As a fitness professional, I have learned all of the scientific ways for you to lose weight and change your body image. I know the equations, I know the formulas, I know the protocols! But we’re talking about the fine line in between getting fit and obsessing over the numbers on the scale.
What you’re looking for is the weight that makes you feel most comfortable. How you want to look, better yet, how you want to look in pictures. They say the camera adds 10 lbs right?
My advice is to enjoy each phase of your process. When you fall in love with the process, you learn to fall in love with your work ethic. And thus fall in love with yourself because you created that result. You did the work, no one else. Be realistic, in a sense of the goals you are trying to accomplish. Losing 30 lbs in 2 months won’t happen but 16 sounds a little bit more reasonable. People, sometimes, set unrealistic goals. Not in the sense of you not being able to achieve them but in a sense of what you expect your body image to look like. “I want to weight 145 lbs. It’s the same weight I was in high school.” There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look like you did in high school but you do want to look like you’ve mature AKA glowed up. Keep some curves and lady lumps! But don’t let me tell you what to do. I just want you to be healthy. Some have this expectation without even knowing what they’d look like with 60 lbs off. I like to use the art of imagery. I had a few of my clients practice this before bed. They get in, lie down and imagine in their head vividly who they want to be and what does that person look like. This allows them to create their elevated self. I’m not in the business of building a new you, I’m in the business of finding the best you!
My very first client, who shall not be named but worked her ass off, started looking at the scale. She worked out 5 days a week for 4 weeks straight. It was time for her weigh in and she lost 1 lb. She looked at the scale devastated! I was a little insecure because she was my first but I could see so much change in her so I knew the numbers SHOULD have changed. Looking back, I’m glad she hopped on the scale first. I did measurements for neck,
biceps, forearms, chest, waist, hips, thighs and calves. She lost 6.5 inches on her waist! That day was a reminder of why I stand by not looking at the scale. I reminded her of her goal. “I want to decrease my waist size by 4 inches in 4 weeks by completing core workout 3 times a week. I may do core workouts at home separately.” She showed me a real person that wanted change. It was beautiful to watch her fall in love with the process that gave me my life back. Now, I just want to share it with anyone who’s willing.
I said that to say this. Enjoy your journey and be mindful of your journey. Look in the mirror and decide when you feel beautiful not when you hit that expected number.
Mama B