Friday, August 3, 2012

you're more than a number...

The scale...

Nothing can be more encouraging than weigh-in day and nothing can be more frustrating than weigh-in day! Whether you weigh in once a week or once every 10 days, that day where you put your bare feet on a cold scale just hoping to see a number lower than the last is a feeling that only if you are on a journey like us, you can understand.

Thank God our scale is not like the "Biggest Loser" scale that seems to flash in 20lb increments until finally landing on the number of the week!  I have a love/hate relationship with weigh-in day!!!  I've personally had around 65 of these days in my journey and wanted to give you a few thoughts that I think will help...

1)  Buy a DIGITAL scale that weighs not just in pounds, but also ounces!!!  This is an investment worth making!!!  First, digital scales give you a clear number instead of trying to guess whether the arrow is pointing closer to the 201 or 202.  Next, there is a HUGE difference between weighing in at 171 and 170.4...a half pound of fat loss actually means that you were in a 250 calorie deficit EVERY day that week...and that's awesome!!!  You burned more than you took in and that's a win!  Please please please get a digital scale!!!

2)  Write it down!  Don't try to guess from last weigh-in, because even though it may only be a week, you will possibly forget, giving you false hope or false disappointment. Plus a half a pound a week might seem "insignificant" but when you can look back and see how over time its has compounded its a HUGE encouragement!

3)  Don't kill yourself over a bad week!  Sodium, and for ladies hormonal changes, can TOTALLY mess up a solid weigh-in week.  If I know I ate some food that potentially was high in sodium (chinese for example) the day before I usually get on the scale, I will wait an extra day to weigh in.  If the number still seems a little off I move on!  Don't stress over a bad week!  Its sad but I have seen so many people blow off their life change because of ONE bad week!

4)  You are not perfect and can miscalculate! When you have more weight to lose, your error in calculations of calories won't affect you as much, but once you get down to losing your last 10 lbs a few miscalculations can mess up your number on the scale.  Especially if you eat out which involves more faith in the restaurants "calories count" or guess work on your part this can be an issue.  Don't allow some simple errors to become a defeat!  

5)  The way you feel is more important than a number!  Feeling good, having more energy, and just being healthy is more important than the number on the scale for that weigh-in.  If you're feeling healthy allow that to motivate you more than a number! 

6)  The way your clothes fit is a HUGE motivator! Go through your closet and stick some clothes to the side that you KNOW won't fit you yet and after a month or so of knocking it out and having a bad weigh-in, go try them on.  When you see how much better or perfect they fit it will get you through that tough time.

and lastly...

7)  Remember this is NOT a race!  You are not going to win a prize for getting slim the fastest... You are changing your life and this is a journey!  There is nothing wrong with skipping a weigh-in if you know that possibly you were not at your best.  Just don't make it a habit!  

Remember your life change is more than a number on a scale!!!  Believing God's Best for you!  

Steve







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