You are not defined by a number number on the scale! Positives to try to focus on instead.

Having a weight goal is a great place to start and a perfectly healthy goal to work towards when done in a controlled and gradual way, whether it’s weight loss or gain. You just need to remember that the number on the scale contributes to a number of different factors including: Your skin, hair, blood, teeth, organs, bones, water and muscle mass. 

Weight might fluctuate for lots of different reasons such as:

• The time of day taken – Most accurate weight readings should be done first thing upon wake in the morning before eating or drinking, with no clothes. 

• Depending on your gender and age – Women’s weight tends to fluctuate very often especially close to, during and after their menstrual cycle or menopausal transition.

• If you’ve worked out the day before – A hard session can cause you to temporarily hold some minor water weight.

• If you ate a lot of food, or the type of food – Salty, fatty, greasy foods will often cause you to bloat, meaning you’re holding more water or, if you have over eaten quite regularly, gain fat. 

• If you are stressed – Stress causes water retention, an increase in cortisol and adrenaline potentially triggering stress eating habits.

• You’re eating foods high in salt or carbohydrates – Natural sea salt has great health benefits, but salt at high levels can cause water retention and for every 1g of Carbohydrates consumed, 3g water will be retained, this is NOT fat gain and can be lost as easily as it was put on.

• You haven’t been to the toilet yet – You might lose a few kg! 

• You’re gaining muscle – Body composition will improve, but you may be slightly heavier depending on each individual person! I’m the heaviest i’ve ever been, but in the best shape i’ve ever been in, because I now have much more muscle than I used to! Muscle weighs more than fat. 

• You’re on medication – Some medications can cause you to retain water, have an increased or decreased appetite or change your metabolism.

• Alcohol intake – Alcohol is harder for the body to eliminate and process and so this takes longer and may cause water retention, you may also go over your recommended energy intake with high calorie mixers or being less aware with eating habits after being intoxicated. 

• You may suffer with a health condition – Underactive thyroids, cushing syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes or chrohn’s disease (Different fluctuations depending on the health condition) 

Any of the different reasons above could contribute towards your weight fluctuations and whilst being a certain weight might make you feel happy it does not equal your worth.

The most important things to focus on in overall health and fitness is this:

• How you feel, physically and mentally – This is the most important factor! Who cares if you’re a stone over the weight you wanted to be, if now that you’ve started exercising and eating well you feel amazing? A number does not define you and is not an accurate enough measurement to be upset about! If you are happier and have more energy why feel disheartened by a number?

• Your strength, endurance, stability – Who doesn’t want to be physically fit, strong, faster, more balanced, less out of puff and capable all the way into your elderly years? With stronger ligaments and tendons from using resistance in training you’ll be able to run rings around your grandkids if you keep up the exercise and eating well! (And reduce the risk of osteoporosis)

• Blood pressure and blood work – Having a healthy blood pressure and healthy blood is an extremely important factor you cannot physically see! One of my extremely hard working clients started with a resting heart rate of 89 bpm, we have been training for eight months so far and it has dramatically improved now down to 69 bpm! This means she has now dramatically reduced the risk of developing cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, aortic aneurisms, kidney disease and vascular dementia.

• How your clothes fit and feel – Feeling confident in your once too tight, or once too big clothes fitting again! Theres no better sense of achievement than fitting into clothes you couldn’t bare to throw away in case ‘one day’ you could fit back into them! 

• Better sleep, reduced stress and increased brain health – Exercise has been proven to improve sleep quality over time, reduce stress levels, and improve brain health and cognitive function.

• Creating a toned physique – You’ve put the hard work in so you should be proud of the results! You might be slightly heavier on the scales but if you start to get definition and muscle tone.. who cares what the number says! Muscle is heavier than fat, so you might get slightly heavier, but look better!

• Flexibility and Mobility – Can you touch your toes when you couldn’t before? Bend down to reach something you’ve dropped without being in pain or struggling? Tie your shoe laces or even see your feet! These are all great progress indications. Flexibility and mobility are important to have healthy joints and muscles, warming up, cooling down and stretching to be healthy. 

• Self esteem and confidence – Feeling happy within your body will make you a overall happier person, therefore improving your quality of life. The happier you are, the happier your friends and family might be, spread good energy and inspire someone else to become a healthier, happier and stronger person too!

So, hopefully there’s enough reasons above to concentrate on the way you look, feel and perform instead of a number that measures your overall body mass! If you start to feel obsessive over the scales, ask for help from a health and fitness professional, or if you have any questions for me send me an email at: coachedbykashima@hotmail.com 

Want to start improving your physical and mental health?

Take the first step and contact me today to see how I can be your guidance as your health and fitness coach! 

• Follow a plan in the gym on your own – Ask about my bespoke gym based workout plans.

• Workout from home with 1-2-1 online sessions, or follow a plan on your own.

• Meal plans suited to foods you enjoy or learn about flexible dieting.

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