Weighing In on Weighing In

How often should you weigh yourself if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a weight loss? There are lots of different opinions on this subject, but I’ll share my philosophy with you. The advice I give is based on the personality of the individual.
For some people, the number on the scale carries a lot of importance, and it can be devastating to see any gain. Keeping in mind that body weight can fluctuate by as much as 5 pounds day to day, I recommend that these people weigh in no more than once a week. Any more than that and the daily fluctuations will drive you crazy.
Other people need a set routine and a concrete, visual daily reminder. They are able to emotionally understand that weight can fluctuate based on factors such as water retention and, in fact, become more in touch with their body by learning how certain foods and behaviors affect it. For these people, daily weigh-ins are fine.
Also, if your goal is not weight-based, but to be able to fit into your skinny jeans, use those as your marker and stay off the scale. If you just want to be toned, measure your inches or body fat percentage instead of weight. Not all goals require monitoring on the scale.
Finally, never become a slave to the scale. It’s a tool; it is not your master. While the scale doesn’t lie, it also doesn’t always tell the whole story. If you are exercising and eating well, and you look and feel better, don’t get hung up on what that number says.

Weight Maintenance Trick #2-Goal Setting

I'm the kind of girl who needs something to work toward. The idea of exercising to maintain my weight or for health, while both valid reasons, aren't really enough for me to haul my butt out of its comfy trench on the couch. I need to be working toward something. To that end, I set performance-based goals for myself. I'm always trying to go faster, do more reps, or lift more weight. Recently, I registered for my first triathlon. Knowing there's a race at the end of my training cycle goes a long way toward getting me in my workout clothes and to the gym. Don't forget, reaching your weight-loss goal isn't an end; it's a platform to your next level of fitness.

Cookout Time!

Around here, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer cookout season. I always look forward to the chance to hang out with friends and enjoy some great food. Here are some of my strategies for staying healthy at these gatherings (without being "that girl" with the food issues).

• Offer to bring a dish to share, and make it a healthy one. A big green salad, a veggie tray with low fat dip, or a fresh fruit salad is always welcome and it's a good way to get in your produce servings for the day.
• Don't get carried away with condiments. Top your burger with plenty of lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mustard, but keep in mind that the calories in ketchup and mayo can really add up.
• If you're having a cold beer, make it a light one and save yourself 80-100 calories. Also, monitor the amount of alcohol that you consume. Not only do those calories add up quickly, with your inhibitions lowered you may end up eating more food than you planned to. A good trick is to follow every alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Confession #1

It's confession time. I'm a fast food junkie. It's true. I try to eat healthy, but certain fast food items just call my name. Like the Volcano Taco at Taco Bell. I don't know what it is about that lava sauce, but I just have to have it. So how do I reconcile being healthy with my cravings for fast food? First, I plan. At my next meal I'm concious of making it low in fat, calories and sodium. I don't look at one bad meal as the right to eat cruddy food for the rest of the day (or week or month.) Second, I make sure to drink plenty of water to help offset the effects of a high sodium meal. Finally, I relax and don't beat myself up. I focus on making the majority of my choices healthy ones. The occasional Volcano Taco isn't the end of the world.

Are you on a diet?

Some things I hear on a regular basis:
"What diet are you on?"
"I lost 20(or 40 or 60) pounds on the X diet, but I gained it all back when I went off of it."
"What do you think of the Y diet?"
"I'm starting my diet on Monday."

So, what's the best diet? The short answer is: the one you'll stick with. The bottom line is that I'm not a fan of diets. To me, a diet is something you're on or off of. A diet brings serious restrictions, cuts out certain foods or food groups, and requires a radical departure from your way of eating.
Does that mean that you're free to eat anything and everything in sight? Not exactly. You start off by making small changes. I usually recommend to my clients that they start off by writing down everything they eat in a day: when, what, and how much. Then we take a look at the patterns that emerge. Never eat breakfast? Then the first step is to work in a morning meal. Drinking 3 sodas a day? Start replacing those sodas with water to stop drinking your calories. You get the idea. Once that change sticks, we move on to the next step.
The ultimate goal is to eat healthy for life. By starting with learning your habits and making changes within that structure, you end up with your own personal "diet" that you'll be able to stay on for life.

Weight Maintenance Trick #1-The High Water Mark

I've maintained my goal weight for the better part of 2 years, but that's not by accident. Maintaining weight takes thought and planning, just like losing weight. One of the tricks that I use is what I call my High Water Mark. I weigh myself every Monday, and if my weight two weeks in a row is 5 pounds over my normal weight, then I know it's time to take action.
Do I need to start tracking my food again? Do I need to change my exercise routine? It's a good chance for me to take stock and either try something new or correct if I've gotten off course. By having a High Water Mark, I'm able to do something before the healthy train goes totally off the rails.
Does your High Water Mark have to be a weight? Of course not! Everyone's different. It could be a favorite pair of jeans or your 1-mile run time. As long as it's something that signals you to get back on track, it will work. Set your personal High Water Mark and maintain your own results!

I'm Not Your Typical Trainer

I'm not your typical personal trainer. I'll freely admit that I'm not a gung-ho fitness buff. Sometimes making the healthy choice isn't the easy choice. And for a long time, I made the easy choices and wound up 35 pounds overweight, unhealthy, and unhappy with my body. The look on my face in these before pictures say it all.
I was working a desk job that constantly stressed me out. I'd hit the McDonald's drive-thru for breakfast, eat a fast food lunch, and dinner was usually pizza or buffalo wings and beer. Add in plenty of candy and sweets. Combine my all-junk food diet with being totally inactive, and it starts to become clear how I got to the highest weight of my life.
I tried various diets and started trying to exercise, but nothing ever stuck. Until the day I couldn't pull on the biggest pair of pants I'd ever owned. That day I decided to make a change. I wasn't going to the store to keep buying bigger pants. I was going to make the changes and get my body and energy back. It took 9 months, with plenty of victories along with setbacks and plateaus, but through eating well and exercising, I got there. I'm an after.


Spending all of those months learning about nutrition and exercise ignited a passion in me. If I could do it, anyone could do it. And I wanted to be the person to help others do it. I studied and received my ACSM Personal Training Certification and began working as a personal trainer. Now I have a job I love and I get to help those I meet reach their health goals. This blog is an extension of that passion. Please check back regularly for plenty of honest information about eating well, exercising, and what it takes to be fit. I look forward to sharing my continuing journey with you!