DITCH THE SCALE!!
Mrs. Fitness Here… and I’d like to discuss that small square thing in my bathroom that is always trying to find a way to ruin a perfectly good day. The scale. What happened was I bought a spin bike. Well first I did a little research, THEN I purchased (this) reasonably priced home spin bike to help me ramp up my fitness routine. Anyone who has ever been a spin fan knows that spinning is addictive. Nothing else makes you feel as euphoric as 45 minutes on a spin bike. When you hop down and see the pool of sweat on the floor you KNOW you’ve put in work.
Well I’ve been spinning for a week. A week is not enough time to change your life, but I hopped on the scale with excitement this morning anyway to see how much weight I’d managed to sweat out with my new spin routine. And do you know how much weight I loss…drum roll please BRBRBRBRBRbrbrbrbrbrbrbrb
None. :-/
I wound up taking off everything including my wedding ring. But still zilch zip nada. If I didn’t know better I’d be despondent. But I’ve learned over the years that the scale is NOT the final word on fitness. My clothes fit better, my body feels better, my energy is up. So that scale can go play in traffic. And here’s why.
Slimming down doesn’t always mean losing weight. It is quite possible to get thinner without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches. This, my friends, is cause to rejoice. So don’t tether your emotions to the scale. If you do, you may quit a great workout plan prematurely because you are not aware that you’re getting real results. Knowing the difference between losing weight and losing body fat can change how you get results and may even change how you look at your own body.
What do those numbers on the scale mean anyway?? If you think about it, that number doesn’t tell you much at all. The scale shows your weight, but it doesn’t explain how much of your weight is muscle and how much is fat? Or how much of that weight is water, bones or organs? If you’ve ever had someone tell you how much they weigh and thought NO way!! I would have never guessed that. It’s because weight is the measurement of many things we CANNOT superficially see. A size 6 athlete may weight quite a bit more than a six 6 person who does not work out, because muscle is dense. But on sight they will look much more trim and light. Weight just doesn’t tell the whole story.
Another reason to avoid the constant weight checks that our weight changes constantly. All of us experience weight changes throughout the day, sometimes by as much as 10 pounds depending on what and how often we eat and drink. You could gain weight right now by chugging a liter of water, but does that mean you’ve gained fat? No. And once that water is voided, your weight will change again.
The bottom line is, if that scale is having a negative impact on your mental fortitude and it doesn’t help you stay on track and reach your goals, kick it to the curb. There are much better ways to keep up with your progress.
Try these:
- A trusty measuring tape can keep track of inches lost from problem areas
- Pay attention to how your clothes fit and when you suddenly find yourself needing a belt to hold up things that were once too snug
- Check your posture. The stronger your core becomes, the easier it is to maintain good posture throughout the day.
- Try the “pencil test” if you are working on glutes (stand straight up and place a pencil at the point where your butt meets your thigh. If your bottom can hold that pencil against your leg set out to add glute exercises to your routine (lunges, squats, etc). Check back every 3 weeks or so. As your gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus muscles tone up and lift, you will no longer be able to hold the pencil in pace. Now that result rocks much harder than a few lower numbers on a scale!!
For now…forget the scale 
Stay F.I.T. my friends!!
The thigh bone’s connected to the….knee bone (joint health)
Every one knows on a subconscious level that they are supported by their bones. And everyone knows thanks to the prolific Milk campaigning of the 80s 90′s and today that it’s important to have strong healthy bones. What people DO NOT realize is that failure to focus on maintaining the health and density of their skeletal system has a domino effect that can negatively impact their weight, heart health, physical ability and endurance…etcetera. Building muscle is not enough to achieve optimal physical fitness. We have to think about out bones and joints.
I count myself among the athletes who have pushed their joints beyond the normal measure of a man. A life time of running hurdles competitively has taken its toll on my knees back and ankles. Now I am in my thirties and know that in order to be able to continue to ask my body to perform for me…I have to fuel it in a manner that protects and repairs my bones and joints. Here are some foods tips and vitamin groups that promote joint health.
Aim for a diet high in Vitamin A, C, E, and selenium
A =yellow-orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apricots, cantaloupe, peaches, and dark leafy greens
C =grapefruit, oranges, papaya, mangoes, raspberries, pineapples, asparagus, and red peppers,
E= avocados, whole-grain breads and cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, pine nuts and peanut butter; and
Selenium =salmon, brazil nuts, oatmeal, shellfish, liver, bran and brown rice, .
Certain fatty acids, for example, omega-3s, are anti-inflammatory by nature and can reduce swelling and discomfort in joints. Omega 3′s can be found in salmon, sardines and herring, green vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
Drink plenty of water. (notice water is in every post we have ever made…want to guess why??)
If taken consistently, A dietary supplement containing at least at least 1,500 mg of glucosamine can also promote joint health.
Avoid soda (even diet drinks) and refined sugar.
And stay active. Just like the engine on a car, if you don’t start your body up and take it for a spin each day…it will begin to break down on you.
Most health experts recommend you limit your intake of saturated fats: (fatty beef or pork, poultry skin, ice cream, butter, whole or 2 percent milk, regular cheese, bacon, bologna, salami, pepperoni, beef sausage) and trans fats: (Sugary foods, white flour baked goods, white rice, bread) as they cause increases in cytokines and other pro-inflammatory compounds. Limit these foods if you want the best chance of reducing joint pain.
Procrastination
I received a great message Sunday at church. The lesson was in reference to when Jesus asked a disciple to follow him and this is what happened:
21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
He said this meaning If I ask you to follow me, come and let’s go. Everything will be taken care of if you trust me, even the burial of your father. Keep in mind that this this is Jesus you are talking to! I could raise your father from the dead!
Our lives are similar to this story. We need or want to do something, but always find something else that needs to be done first. Almost every morning I wake up and say I will read a couple chapters from the bible, or maybe a devotional, or even just a Proverbs for that day of the month. The morning passes and that goal becomes the goal for my lunch break. But when it is time for lunch, I may say “I need to go visit my twins at the daycare for a little while.” Sounds like a good reason. It is actually a great experience for me to go see them during lunch, even for just a few minutes. But what happens is for the second time that day, I put off what I was planning to do as far as my bible reading. And no matter the reason, good or bad, I can find a way to delay the plan. I can find justification, reasons, and excuses to not do certain things right away, but what benefit does it ever have?
Your health is important, whether you consider it to be or not. There is no good reason to delay when you will start to change your diet or start exercising. Time will always be an issue in our lives; if you have children, or a second job, or your going to school and working, you are probably even more limited. But just because you cannot do what the complete recommendation is for exercise or eating, does not mean you cannot start somewhere.
Be practical with the goals you set for yourself; are they too big, too soon? Are you setting yourself up to meet these goals? Start easy whether it is your diet or exercise, or both. Do not procrastinate. If you llan on being around for a long time, start investing in yourself now. I find that it is much easier to start adding more positive things in your diet first, and eventually ween the bad out as you get used to your changes. Eating almonds and fruits in between meals, replacing your white rice with brown rice, and drinking more water in place of sodas and juices. It is hard to change habits in just weeks, it’s a process. But it is better if you start now, rather than later. You will be surprised on how much time you can carve out for your self wiby making some small changes. I can leave out Sportscenter in the morning. You can ditch Real Housewives or American Idol. Actually some of you absolutely cannot be without those, but the point is that you can find 30 minutes several days a week to exercise. You do not have to wait until the weekend is over to get all bad eating out-of-the-way, so you can start fresh on Monday. And you should enjoy life and pleasures like dessert, so don’t be down when they find their way into your diet. Your goal should be consistency in a diet and exercise routine that is beneficial to you. If you are reading this then TODAY is THE DAY for you to make changes in your diet and activity.
@CollierFitness, we are here to help you in your journey to meet nutrition and physical fitness goals. Continue to watch for updates, recipes, stories, 10 minute workout plans, and personal training and camps that will be offered. Find out about how our resistance bands can make changes in your body and provide an alternate way to get strength training.
Enjoy life, and Get Fit!
Guest Blog: Baby Weight Update
Mrs. Fitness here. I promised pics of my journey to shed the 50+ pounds I gained carrying my twins. I’d hate to break a promise so here you are.
34 weeks pregnant (i went to 37wks and 5 days)
4 weeks after their birth
10 weeks after their birth
And i’m not doing anything crazy, I promise. I’m watching my portions. Choosing smarter foods. (did you know shrimp contain a natural compound that helps block fat absorption) and Getting a work-out in at least three days a week. With new twins at home you can BET I’m not spending hours in gyms or starving myself. (i’d pass out in less than 24 hours.) It’s all about the F.I.T. Fitness intelligence training. Mind over Matter…or in my case Mind over yellow cake with chocolate frosting. (*must resist cake*)
Don’t think you have to go out and kill yourself with an over the top workout from day one. It’s about easing your body back into a mode where it understands…ok we don’t need to be storing fat to support budding life. It’s okay to burn now. Shedding dormancy. And remember a “core workout” doesnt instantly mean crunches. There are many pilates and yoga stretches that rebuild core strength. **New moms be cautious that you don’t just dive back into crunches and sit ups. That type of movement too early could cause or exacerbate a condition known as diastasis recti or seperation of the abdominal muscles. There are specific exercises recommended for this condition that i’d be happy to share)*** But whatever you choose, just committ to get up and move!
I’m still 20lbs from my ideal weight for my body type and height. Join me! Twenty minutes a day can become a full body makeover.
Help Yourself! Perfect Portions
Portion control is a key factor to reaching fitness and health goals. It’s one of those basics that are common sense….but can still cause you trouble. In the wake of Mayor Bloombergs proposed legislation (limiting the portion size that sodas may be served in NYC) Collier Fitness has decided to share some info about portion sizes.
USDA Food Pyramids address many of the questions people have about servings and portion sizes. Unfortunatley…the cool kids don’t want to pull out their food pyramid at the restaurant. So just bookmark this blog and check it on your phone. No one will know what you’re reading.
First off, let’s remember Calories: The number of servings from each food group recommended by the Pyramid depends on your calorie needs.
- Children ages 2 to 6 years many inactive women, and some older adults may need about 1,600 calories per day.
- Most children over 6, teen girls, active women, and many inactive men may need about 2,200 calories per day.
- Teen boys and active men may need about 2,800 calories per day. (people with teenage boys in their home can attest to this.)
A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat. There is no standard portion size and no single right or wrong portion size. A serving is a standard amount used to help give advice about how much to eat or to identify how many calories and nutrients are in a food.
So to determine what sized portion of a food to put on your plate, think about how much of your daily servings it amounts to. For example, the USDA recommends that you have between 6-11 servings a day from the bread, pasta, grains food group. (This is the food group its hard to say no to!) So if you wake up and have a bagel DON’T think “ooo yummy bagel that’s one serving down and ten to go!” Lol dream on Not quite. One bagel 4 ½ inches in diameter = 4 servings of bread. The movie theater bucket o’ popcorn = 8 servings. Does that mean you can’t have bagels or popcorn? No! It just means buy the smaller bagel. Get the smaller size of the overpriced movie popcorn without all of the liquid death butter drizzle. Reduce the size of your portions and you can eat all day. You’ll avoid hitting the wall where you’ve maxed out on calories and servings by 1:00pm and are contemplating having an apple for dinner. Also, by eating smaller portions throughout the day you are telling your metabolism KEEP ON BURNING BABY! You are also maintaining your body’s energy stores at a much more even keel.
Here! Memorize this chart to the best of your ability: USDA Portion Guide
Most things in life are fine in moderation like visits from in laws chocolate. It’s when things get out of balance that the trouble starts. Utilize the USDA charts to help you work on when to say “when” when it comes to filling your plate. :0) Skip the all you can eat buffet and order a plated meal. Pack anything extra to go and eat it later. Resist the urge to go back for seconds a la Oliver Twist. You want cheesecake? Fine, have a slice and take the rest to work. Just don’t settle in with a fork and the remote and eat until your fork hits plate. The reason fad diets don’t work is because they often completely deny the body a food or food group it needs to survive. But reducing portion sizes is a lifestyle change. Not a diet. Good luck!
