Hello Clients & Friends of Kim2bfit,
Thanks to a great friend and client of ours, I have recently been motivated to start blogging again. Blogging is not always easy for me to keep up with considering our current workload, but I love to educate and share my thoughts when it comes to living healthier.
I hope to continue to offer great tips, education and motivation to all who are reading and watching our information. Check out my new You Tube videos with easy recipe ideas to help keep your family healthy. http://www.youtube.com/user/kim2bfit
Also feel free to e-mail any questions you may have or would like me to blog about.
Thank you for your continued trust and commitment to living healthier.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Garcia
kim@kim2bfit.com
352-428-6368
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, April 6, 2009
Diet Danger: High Fructose Corn Syrup The Effects of Corn Syrup Aren't So Sweet
Diet Danger: High Fructose Corn SyrupThe Effects of Corn Syrup Aren't So Sweet
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
Trying to save money, food companies introduced High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) into the food market in the 1970s. Sweetening manufactured foods this way is profitable, because it is less expensive and much sweeter than sugar, yet easy to transport because of its liquid state.
Today HFCS is found in a variety of foods from soda pop to ketchup, fruit drinks to salad dressings, cereals, breads, flavored yogurt, and sauces.
What is Fructose? Fructose, a monosaccharide, is sometimes called “fruit sugar” because it is naturally found in fruits. Fructose is also found in honey, and is a component of table sugar (sucrose), which is a disaccharide composed of fructose and glucose. When we eat most carbohydrate foods, the blood sugar level increases and insulin is secreted to transport the sugar into the body’s cells. Besides helping to transport blood sugar, insulin also triggers the release of a hormone called leptin. Leptin helps control hunger by signaling the brain that the body is full and therefore to stop eating. The interesting fact about fructose is that it is metabolized in a totally different way than other carbohydrates. It does not stimulate or require insulin for transportation to the cells. Since there is no need for insulin release, there is also no secretion of leptin. Therefore the feeling of satiety is altered—you continue to eat and possible overeat.
Is Fructose the Enemy? Fructose should not be eliminated from your diet. It is primarily found in fruits, which provide a wealth of nutritional benefits to the body. Fructose found in fruits is fine! However, are we setting up our bodies for damage by constantly feeding it foods that have been filled with sucrose (fructose and glucose) and heavily loaded with HFCS, which is approximately one-half fructose?
What the Research Says… A few studies have demonstrated that participants who consumed soda sweetened with HFCS did not reduce their total caloric intake to compensate for excess calories consumed as HFCS (compared to subjects who drank artificially sweetened soda). The data suggests that HFCS does not provide the body with a sense of fullness. This may cause an increase in excess calorie intake, leading to weight gain. A recent study conducted by the University of Cincinnati provided additional information. Mice freely consumed either water, fructose-sweetened water, or soft drinks. The researchers found increased body fat in the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water and soft drinks—even though these animals decreased the amount of calories they ate from solid foods. The Smart SparkAction! Whenever possible, avoid food products that contain HFCS and refined table sugar. This is not a magical cure for weight loss, but the preliminary research indicates that it may play a role. These foods often have little—if any—nutritional value.
Take inventory of your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Start reading the fool labels. If HFCS is one of the main ingredients (which are listed in descending order on the food label), scratch it off your grocery list—permanently.
Try to limit foods that have “sugar” as one of the first ingredients.
Start shopping around the perimeter of your grocery store; this is where you will find the foods in their natural, unprocessed state.
Fill your grocery cart with low fat dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, cereals and breads. Although food manufacturers may lose out on your business, your body will thank you!
Kim's Thoughts
If you are looking to improve the health or yourself and/or your children, this is one of the first ingredients I would look to eliminate. It is going to seem difficult given that it's in almost everything. Take your time and look at the packages. You can find crackers, cereals and bread that do not contain HFCS. The more natural the food, the less chances it will have additives.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is ok for you just because you see a few positive commercials or the government allows it. Remember, they allow cigarettes, alcohol and several pharmaceutical drugs that are not necessarily safe. We have to take ownership of our health and how we want to feel.
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
Trying to save money, food companies introduced High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) into the food market in the 1970s. Sweetening manufactured foods this way is profitable, because it is less expensive and much sweeter than sugar, yet easy to transport because of its liquid state.
Today HFCS is found in a variety of foods from soda pop to ketchup, fruit drinks to salad dressings, cereals, breads, flavored yogurt, and sauces.
What is Fructose? Fructose, a monosaccharide, is sometimes called “fruit sugar” because it is naturally found in fruits. Fructose is also found in honey, and is a component of table sugar (sucrose), which is a disaccharide composed of fructose and glucose. When we eat most carbohydrate foods, the blood sugar level increases and insulin is secreted to transport the sugar into the body’s cells. Besides helping to transport blood sugar, insulin also triggers the release of a hormone called leptin. Leptin helps control hunger by signaling the brain that the body is full and therefore to stop eating. The interesting fact about fructose is that it is metabolized in a totally different way than other carbohydrates. It does not stimulate or require insulin for transportation to the cells. Since there is no need for insulin release, there is also no secretion of leptin. Therefore the feeling of satiety is altered—you continue to eat and possible overeat.
Is Fructose the Enemy? Fructose should not be eliminated from your diet. It is primarily found in fruits, which provide a wealth of nutritional benefits to the body. Fructose found in fruits is fine! However, are we setting up our bodies for damage by constantly feeding it foods that have been filled with sucrose (fructose and glucose) and heavily loaded with HFCS, which is approximately one-half fructose?
What the Research Says… A few studies have demonstrated that participants who consumed soda sweetened with HFCS did not reduce their total caloric intake to compensate for excess calories consumed as HFCS (compared to subjects who drank artificially sweetened soda). The data suggests that HFCS does not provide the body with a sense of fullness. This may cause an increase in excess calorie intake, leading to weight gain. A recent study conducted by the University of Cincinnati provided additional information. Mice freely consumed either water, fructose-sweetened water, or soft drinks. The researchers found increased body fat in the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water and soft drinks—even though these animals decreased the amount of calories they ate from solid foods. The Smart SparkAction! Whenever possible, avoid food products that contain HFCS and refined table sugar. This is not a magical cure for weight loss, but the preliminary research indicates that it may play a role. These foods often have little—if any—nutritional value.
Take inventory of your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Start reading the fool labels. If HFCS is one of the main ingredients (which are listed in descending order on the food label), scratch it off your grocery list—permanently.
Try to limit foods that have “sugar” as one of the first ingredients.
Start shopping around the perimeter of your grocery store; this is where you will find the foods in their natural, unprocessed state.
Fill your grocery cart with low fat dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, cereals and breads. Although food manufacturers may lose out on your business, your body will thank you!
Kim's Thoughts
If you are looking to improve the health or yourself and/or your children, this is one of the first ingredients I would look to eliminate. It is going to seem difficult given that it's in almost everything. Take your time and look at the packages. You can find crackers, cereals and bread that do not contain HFCS. The more natural the food, the less chances it will have additives.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is ok for you just because you see a few positive commercials or the government allows it. Remember, they allow cigarettes, alcohol and several pharmaceutical drugs that are not necessarily safe. We have to take ownership of our health and how we want to feel.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Posture's Impact on Health
Posture's Impact on Health
By Marty Kestin
Why is posture so important to health yet overlooked in our society?
Medicine has forgotten the value of good posture and what it represents. Good posture signifies a healthy body. Medicine is so specialized it overlooks the fact all the systems in the body are motion dependant. The body functions as a whole and should be addressed as such. As a result Americans have their symptoms treated piecemeal with drugs and surgery and get sicker as they age. We see our health, our parents health and the health of loved ones slowly deteriorate. We can however take control of our health, be responsible for our wellness and feel great.
Improving your posture is one way to ensure you do not succumb to the health "care" crisis in our country.
What is "posture" and why is it important for health?
Physics 101: FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION. "Form" is our posture. Posture is created by the position of our bones dictated by muscle balance and tension through the use, disuse or lack of use of these muscles. "Function" refers to how well our musculoskeletal system is working. Poor posture or "postural collapse" is a result of our dreadful modern life style. We spend most of our time at a work station, drive everywhere, and channel surf at night. We rely on modern tools and gizmos to perform just about everything in our daily lives instead of using our bodies like our grandparents and ancestors. Getting an hour of exercise per day through walking, intense cardio or the circuit machines at the gym will not address the ill affects of our lifestyle on our postural muscles.
Your posture is directly related to what you do with your body on a daily basis. All of the body's systems (cardiovascular, immune, digestive - to name a few) are interdependent and perform best when we are mobile and active. The musculoskeletal system and its condition is the common denominator for all these systems. "Move is or lose it" could not be more appropriate here. Lose your motion and you slowly lose your health.
Your posture has everything to so with your back, neck, knee, and headache pains and conditions such as Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, herniated discs, mild depression, and arthritis. (That covers a lot of different illnesses). Remember all of the body's' systems are interrelated and rely on healthy muscles and.
For example: We are inactive and hunched over all day. We are not using our muscles as they were designed to leading to structural misalignments and stress on our joints. This leads to inflammation in joints (arthritis) and tears in cartilage. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is in part, due to postural collapse. The breathing muscle (diaphragm), which bisects the abdominal and chest cavities, cannot expand fully with poor posture resulting in decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide in our blood stream. This creates a problem on a cellular level and affects every metabolic process in every system in our body.
What can you do to improve your posture and your health?
Empower yourself: Create goals to improve your posture and health. Visualize them and put a positive feeling behind them (This makes it easier).
Take action: Work with a health care professional who specializes in exercise and posture. Learn about ergonomics for the work station. Take micro breaks at work and stretch. Walk up and down the stairs at work when you use the bathroom. In short move your body and move it often with the right kind of motion.
Our health sick system is not the solution. You are. Improve your posture and improve your life!
Kim's Thoughts
This is a great overview of why posture is so important. I truly had no idea the impacts of posture and how interrelated everything is until I discovered the Egoscue Method. We know that having tight muscles can create pain, but we don't always think about the fact that rounded shoulders can cause hip and knee issues or if our head is tilted to the right or left, that we can experience dizziness and headaches.
Our bones do what the muscles tell them to do. If you have been sitting the majority of your life through your career or lifestyle, there is a good chance that some of your prime mover muscles have shut down or are in a constant state of contraction. Once these muscles shut down, compensating muscles take over. You may look like you are walking and squatting correctly, but internally, muscles that should be working are not while other muscles pick up double the work load. This consistent overuse leads to chronic pain.
Just as when your head is in front of your body versus directly over your spinal column. Your upper back and neck muscles are working twice as hard to hold your head up. Without proper posture, we can experience headaches, dizziness, digestive issues, performance limitations and chronic pain.
These postural deviations can be corrected. You have to be the one to correct them through proper therapy exercises that wake up the muscles that should be working and give compensating muscles a break. Just because you have had these postural issues for a long time or you think everyone has these issues, does not mean they can not be corrected. After one set of exercises with my 82 year old grandmother, her knee pain was alleviated. My husband improved his flexibility and his back pain was eliminated.
If I had not experienced physical changes in my own body after completing therapy, I don't think I could have realized how important posture is and how everything truly works together.
Take time to work with someone who can assess your posture and help you truly alleviate pain.
Drugs, surgery and physical manipulation all too often treat the symptom versus the cause.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Lessons Learned from Biggest Loser
By Kim Garcia, ACE CPT, LWMC
Many of you have seen the popular show Biggest Loser. It is truly amazing how the people on the show change their lives. Of course, it is one of my favorite shows on television, but there are pros and cons to how they lose their weight and there are definitely lessons that can be learned from the show.
First and foremost, the weight that they lose: These people lose a tremendous amount of weight in a short period of time. This can be very inspiring to those who feel like they have a long way to go to their goal weight. It can also be very discouraging to those who have been working hard and are only seeing a weight loss of a pound a week. What I want you to remember is that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we do not see. They are medically supervised, most weeks their diets are being monitored rigorously and they workout up to 6 hours per day. This is not feasible for the everyday person and is not necessarily healthy to do if you try to do this on your own. Although, you may not lose 7lbs in a week, one to two pounds is very realistic. Keep in mind, as I have said before, 1 to 2lbs per week equals 52-104lbs per year. That’s healthy and amazing! A slower moderate weight loss also helps with maintaining muscle tone and skin elasticity as you lose weight.
Working out for 6 hours per day: What we see, are people who have maybe never worked out before in their life, working out for long periods of time at extremely high levels. Do not think this is how you should do it. Remember, we do not see what goes on behind the scenes. Trainers in real life would not typically push their clients to the limits they are pushed on this show. If you have been watching, one or two people have fallen off the treadmill, one person has a stress fracture on their shin and many wear some type of brace or wrap to mask the pain. In reality, you do not want to work out to a level that causes these types of injuries. If you are injured, you can be put out for several weeks and not able to workout. Injuries also discourage you and may cause you to give up on your goals to live healthier. As I said, we do not see what goes on medically behind the scenes. It’s all about a consistent healthy lifestyle. If you workout 3-5 times per week and eat a healthy diet, you will lose weight. You are also more likely to make it your lifestyle versus an all or nothing workout plan.
Eating enough calories to fuel your body: I love that the trainers discuss how important it is to fuel your body. There are many competitors on the show that try to take it the extra step and reduce their calories as low as possible thinking they will lose more weight and take the competition. A recent episode showed where a few people lost zero pounds and one gained three. They had worked out everyday and ate all healthy food, but they quickly admitted that they restricted their calories to 1000 or less per day. Many of my clients have a hard time trusting that eating more throughout the day can help them lose weight versus gain it. Your body needs a minimum amount of calories per pound of body weight just to get through normal everyday functions. If you are not eating enough and putting additional workload on your body, your metabolism can slow down by more than 30% to conserve the fuel you take in for survival. Never go less than 10 calories per pound of body weight when trying to lose weight. This will help you conserve muscle, keep your metabolism high and assist with weight loss.
If you love the show, keep watching it, if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out. Just keep in mind that you can achieve what the people on TV have accomplished, but you need to do it in a way that is realistic for you and your family. If it takes a year versus three months, you will still be healthier a year from now versus just a year older. Take advantage of the capabilities you have today and appreciate everyday! You only get one life and you should be able to live it to the fullest.
Many of you have seen the popular show Biggest Loser. It is truly amazing how the people on the show change their lives. Of course, it is one of my favorite shows on television, but there are pros and cons to how they lose their weight and there are definitely lessons that can be learned from the show.
First and foremost, the weight that they lose: These people lose a tremendous amount of weight in a short period of time. This can be very inspiring to those who feel like they have a long way to go to their goal weight. It can also be very discouraging to those who have been working hard and are only seeing a weight loss of a pound a week. What I want you to remember is that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we do not see. They are medically supervised, most weeks their diets are being monitored rigorously and they workout up to 6 hours per day. This is not feasible for the everyday person and is not necessarily healthy to do if you try to do this on your own. Although, you may not lose 7lbs in a week, one to two pounds is very realistic. Keep in mind, as I have said before, 1 to 2lbs per week equals 52-104lbs per year. That’s healthy and amazing! A slower moderate weight loss also helps with maintaining muscle tone and skin elasticity as you lose weight.
Working out for 6 hours per day: What we see, are people who have maybe never worked out before in their life, working out for long periods of time at extremely high levels. Do not think this is how you should do it. Remember, we do not see what goes on behind the scenes. Trainers in real life would not typically push their clients to the limits they are pushed on this show. If you have been watching, one or two people have fallen off the treadmill, one person has a stress fracture on their shin and many wear some type of brace or wrap to mask the pain. In reality, you do not want to work out to a level that causes these types of injuries. If you are injured, you can be put out for several weeks and not able to workout. Injuries also discourage you and may cause you to give up on your goals to live healthier. As I said, we do not see what goes on medically behind the scenes. It’s all about a consistent healthy lifestyle. If you workout 3-5 times per week and eat a healthy diet, you will lose weight. You are also more likely to make it your lifestyle versus an all or nothing workout plan.
Eating enough calories to fuel your body: I love that the trainers discuss how important it is to fuel your body. There are many competitors on the show that try to take it the extra step and reduce their calories as low as possible thinking they will lose more weight and take the competition. A recent episode showed where a few people lost zero pounds and one gained three. They had worked out everyday and ate all healthy food, but they quickly admitted that they restricted their calories to 1000 or less per day. Many of my clients have a hard time trusting that eating more throughout the day can help them lose weight versus gain it. Your body needs a minimum amount of calories per pound of body weight just to get through normal everyday functions. If you are not eating enough and putting additional workload on your body, your metabolism can slow down by more than 30% to conserve the fuel you take in for survival. Never go less than 10 calories per pound of body weight when trying to lose weight. This will help you conserve muscle, keep your metabolism high and assist with weight loss.
If you love the show, keep watching it, if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out. Just keep in mind that you can achieve what the people on TV have accomplished, but you need to do it in a way that is realistic for you and your family. If it takes a year versus three months, you will still be healthier a year from now versus just a year older. Take advantage of the capabilities you have today and appreciate everyday! You only get one life and you should be able to live it to the fullest.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Take the Stress Out of Weighing In
Take the Stress Out of Weighing In
Mind Over Body: A Healthy Lifestyle Plan for Success -- By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert
Does seeing the wrong number on the scale make you crazy? Many people find that a “bad” weigh-in ruins their mood and saps their motivation, making it difficult to keep doing what they know they need to do.
Things don’t need to be this way. You can learn to use the scale as a helpful tool, instead of giving it the power to dictate your feelings and your actions.
Many experts and experienced dieters will tell you that the only realistic way to take the stress out of your weigh-ins is to skip them altogether—or at least keep them to a bare minimum. After all, there are many other ways to measure your progress towards your health and fitness goals, especially since weight loss is rarely predictable or orderly. Although we talk about weight loss in terms of numbers—calories in versus calories out—your body is not a calculator and it doesn't operate like a checking account. A number of things (like fluctuations in water weight, increased muscle mass, and your body’s anti-starvation mechanism) can and regularly do conspire to make the number on the scale the least reliable measure of weight loss success. And if you’re the type of person who needs to see that number coming down on a regular basis in order to avoid frustration, despair and panic, frequent weigh-ins may be exactly what you shouldn’t do. But let’s face it. Expecting yourself not to weigh-in frequently is like expecting yourself not to scratch when you’ve got an itch. For many of us, it’s just not in the cards. And besides, there are some good reasons to track your weight frequently.
Since most of us don’t exactly match the “average” person used in all the formulas for predicting energy expenditure, you may need a little experimentation to find the right combination of calories and exercise that will work for you. Watching the scale as you experiment can be an important part of that process. So, maybe the real issue here is how you can have your cake and eat it, too. Here are three things you can do to make sure your love-hate relationship with the scale doesn’t cross over the line and become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
3 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Your Weigh-Ins
1. Be clear with yourself about what that number on the scale really means. That number on the scale only tells you how much you weigh at that moment. It tells you absolutely nothing about what kind of person you are; what life has in store for you; whether or not you’ll ever look the way you want to look or feel the way you want to feel; or how other people see or think about you. If you experience thoughts or feelings like these just because you see an unwelcome number on the scale, then your expectations about what weight loss can do for you need a major overhaul. You may want to take the Is Weight Loss Stressing You Out? quiz to see if you need to do some work on that front—before you paint yourself into a corner you can’t get out of.
2. Remind yourself that you are choosing to use the scale as a weight loss tool. It is NOT your judge, jury and executioner. It’s probably a good idea to post this reminder where you will see it each time you step on the scale. It can help to include a short list of the most important reasons why you are trying to lose weight in the first place, and some of the ways you can measure your progress towards those goals (besides the scale).
3. Use the number on the scale to actually help your program work for you. If you’re going to use the scale as a tool, you might as well do it right. Try keeping a journal (or better yet a computer spreadsheet) where you track your weigh-ins (daily, weekly or monthly), your total calories eaten during that time period (from your Nutrition Tracker) and your calories burned through exercise (from your Exercise Tracker). Once a month, add the numbers up and see if things are going the way they “should” be. Figure out your total calorie deficit for the month, and see if your weight actually behaved according to the "3500-calorie deficit equals one pound lost" formula. If it didn’t, then try to figure out why, using a method like this:
o First, go back to basics. About 90% of the “mysterious” differences between what should happen and what does happen can be traced to underestimating calorie intake and/or overestimating calories burned. For the next few weeks, double check yourself on your calorie counting, portion estimating, etc., and make sure you’re not leaving anything out of your nutrition tracking.
o If that doesn’t solve the problem, figure that there may be something wrong with the estimates you are getting for your exercise calorie burning and/or your non-exercise calorie burning (your basal metabolic rate—BMR). Consider investing a little money in a heart rate monitor with a calorie estimating feature to wear during exercise, and/or having your BMR tested at a local gym with a device called the BodyGem (costs about $50). Use this info to adjust your calorie intake and/or your exercise, and see how this new plan works for the next month.
o If all else fails, talk to a dietitian or your doctor to rule out any unusual metabolic problems, or medical issues. But again, 9 times out of 10, it's most likely a simple problem with getting the right numbers.
Above all, keep in mind that it is NOT a lower number on the scale that makes all the work you are putting into your weight loss efforts worthwhile. What makes it worthwhile is the increased happiness and other benefits that come with doing the best you can to eat a healthy diet, being as fit and active as you can, and doing all the other things that make you feel good about yourself. These benefits depend much more on your attitude and the quality of your efforts than on any number you see on a scale. Shifting your focus from the scale to the quality and consequences of your own attitudes, perspectives, and efforts is the first step in moving from a “diet mentality” (which doesn’t work) to a “lifestyle change” (which can get you where you want to go).
Thoughts from Kim:
With everyone setting New Year's resolutions to lose weight and live healthier, I felt this would be a great article to share. It is very easy to get started on an exercise/weight loss plan, but sticking to it can be difficult. The scale is one of the main culprits that sabotages our efforts or should I say the way we utilize the scale sabotages our efforts.
The scale is an excellent tool to ensure you are staying on track, but as the article states, it is not always the most accurate. It can not tell you whether you are retaining more water, increasing lean muscle mass or improving your cardiovascular health.
Although I will be using weekly check ins on the scale throughout my Boot Camp Challenge and the Get Real lifestyle program, it will not be the only factor we focus on. We will also focus on how we feel taking care of ourselves, how our body shape is changing and how we are practicing the right behaviors to improve our quality of life.
Use the scale as a guide, but do not let this inanimate object that spits out numbers ruin your day or your focus. Keep moving and keeping fueling your body with the best food for better health.
Return to www.kim2bfit.com or comment below.
Mind Over Body: A Healthy Lifestyle Plan for Success -- By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert
Does seeing the wrong number on the scale make you crazy? Many people find that a “bad” weigh-in ruins their mood and saps their motivation, making it difficult to keep doing what they know they need to do.
Things don’t need to be this way. You can learn to use the scale as a helpful tool, instead of giving it the power to dictate your feelings and your actions.
Many experts and experienced dieters will tell you that the only realistic way to take the stress out of your weigh-ins is to skip them altogether—or at least keep them to a bare minimum. After all, there are many other ways to measure your progress towards your health and fitness goals, especially since weight loss is rarely predictable or orderly. Although we talk about weight loss in terms of numbers—calories in versus calories out—your body is not a calculator and it doesn't operate like a checking account. A number of things (like fluctuations in water weight, increased muscle mass, and your body’s anti-starvation mechanism) can and regularly do conspire to make the number on the scale the least reliable measure of weight loss success. And if you’re the type of person who needs to see that number coming down on a regular basis in order to avoid frustration, despair and panic, frequent weigh-ins may be exactly what you shouldn’t do. But let’s face it. Expecting yourself not to weigh-in frequently is like expecting yourself not to scratch when you’ve got an itch. For many of us, it’s just not in the cards. And besides, there are some good reasons to track your weight frequently.
Since most of us don’t exactly match the “average” person used in all the formulas for predicting energy expenditure, you may need a little experimentation to find the right combination of calories and exercise that will work for you. Watching the scale as you experiment can be an important part of that process. So, maybe the real issue here is how you can have your cake and eat it, too. Here are three things you can do to make sure your love-hate relationship with the scale doesn’t cross over the line and become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
3 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Your Weigh-Ins
1. Be clear with yourself about what that number on the scale really means. That number on the scale only tells you how much you weigh at that moment. It tells you absolutely nothing about what kind of person you are; what life has in store for you; whether or not you’ll ever look the way you want to look or feel the way you want to feel; or how other people see or think about you. If you experience thoughts or feelings like these just because you see an unwelcome number on the scale, then your expectations about what weight loss can do for you need a major overhaul. You may want to take the Is Weight Loss Stressing You Out? quiz to see if you need to do some work on that front—before you paint yourself into a corner you can’t get out of.
2. Remind yourself that you are choosing to use the scale as a weight loss tool. It is NOT your judge, jury and executioner. It’s probably a good idea to post this reminder where you will see it each time you step on the scale. It can help to include a short list of the most important reasons why you are trying to lose weight in the first place, and some of the ways you can measure your progress towards those goals (besides the scale).
3. Use the number on the scale to actually help your program work for you. If you’re going to use the scale as a tool, you might as well do it right. Try keeping a journal (or better yet a computer spreadsheet) where you track your weigh-ins (daily, weekly or monthly), your total calories eaten during that time period (from your Nutrition Tracker) and your calories burned through exercise (from your Exercise Tracker). Once a month, add the numbers up and see if things are going the way they “should” be. Figure out your total calorie deficit for the month, and see if your weight actually behaved according to the "3500-calorie deficit equals one pound lost" formula. If it didn’t, then try to figure out why, using a method like this:
o First, go back to basics. About 90% of the “mysterious” differences between what should happen and what does happen can be traced to underestimating calorie intake and/or overestimating calories burned. For the next few weeks, double check yourself on your calorie counting, portion estimating, etc., and make sure you’re not leaving anything out of your nutrition tracking.
o If that doesn’t solve the problem, figure that there may be something wrong with the estimates you are getting for your exercise calorie burning and/or your non-exercise calorie burning (your basal metabolic rate—BMR). Consider investing a little money in a heart rate monitor with a calorie estimating feature to wear during exercise, and/or having your BMR tested at a local gym with a device called the BodyGem (costs about $50). Use this info to adjust your calorie intake and/or your exercise, and see how this new plan works for the next month.
o If all else fails, talk to a dietitian or your doctor to rule out any unusual metabolic problems, or medical issues. But again, 9 times out of 10, it's most likely a simple problem with getting the right numbers.
Above all, keep in mind that it is NOT a lower number on the scale that makes all the work you are putting into your weight loss efforts worthwhile. What makes it worthwhile is the increased happiness and other benefits that come with doing the best you can to eat a healthy diet, being as fit and active as you can, and doing all the other things that make you feel good about yourself. These benefits depend much more on your attitude and the quality of your efforts than on any number you see on a scale. Shifting your focus from the scale to the quality and consequences of your own attitudes, perspectives, and efforts is the first step in moving from a “diet mentality” (which doesn’t work) to a “lifestyle change” (which can get you where you want to go).
Thoughts from Kim:
With everyone setting New Year's resolutions to lose weight and live healthier, I felt this would be a great article to share. It is very easy to get started on an exercise/weight loss plan, but sticking to it can be difficult. The scale is one of the main culprits that sabotages our efforts or should I say the way we utilize the scale sabotages our efforts.
The scale is an excellent tool to ensure you are staying on track, but as the article states, it is not always the most accurate. It can not tell you whether you are retaining more water, increasing lean muscle mass or improving your cardiovascular health.
Although I will be using weekly check ins on the scale throughout my Boot Camp Challenge and the Get Real lifestyle program, it will not be the only factor we focus on. We will also focus on how we feel taking care of ourselves, how our body shape is changing and how we are practicing the right behaviors to improve our quality of life.
Use the scale as a guide, but do not let this inanimate object that spits out numbers ruin your day or your focus. Keep moving and keeping fueling your body with the best food for better health.
Return to www.kim2bfit.com or comment below.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)