I think of it from time to time now, like when I wake up in
the morning and I weigh three pounds more than I did the day before, and I
start wondering how I got “fat” overnight. I know, as a fitness professional,
that the most likely answer to that question is that I did not gain any fat over 24 hours, but that I probably
ingested a combination of carbohydrates, salt and water that encouraged my body
to hold on to a few extra pounds of fluid for a few extra hours.
Even though I know this, I don’t always think about it
logically. Sometimes I think, “All I ate yesterday was salad and fish, and I
worked out like a maniac, yet I gained weight!” I believe this thought pattern
can be very discouraging, especially when you don’t understand that “working
out like a maniac” is also going to cause a little swelling in your muscles the
following morning, which will show up on the scale until your body has time to
clear it out.
I work out frequently, and I work out hard. I have always
been physically strong, and even though I am into my 40s now, I am still
stronger than some women 15 years younger than myself. My mother is the same
way—into her 80s, she is still tough as nails. Logically, I know that my
strength comes from muscle mass supported by bone density, which makes me
pretty heavy. I still don’t like to see that heaviness on the scale, even if I
know I can jump, lift, climb, run and dance because of it.
Several months ago, I was sitting in a restaurant with
another woman who has almost the same build I do. I will call her Millie. We
probably wear the same dress size and are the same height. She is about 15
years younger than me, and she is also a workout demon. We were sitting with
another woman, who I will call Lori. Lori is very frail.
Millie and I somehow got into a conversation about weight,
and we discovered that we weigh almost exactly the same. We commented on the
fact that people always think we weigh less than we do—which is a problem for a
dancer, because leads are bracing for 20 lbs less than you actually weigh when
they try to do stunts with you.
At some point during this conversation, Lori piped up, very
proud of herself, saying, “Why, I weigh less than either of you girls!”
Millie and I could run from zombies for a couple hours
without stopping. We’d be able to climb a fence or lift a heavy object off a
friend if we had to. Lori, on the other hand, would be likely to get stuck
under a fallen palm frond, and would have to get Millie or I to come get her
out.
Unfortunately, because the standard measure we use to assess
a healthy body is weight, Lori looks, on paper, like the “healthier” person. I
should mention that both Millie and I are well within the Body Mass Index
guidelines for our size. My point is that that BMI scale is inherently flawed.
A frail person with little muscle or bone density and a lot of fat can weigh
less than a very fit person with a dense skeleton and lots of muscle mass.
Training ourselves to look at the scale every day can
provide a reminder of our goals—but sometimes it becomes the sole focus.
People, especially women, skip meals and avoid strength training for fear of
getting heavy, thus sacrificing their overall wellness (we need strong muscles
and bone density not just to get through daily life, but to function well as we
age).
What then, is the alternative to the scale? I like body fat
assessments, although these are flawed, too. You often have to find a personal
trainer with the proper tools to do an assessment, and the results can vary
depending on how the person administers the test. Taking measurements of your
chest, waist and hip circumference is also useful. Personally, I like using my
pants as a guideline. When the pants get too tight, it’s time to take a close
look at the diet and exercise routine.
I prefer to use fitness assessments to gauge progress: how
fast can you run a mile, and is it faster than it was six months ago? How many
miles can you run? How many pull-ups can you do, and can you do more than you
did a month ago?
Focusing on fitness accomplishments rather than the loss of
weight gives us a little more control over outcomes, and our goal is actually a
positive (accomplishment) rather than a negative (loss).
I know, the world isn’t changing anytime soon. But the next
time you want to throw the scale out the window because it isn’t cooperating,
or worse, if you feel like ditching your fitness plan because you aren’t seeing
the numbers you want, think about the fitness accomplishments you have
made—walking farther, faster, longer, mastering new yoga poses, and learning
new skills. Stay strong, and don’t get discouraged!
