Oh say, can you see beyond the scale?

As I’ve said before, nothing helps change my perspective like a visual. As you can see from the above photo, 5 lbs of fat may be equal to 5 lbs of muscle in weight, but it is clearly not equal in volume. Another good reason why we need encouragement not to live by the number on a bathroom scale when there are more accurate measures of your fitness progress. In fact, I daresay we’d all be better off losing the scale entirely.

Not surprisingly, encouragement toward minimal weighing of oneself and a surrender from size obsession is generally not met with favor. The average person, having decided  they are ready to make some serious changes to their body, and having begun spending time working out and eating more healthfully than they are accustomed to, wants to see results of their actions immediately. I get that. I truly do. And I’ve been there! In the words of Carrie Fisher’s Suzanne Vale “Instant gratification takes too long.” Agreed! 🙂 But how many programs have you begun and finished that promised and delivered those immediate results? And yet, you’re here now looking for another solution for a reason. So I’m asking you to change your perspective on why you are choosing to eat optimally and exercise and fake-it-til-you-feel-it that your looks and size have nothing to do with it and trust me that not making that your goal is what will BRING YOU TO YOUR GOAL. And more importantly: BEYOND that goal. If you’re willing to work, you will get that body. But getting that body is not why you’re working. Have I confused you yet?

This will clear things up. Your goal is not to lose weight. Oh my gosh, are you having a fit over that one? Are you even still here? If so, I’m going to assume you are asking me what the goal IS. Your goal is to go bad-ass on your health and build a furnace while you do so. That’s right. In order for your body to burn fat, you must build the furnace first. You build the furnace by, you guessed it, eating nutritious foods and exercising. You cannot build your furnace in a day’s or week’s time and you can’t jump on a scale to tell you how far along you are on the furnace. This is a matter of doing the work each day in faith without needing instant gratification to “keep you going.” You’re building something. For now, that is your project. It doesn’t have to be one specific diet (unless that is your necessity at this time) or particular exercise program, or something you’re going to go on or off. It’s a beginning of a new approach to taking your health into your own hands. This is your life’s project. And just like any project, it won’t progress unless you work on it diligently. Now go start building.