You know the feeling right?
You’ve had a good week, eaten well, exercised, done everything right.
The time has come to step on the scales and assess your progress.
Feeling a sense of excitement at the drop you’re SURELY going to see, you step forward and wait for the numbers to appear.
**drumroll sounds**
‘Hang on a minute, that can’t be right!’
You step off and step back on again.
Same result. You’ve put ON a pound.
How can this be?!!
A week of positive action comes crashing down around you.
You hold back tears as you briefly visualise throwing the scales out the window.
‘That’s it. The whole week is ruined. Why am I bothering? This healthy eating and exercise clearly doesn’t work. I’ve done everything right for a whole week and I’ve GAINED a pound! I’m never going to lose weight…’
All these thoughts go swirling round your head.
It’s the beginning of what could have been a great day, and already it’s ruined.
By a small piece of equipment that tells you the sum total of what your body happens to weight that day.
Sound familiar, and now a little bit crazy??
I think most people have experienced this at some point, especially all the mums and busy women that I work with.
But it’s MAD to let this ruin your day, or affect you negatively in any way whatsoever.
Weight fluctuates.
Hormones, water retention, time of the month, the meal you had last night, the workout you did yesterday, salt intake and carbohydrate intake can all affect how much your body weighs when you happen to step on the scales.
Stop and think for a minute.
Did you eat a high carbohydrate or salty meal last night?
Did you have a lot to drink last night?
Is it near your time of the month?
Are you feeling bloated?
Did you do a tough workout yesterday? (muscle damage from a workout can cause you to weigh more due to inflammation and increased fluid in the muscles that were worked)
If you answered yes to any of these questions, your answer could be right there.
If you’ve done everything right, keep doing it, you will see the change.
If it’s been a while since you took them, check your measurements, check how your clothes fit, check your photos if you’re taking them.
But most of all, take a step back and look at the big picture.
Does it REALLY matter that much, in the grand scheme of things, that the sum total of your body weight this week is the same or slightly more than it was last week?
Aren’t there a MILLION other more important things to focus on?
Is it really worth letting that ruin your day??
Life is really pretty short you know.
Every day is a day you’ll never have again.
It’s a chance to be happy, enjoy yourself, make a difference, appreciate all the things around you, feel amazing and have FUN.
When you look back at the end of your days will you feel happy that you made the most out of life, or sad that you spend so much time obsessing over a number on the scales that didn’t really matter anyway?
If you’re stuck, and it’s really important to you, seek help from a coach.
But always remember the big picture and don’t EVER let the scales ruin your day.
Hayley Plummer – Female weight loss personal trainer and coach based in Haywards Heath, Sussex