If you have set a goal for yourself to melt away body fat and shed some extra pounds...it's so easy to develop a toxic relationship with the scale. I get it! I did it!
The scale is simply a TOOL that we use to have a base line and measure POUNDS and progress. IT is not meant to derail you or put you in a bad mood.
For those who let the scale reign as king, you're not alone....66 percent of people use the scale as their default mode for tracking their weight loss progress. But, focusing solely on how much you weigh doesn't take into account other variables that the scale cannot measure.
The scale doesn't tell you how much muscle you have in relation to body fat, the status of your mental health or the amount of stamina and strength you've gained.
That number tells you one small aspect of the story, so it doesn't fully reflect your progression.
If you see the number on the scale increase, it doesn't always mean you've gained body fat or "failed" at your weight loss endeavors. .... it's totally normal for your weight to fluctuate. There are so many other factors that can throw off the number on the scale, such as salt intake, water weight, digestive health, sleep patterns, diet and exercise.
Since your weight isn't the BE ALL OF HEALTH...here are more effective ways to measure your progress.
GRAB A MEASURING TAPE. If you've been regularly adding weights to your exercise routine, whether that be resistance bands, ankle weights or dumbbells, chances are you've gained muscle and shed some fat. Muscle is denser and takes up less space than fat, so adding muscle to your frame gives you a sculpted and lean look but can make the number on the scale increase.
Tape measures paint a more accurate picture of whether you've bulked up or slimmed down. PERIOD!! USE A MEASURING tape to measure your biceps, chest, thighs, hips and glutes. Log the numbers and continue to measure different parts of your body every week to assess how your body is actually changing.
SNAP SOME SELFIES:
Take photos wearing the same clothes and posing in the same way at the same day of the week, time and location to pick up subtle changes. Lay the series of photos side by side to see more visible changes that you might now notice on a day to day basis.
NOTICE HOW YUR CLOTHES FEEL:
Muscle is denser than fat, so your body may become more toned without losing any weight. To figure out whether or not you've slimmed down, pay attention to how your clothes feel when you put them on.
ASSESS your sleep pattern:
ALONG WITH stress levels, hormonal changes, exposure to light and alcohol consumption, your diet and exercise routine influence your sleep quality.
Sleep problems are common in those who are overweight or obese and as little as a 10 percent reduction in weight can improve sleep apnea and other sleep disturbances. When you workout regularly and nourish your body with the right vitamins and minerals, you'll sleep more soundly and feel more well-rested the next day. You can also use a fitness tracker to measure your sleep quality and see how your workouts and diet tie into your sleep cycle.
We are headed into the last week of BEGINNER LEVEL: HELLO SERIES in our brand now *TONE online studio, and what I really, really want is for you to STOP FEELING STUCK! Join us in these :10 MINUTE MOVEMENT WORKOUTS to find a true mind, body & soul connection. Awaken those muscles that haven't gotten attention in years.
Just as strong friends can help us get "unstuck" so can our daily workouts. If you don't process feelings that don't "feel right" through your physical self .....your inside & mental energy can become so tangled you get SUPER STUCK. #getUnstuck
You begin to correlate feelings that don't "FEEL RIGHT" with non identical circumstances over and over.
When you physically move through those tangled thoughts you produce a larger feeling of OPENNESS and a more relaxed heart. This can be achieved through small :10 minute movement exercises lined out, planned and strategically laid out for you every single morning by 6am (to do on your own time each day).... you don't even have to think about it. You sign in the TONE online studio and Heather will tell you exactly what movement to do : focus on the moves and connect your mind to your body.
"it's so refreshing and such a place to go to for ME TIME - just :10 minutes is so doable"
That inner peace offers you a deeper perspective of why you might feel this way and how you can find that feelings true purpose. Often times something that might not "feel right" can turn into the most beautiful outcome of positive growth for you and those who love you.
One of the biggest strengths of my online studio isn't always pretty....it's that we get to send each other a truthful signal about where we are in our lives every week. With those signals, we can support one another. A huge part of my research and choreography is around you consistently cleaning out out struck energy. That relives all kinds of pain.
This weeks FOCUS IS "Fundamentals of MOVEMENT" - All 6 workouts this week with be fundamentals of moving your body and connecting it to your mind. Focus on the moves and the muscles you are using to release stress, tension, bad thoughts, stuck mindset and REVIVE THE STRONG PERSON you are on the inside.
xoxo,
Heather
