show you reduced cholesterol levels, reduced risk for heart disease and diabetes or the years you've added to your life from your healthy changes.

If you're a daily scale addict like I was, I'm challenging you to try something new: put the scale away and only get it out once a week to check in on your progress. Start measuring yourself once a week too. Always weigh (and measure) at the same time every day. If you weigh one week in the morning and then the next week later in the afternoon, you will not have an accurate judge of whether you've gained or lost.

Also, I hate those BMI calculators as much as I hate the scale. I'm 131 pounds and according to the chart I'm overweight! Those BMI calculators don't take muscle into account. So yes, BMI calculators are filthy liars too!

There are many ways to tell you've lost weight even if the scale doesn't show it. Loose clothes, more toned physique, inches lost, more stamina and just feeling better overall. This week I have realized I need my wedding ring resized because it has almost come off a few times. 18 months ago I had to use soap and water to get it off my finger! Celebrate the little things and don't obsess over the scale. I'm not saying it's not a good idea to weigh in occasionally. Just don't let it be the ONLY way that you measure progress.

How to Become a Runner

I'll start this off by saying that my definition of a "runner" is anyone who gets out there and runs. It doesn't matter how far or how fast or whether you mix it with walking. If you hit the pavement (or treadmill) on a regular basis and move your butt, you ARE a runner. It's not an elite club that only a select few can belong to. Anyone can do it. Trust me, if my lazy butt was able to do it, so can you!

When I first started, I was super intimidated and super ashamed of how out of shape I was. Looking back, I wish I hadn't been so hard on myself and just enjoyed the journey more. My husband is a marathon runner, and a fast one at that. I guess I was comparing myself and I just kept thinking how pathetic I was. Luckily he's super sweet and encouraged me and told me I was doing awesome when I couldn't run longer than 2 minutes at a time. I know now that I was making progress and I should've been more proud of myself. I was still lapping everyone at home on their couch!

To begin, I did the Couch-to-5K program and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to get into running. Click here for the program, which includes a schedule to follow at the bottom. You start with just running for 60 seconds at a time and over the next 9 weeks you will be amazed. By the end of 9 weeks you will be able to run a 5K without stopping and I mean it when I say that. I did just that. If you stick with it and follow the program and do it 3 times/week at least, you will get there. I'll never forget the day I was able to run 1 mile without stopping. It was glorious! It's fuel to keep going.

Before you even start the Couch-to-5K, sign up for a race if possible that's about 2 1/2-3 months away. It is so helpful to have something to motivate you and to strive for. There are 5K's pretty much every weekend around the area. Once you do one, you will be hooked and want to keep running them.

A little advice that I didn't follow in the beginning is to cross train. Ride a bike, do the elliptical, do workout DVDs, lift weights, etc. I went from a 12-minute mile to a little over a 10-minute mile once I incorporated Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 and weight training. Anything that makes your legs stronger will make you a better runner.

I hope I covered everything. If there's anything you want to know, just ask! I'm not a running expert AT ALL, but I wanted to share with you what worked for me and how I started.

Here's my awesome necklace I got for Mother's Day from my hubby and kids.

Busting Through a Plateau

There is nothing more frustrating in one's weight loss journey than the blasted plateau. I hit several throughout my journey and it is so hard to not get frustrated and just throw in the towel. I was 143 lbs for SIX WEEKS! The scale just would not move no matter what I did. I was patient and it finally started moving in the right direction again. Plateaus are totally normal and something most everyone will deal with at some point. Here are a few tips I have for dealing with plateaus:

- Make sure you are tracking every single thing you put in your mouth. It could be that you are eating more calories than you think.

- Up your water intake. Just like I said in my last post, water speeds up your metabolism.

- Eat out less and eat at home more. It's much harder to know exactly how many calories you're eating when you eat at a restaurant.

- Switch up your workouts. If you do the same workout over and over, your muscles get used to it and become very proficient at it and in turn, burn less calories. Try a new machine at the gym, take a new class, try running faster or just going further than you usually do. The best way to bust a plateau is interval training (alternating between fast and slow). Your body continues to burn calories even after you are done with your workout.

- Lift weights. The most overlooked weight-loss trick is the calorie-burning power of muscle. The more muscle you have the higher your resting metabolism, because muscle uses more energy (calories) than fat does just to exist. Weight-loss causes not only fat loss, but some muscle loss as well. If you are already weight training, increase the weight or do more reps.

-Make sure you are eating ENOUGH calories. Experiment with your calorie intake. If eating 1200 calories/day isn't working out for you, it could be that you aren't eating enough. Up it to 1500 for a week and see what happens.

- Don't give up. This one is the most important. No matter what you do, do not give up. Keep going because the scale will eventually start moving again. Patience is a virtue, especially in weight loss.