WIN THE WEIGHT LOSS MIND GAME

If I could steal your scale, I would.  Or even better, just throw it away!  Because I know you’ll decide that you’ve been “good” or “bad” based on what it says, and that’s not fair to you.  Weight loss and fitness results aren’t always predictable. 

First off, your goal should not be weight loss, but FAT loss.  The scale does NOT measure fat loss.  If you want to lose weight immediately, cut off a limb!  Gauge your results (or lack of them) with methods such as tape measurements, caliper readings, photos, the pants-o-meter (how your clothes fit) and visible increases in muscularity over time.  The scale will play horrid mental tricks on you!  More than likely you will not lose much scale weight even while seeing incredible physical/visual results and a decrease in clothing sizes.  Let me share a few surprises:

SURPRISE:  YOU MAY GAIN BEFORE YOU LOSE

This is especially true if your first step toward losing weight is strength training, one of the most effective means for boosting your metabolism and changing your body.  One reason is that exercise spurs your muscles to store carbs as fuel reserves- like putting money in the bank.  Every stored gram of carbohydrate (otherwise known as glycogen) carries a few grams of water, and that additional fluid can skew the scale north by a few pounds.  But the more muscle you build, the more efficient your metabolism becomes.  Four or five weeks into your exercise routine, the fat starts to melt off.

Muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space on your body and in your clothes. So if you're noticing new muscles then don't expect to notice a big decrease on the bathroom scale. In fact, you can lose a small amount of body fat and add a bit of muscle simultaneously, which means the scale may go up slightly instead of down!  You will be depressed and upset when instead you should be celebrating your improving metabolism.

SURPRISE:  YOU MAY NOT LOSE EVERY WEEK

Most common reports say your sincere efforts should be rewarded with a loss of 1 to 2 pounds of scale weight per week.  This is not true for everyone, particularly if you only have 5 to 15 pounds of fat to lose and/or if you are weight training (which everyone should be doing no matter what).

Be patient!  Allow a good 4-6 weeks to see sizeable, outwardly-visible results.  You didn’t get fat, slow, and/or lethargic overnight, so don’t expect to do a complete 180 in a week or two.  Getting lean and fit is a long, slow journey not a singular event.  Fitness is a learning and growing process filled with experimentation, trial and error.  In most cases, A LOT of lifestyle change is required.  Some changes are drastic; some evolve over time with baby steps.  In twelve short weeks, one can monumentally change their physique.  Two to three months is a fraction of time in your life- especially when you consider the vast improvement in the quality of your life! 

SURPRISE:  IT HAPPENS TOP TO BOTTOM

Usually, the shoulders and upper body show visible improvement first, since these are the areas where the fat layer is thinnest. Your "problem areas" are virtually never the first to show improvement. But the progress will come if you don't give up!  Think of a roll of paper towels. As you unroll it, you can take off a lot of paper and not see much effect. But as you get further along, even taking off a couple sheets of paper from the roll will thin that baby down to the cardboard.

Depending on where you start, it may take more than a few months to get there.  Never give up on your goals because of the time it takes to achieve them.  The time will pass anyway!

Kristi Larsen, has a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and a former figure competitor.  Kristi owns ChandlerPersonalTraining.com, a private training studio and EastValleyBootCamp.com, outdoor group fitness training classes.  She can be reached at 602.692.3242.