Don’t start your day standing on the scales.

Scales are great as form of tracking measurements every 4 -6 weeks and for body composition calculation purposes but you can’t lose body fat fast enough to track progress on the scales by jumping on them as part of a daily ritual.

Weighing yourself every day only leads to false highs and false lows. It interferes with your mindset and makes it harder to stick to the healthy plan you’ve been following, making it easier to just quit because you can’t see the rewards of the effort you’re putting in. Also, when you’re gaining weight, we don’t just gain a kilo in a day or two, the body is far more complex than that. It’s a process, just like weight loss is a process.

Both processes take consistency. If you want pizza at work every Friday but you have weight to lose, that weekly treat maybe something you are doing consistently enough to halt progress, especially if that food is inflaming you.

Inflammation can cause you to hold more water weight so if you’re eating inflammatory foods then yes, you will see fluctuations daily, but it’s not measuring body fat or lean muscle tissue. What you see on the scales is a whole lot more than what you believe it to be.

So don’t let the number on the scales make or break your day.

Instead:

• BE loving toward yourself.

• BE happy for the opportunities you have that some people don’t.

• BE kind and sensitive to your bodies needs.

Here are some other things you can do too:

1. Look at progress in all its forms: fat loss, muscle gain, better sleep, better moods, better posture, less pain, better habits, joy, better health markers.
2. Eat high quality sources of protein in every meal to keep you satisfied and not reaching for sweets. Protein is essential for a healthy functioning body.
3. Eat lots of colourful plant foods, especially your greens. Dark leafy greens contain calcium without the inflammation and fruits and vegetables are jam packed with vitamins. If you are lacking in a vitamin or mineral, research what foods you can draw those nutrients from and consume more of those foods.
4. Eat healthy fats. Some people do better with fats higher in omega 3’s while others need a mix of the lot. Research what different fats do for the body and base your choices on what you need.
5. Drink more water. Start your day with a cup of water. In fact, when you ditch the scales this morning, grab a glass of water instead.
6. If the scales have become your enemy, come back and read one of our past articles here.
7. If you need help understanding what foods are inflammatory for you, or would like to learn more about healthy eating with a healthy mindset, find out more about how we educate our clients on nutrition for healthy living, body composition and performance.