Why weight is irrelevant.....For me!

How many people get frustrated with that number on the scales? How many people allow it to dictate everything?

 

YUP. I'm actually one of them... or used to be. Not so much anymore! I very rarely weigh myself these days but I must admit when I do weigh myself it can totally change my mood!

 

Working hard day in day out and making sacrifices each day with my food means I expect to see results! It upsets me when I don't. Sadly...I do sometimes look to the scales for those results.

 

So, Are the scales actually relevant?

 

 When I first weighed myself I was 15st 5lbs (at 5ft that's massively overweight I know!) but my weight was relevant here because I needed to realise that I was so overweight and something needed to change! Every week I weighed myself to track my progress, back then I wasn't really doing any exercise or knew the power of pictures so weight was my key measure! The number on the scales gave me massive highs (when I lost a considerably amount of weight per week) and it gave me massive lows (if I didn't lose weight or lost 1/2lb! I cried so many times over the number on those scales!)

 

I don't know what happened to change my mind-set on how I perceive weight, I guess it was the realisation that it doesn't always mean you aren't making progress! The lighter I got the less weight I was losing, infact the fitter I got the more weight I gained! I started training, running to start, spinning and some weights! I had a PT for a while so played around with weights! I felt fitter, healthier and less wobbly, but I was starting to weigh quite a bit more than my lowest weight I had been!

 

The more I have weight trained the more I have realised that weight cannot be the be all and end all! Yes it is a good indicator for some people but take this picture for example! The first picture I weigh 15st 5lbs.

 

The second picture and third picture I weigh the same weight (give or take 1 or 2lbs)...how much do you think I weigh in these? Or how much less than the first picture should I say?

 

Firstly let me point out.... the second and third picture I weigh the same but I personally think I look totally different! I have lost inches, "Toned up" (I don't particularly like this phrase) but I am so much fitter, stronger and much happier with my body! SO....if my weight was anything to go by I would be so unhappy with my progress, 9 months passed and NO weight lost!! But doesn't this picture show how important measurements are? Dress sizes? pictures? YES!!

 

 

 

Again to my point of weight difference. If you look at the first picture to the third picture you would assume I had lost quite a lot of weight! When people find out the weight difference in these pictures they are always so surprised!! 3stone 5lbs. THAT'S IT!! So...I went from a size 22 - 12/14 and lost 5stone exactly. I then gained some weight to make my weight loss 3st 5lbs but I am now a comfortable size 12. Now do you see again why weight can be irrelevant especially when training?

 

Now to this picture....I love this progress picture as I think my back looks totally different. Again, NO weight loss.

 

 

So how do I track my progress? If you haven't realised already I think photos say more than anything! We never notice our own changes in the mirror, however, if we take photos consecutively at set times in your journey then you will see your own progress (I usually take pictures every 6 weeks as I think this is a reasonable amount of time!)

 

Measurements - 100% important! Sometimes losing the odd inch off your waist, or a couple of inches off your hips can be some of the best motivation you need!  I have been whining for weeks about no progress and that I am so fed up of making sacrifices and training so hard for no reason! Why did I feel so whiny? Because I weighed myself and the scales didn't change!! So today my PT took all my measurements and it is safe to say we were both surprised by my progress! I've been feeling incredible all day!

 

Finally... How you feel / look! I don't think I will EVER be 100% happy with my body (that's me being very honest) however, I do think I am slowly becoming happier with it.... I think this is key!!

 

So on that note, I really hope I can inspire some people to stop giving in to them scales and stop letting them dictate how you feel! When someone looks at you they don't know what you weigh... they see how you look and how you feel (confidence!) so it's time to focus on those factors instead!

xx