When it comes to getting fit, the number on the scale holds a lot of power. Weighing oneself can help make one feel elated, should the scale read a number lower than the previous reading. But even a little spike in the number can serve to demotivate.
It’s time to bust the myth – scale weight is not an accurate measurement of health or fitness. Yes, you read that right! Here’s why… The weighing scale measures everything, fat, water, muscle, bones and organs. And there is a weight rhythm at play. Say you follow a healthy diet and exercise five days a week, but treat yourself to good food and leisure during the weekends; it’s obvious that the weighing scale will display a considerably lower reading on Thursday morning, than it will on Saturday night. Likewise, weighing yourself at different times of a day will show different readings, depending on what you have eaten, how often you eat and how much water you have consumed. Hence, it’s better to look at losing inches instead of losing weight as a more accurate measure of fitness.
But why does it so occur that one loses inches and not weight, even though they are exercising regularly and eating clean? This happens because one loses body fat and gains muscle in its place. In the grander scheme of things, focusing on fat loss is much more important than focusing on what the scale reads.
When one loses body fat, the changes to the body are permanent. They are altering their body composition, so as to store less fat, which consumes more room, and instead replace it with muscle that takes up lesser space. This explains a pair of previously fitted jeans slinking down your waist, even though the measure on the scale hasn’t budged!
Keep that exercise going
If you are standing on the scale and it reads the exact same number as last week, don’t stop working out because you think it’s not working. It is, in fact, working more because your clothes are looser fitting, your body is toning up and you are feeling more energetic. You may be losing inches.
While cardio exercises are not recommended when one is trying to gain weight by building muscle, it’s a great way to promote fat loss if you wish to be losing inches, but remain at the same weight. Including 60-minute low-intensity cardio sessions help increase fat loss; but if you are in a time crunch, you can give high intensity interval training (HIIT) a try, two times a week.
Along with your existing exercise routine, practice some strength and resistance training. Strength training involves the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction. And in circuit training for beginners, the use of resistance bands and equipment and lifting weights are great forms of strength training. When performed properly, it can help improve bone and muscle strength, balance and heart function and increases metabolism. In the long run, replacing pounds of fat with muscle means you burn more calories when your body is at rest, which helps keep the pounds off.
Eat right
Clean and healthy living also means eating healthy. A protein-rich diet helps limit muscle loss and promotes fat loss. About 25-35 percent of the calories you consume should come from lean protein-rich food such as eggs, poultry, fish, legumes and low-fat dairy products. At the same time, your consumption of unhealthy saturated fat should be reduced considerably.
However, do not make the mistake of eliminating carbohydrates and fats from your diet entirely. You need them both to fuel your muscles during workout sessions. Consume foods rich in healthy, unsaturated fats such as avocados, natural peanut butter, olive oil, fatty fish and nuts. The rest of your diet should consist of high-quality carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
That a proper diet and exercise work in tandem to improve one’s health is not unknown. But depending on your body’s needs, it is best to tailor your diet and exercise accordingly. When it comes to resistance training, it’s important to never over-work a set of muscles. Alternate between the sets on every other day to reduce the possibility of injury. Likewise, crash dieting for quick results should be avoided, as it promotes muscle loss which is detrimental to one’s overall health. Staying on the fitness track involves a lot of commitment. But regularly weighing yourself, with the scale not showing considerable changes, can cause you to falter. Instead, look for other signs of progress. Apart from your clothes hanging loose, you will experience better sleep, wake up to healthier looking skin, have more energy, better digestion and will enjoy better moods. All of these are more accurate measures of fitness than the number