Loving Your Body- Weight Watchers Beware

We all want progress when it comes to having a healthy body. "Weight Watchers" is a popular way to achieve that. We want to feel great and look great. We show love to ourselves as we drink shakes, take vitamins, go the the gym, drink water, count points and eat our veggies. Usually the scale moves, but sometimes it doesn't. What do we do then? Our response to the numbers on the scale, and how close we watch them, can determine our mood for the day or even how we feel about ourselves, but I have a question. Is that really fair? Are we putting too much weight on what the scale says?

Here's why I ask..... 

(and by the way- I have nothing against the Weight Watchers program per say- only the general concept of weight being the only important number)

The scale will show you total body weight, but it won't show you body fat versus muscle and water weight. Water weight fluctuates constantly. If you eat high sodium foods then weight goes up a pound or two. If you eat a lot of fruit and veggies in a day, weight usually goes back down, because the potassium in the plant based foods helps release water weight gain. A woman's weight fluctuates through the different days of  the month. Also, the number on the scale will increase as you gain muscle, because muscle weighs more than fat. One liter of fat weighs about 80% as much as one liter of muscle. So if your clothes fit better and you see muscle tone in the mirror, don't freak out about gaining a pound or two. If you are working out the the gym and lifting weights or doing any type of high intensity workouts, don't be suprised if at some point your weight loss plateaus or at some point goes back up. The key is to think about optimal body composition rather than just body weight. When clothes fit better and you are getting stronger, then the scale's job is to show you the muscle weight GAINS which shows up in pounds! Crazy, huh? 

So next time you step on the scale, take it with a grain of salt....so to speak. Ask yourself if it could be showing you how strong you are. If you aren't active then the number on the scale may be sending a different signal. It's telling you that your body has fuel READY to burn and you can do great things!! Start slow and ease into more physical activity and the number on the scale will respond. 

But either way, don't let the number on the scale dictate how you feel about yourself. Truly- self love starts with encouraging words and acts of kindness. Treat yourself like you'd treat your best friend (as far as what you "say" and how you encourage yourself), and pretty soon you will be. 

I recommend to weigh yourself once a week or once a month, rather than daily. Take other body measurements. Take a picture in the same outfit every week or every month. As you slim down you will see that the outfit will fit more losely. Love yourself. Love your results and keep going friends. You are doing great.