I see it again and again; A guest who has made unbelievable improvements in her cardiovascular strength, physical strength and mental state. Her clothing even fits a bit looser than a week before. She feels better, looks better and is even more positive. But the minute she steps on that scale and sees anything less than 4 pounds lost she immediately tears up and wonders why she went through all the hassle of the past week.
Its as if those other factors dont matter at all; Its as if all the other improvement that she gained in her week here mean nothing.
Its a shame to see because the scale is only one, very small aspect of being healthy. I wish we never had started the whole goal weight thing and would have instead come up with a healthy-feeling goal which would include the following factors all of them holding as much importance as the other:
- Positive mental state: are you feeling good about yourself and your accomplishments
How your clothes fit: whether its the ability to once again wear sleeveless shirts or Capri pants or a certain size of clothing. - Cardiovascular Fitness: can you be active? If a friend calls and invites you to a 3K Fitness Walk benefiting Breast Cancer are you able to participate? Can you play with your kids? Doing a triathlon or running in a 10K might also be a goal but isnt necessary to be considered active.
- Physical Strength: Are you able to carry your own groceries? Deal with tasks that require some strength? Strength often equates to independence.
- Realistic goal weight: this does not mean weighing what you weighted when you were 18 or even 25. Consult with different sources to find out what your goal weight range should be.
Before you step on the scale next time review the other aspects that go into your healthy-feeling goal and make sure that you are not putting too much importance on what the scale says. You just might find that you feel better about yourself and your journey towards a healthier you.
