by Kerry Taylor
Guess how much I weigh. Don’t worry, I won’t be offended by your answer at all. This is a question that I have asked to almost every person that I have coached that has wanted to lose weight, get toned, get lean or lose inches. To me, they all mean the same thing, just said in a different way. Still, to this day, no one has gotten it right. Some of the responses have been 210, 225, 265, 245- someone even said 190 pounds. Thank you! And because of this, I figured I would dive a little bit into the weight on the scale and how focused we are on it.
The dreaded scale, it only reveals a number. But, for some reason, we are so attached to that number that pops up that it drives some people crazy. Now, I am not saying it is unimportant, but it isn’t the number that we should be so concerned with. And when we get on that scale and see the number that it reveals, what makes us say I want to lose 15 lbs, or I want to lose 50 lbs? When I have asked, why do you want to lose that amount of weight, some of the answers are, because the doctor said so, or just because, or it’s what I weighed 10 years ago and I felt great. Well, 10 years ago there were a lot more factors at play besides your weight. How about your sleeping patterns, your age, your daily activity, your nutrition and your stress levels? I could go on and on, but I am sure you get the point. The number on the scale is not the sole reason you felt good. But, lets take this concept further.
Your body is made up of muscles, bones, organs, fats and various fluids. What I want you to focus on in this group are the muscles and fats. What is the ratio of muscle to fat on your body? The reason this should be the focal point is the more muscle we carry on our body, the better. What if we lost the pounds we want to but we ended gaining fat in that process, would you be happy? I don’t think so. That ratio is what makes your body look different and feel different. You can have 2 women or men of the same exact weight, and they will look very different. To that person that is saying, "well if one is taller than the other, yes, height will play a little role in this, but let’s make everything else the same except the body fat ratio. If one person is 10% body fat and the other is 25% body fat, you can imagine the difference in how they look.
Why is this true? No, muscle does not weigh more than fat. No, you can’t turn fat into muscle. Yes, muscle is denser than fat so it will take up less space than fat would. One does not turn into the other, but they can both grow and shrink. So, the trick is to shrink your body fat and increase your lean muscle. I have coached a lot of people that have lost a ton of inches but may have gained a few pounds and some may have stayed the same weight. It’s all good in my book, because you have reshaped your body to what you ultimately wanted.
So, I beg and plead with you to not just rely on the scale as your judgement tool. Add in your body fat percentage. If after reading this you are driven to get your body fat taken, just ask. We can take your body fat here at 212 Health and Performance, so you have it. Keep that number and check it again 3-4 months down the road. If you're active and focused on eating properly, that number will decrease.
Oh yeah, sorry for leaving you hanging. I weigh……. Til’ next time guys, continue to live a life 1 degree above the rest!
