To Weigh or Not to Weigh......

To weigh or not to weigh, that is the question....
Growing up in a house full of boys had some positives. I didn't have to share a room or get any hand me downs. I was daddy's little girl and definitely got away with much more mischief than any of my brothers. They were easy targets and I could be very convincing. However, when I reflect on my life, I think one of the greatest benefits of being the only girl was the lack of attention that was placed on physical appearance. The boys were much more laid back and weren't obsessed with how much they weighed or if they looked good in their bathing suits.  We didn't even have a scale in my house growing up. 

Fast forward several years and my feelings about the scale have not changed. We don't have one in the house and I still don't think it's a good indicator of someone's overall health. Sometimes I think the scale plays games with our minds until we become obsessed with it.  So many people who have made significant gains in strength and cardiovascular endurance still use the scale as their only indicator of success.This can lead to poor nutritional decisions that will only make matters worse. We need to change this way of thinking. Being able to back squat 150 lbs with perfect form should be a more important indicator of improvement than the number on the scale. 
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Completing a cardio workout complete with hill sprints and burpees without having the "barfy" feeling is a step closer to improved cardiovascular endurance. I feel like a broken record when I ask people how their clothes are fitting, how they are sleeping, how their energy levels are, and how they are managing stress.Those are important markers that should be tracked more often than the number on the scale. 

Recently, my clothes starting feeling looser, but I wasn't doing anything differently. I thought I was losing weight and was not trying to, but when I stepped on the scale in the gym, the scale told a different story. I had gained 7lbs since our last spring challenge.  Interesting. I feel great, my strength numbers are going up, my lungs feel good, and my clothes are loose. I was perplexed and then reminded myself why I don't check the scale. It's not the indicator that drives me. I quickly forgot about the extra 7 lbs and focused on how I felt. 

Stop letting a number on a scale determine your idea of health and instead focus on what really matters. How do you feel, look and perform. Pay attention to these markers and you will likely make better decisions on your way to a more healthy life.