7/9/2017 0 Comments Weighted Perspective*Disclaimer: The lovely lady featured in this photo is NOT me, but I keep this image as a reminder that the number on the scale does not always accurately reflect one's level of health, fitness, or beauty. For the last year, I have consistently weighed between 170 and 180 pounds. I track my food intake diligently and work out 5-6 days each week. A few months ago, likely in a haze of raging hormones, I broke down after standing on the scale and, yet again, seeing a number that fell in between that range. “What am I doing WRONG? How can I work THIS hard and not even lose a pound!” Being the kindhearted realist that he is, my husband tried to quell my emotional reaction with delicately communicated logic. “Honey, muscle weighs more than fat. You’ve been going hard. Just because you haven’t lost weight, doesn’t mean you haven’t made progress.”
I tried to make sense of his statement, but it was clouded by the screaming voices that set societal standards of health and beauty: magazines, movies, television...even doctors. These sources ingrain within us all at a very young age that we should uphold the scale as though it is some God, omnisciently designating a numerical value on which we should base our self worth. While the number on the scale does hold some merit in terms of progress, it is not the be all and end all factor. Yes, if all of your clothes suddenly feel too tight, and the scale says that you’ve gained 20 pounds, you should probably reevaluate your diet and exercise regimen. However, it is also possible that you might step on the scale, see that you’ve gained 20 pounds, and yet your clothes fit just the same...maybe even better. When I started CrossFit in January of 2013, I was at my lightest weight: 150 pounds. However, for the first time in my life, I was weightlifting. I had never even touched a barbell up until this point! As you might imagine, all of the muscles that I had been neglecting to strengthen over the years began to grow, and they did so quickly. It was with incredible surprise then, that my doctor noted my weight in June of 2013 as 175 pounds: 25 pounds heavier than I had been 6 months prior. His immediate reaction was to tell me that I needed to lose weight. According to the BMI, I had gone from “overweight” to “obese.” “Ok, but I started doing some weightlifting in January.” “It doesn’t matter...you should not weigh so much.” I asked him if he would take my measurements and compare them to what they had been the last time I visited. “You’ve lost 2 inches around your waist,” he said. “So, what should I take from this? What do I need to do?” “You should decrease your calorie intake and lose at least 25 pounds.” I was devastated. I went home in tears, skipped dinner, and went straight to bed. The next day, I went to my gym in a panic, cornered the head coach, and asked him a ton of questions: Is this normal for someone who is doing CrossFit? Is there something I can do with my diet to lose the weight I’ve gained? Can the muscle I’ve put on really weigh 25 pounds? Should I lift less weight? Should I do more cardio? “Look!” he stopped me in my tracks. “How do you feel?” “What do you mean?” “How are your clothes fitting? What is your energy level like? Do you FEEL healthy?” I had to think about this for a minute. I noticed a few changes in the way my clothing fit: I had to get rid of a few pairs of skinny jeans and a blazer or two to accommodate my growing biceps and shoulders. Aside from that, however, I was wearing pretty much the same things that I was when I was 25 pounds lighter. My energy level was much better throughout the day, allowing me to cut down on the coffee I guzzled for necessity rather than pleasure. And certainly, I felt healthier. I told my coach this, and he responded, ”Then stop worrying about the scale.” So, instead of weighing myself religiously twice each week, I now weigh myself once a month (if I feel so compelled to do so). You might be asking yourself how a girl who meticulously recorded pounds lost for almost 3 years did a complete 180 in terms of using the scale. It was a bumpy transition, that is certain, but once I stopped caring so much about the numbers on the scale, I started to realize all of the progress that I was missing while I bowed down at that digital alter. Yes, I may weigh 25 pounds more than when I began CrossFit, and I may be “stuck” at that number, but here are some things that have not stagnated:
I could go on, but I think you get the idea. The things I’ve listed above are SO much more significant than any number of pounds that I weigh at a given moment. They cannot be assessed by some bogus piece of equipment that varies measurements from machine to machine, nor can they be undermined by a doctor who uses an outdated chart to determine a patient’s wellness. They reflect hard work, perseverance, and determination, and they translate positively into other facets of life. At the end of the day, these are the things that show success, and these are the things on which we should focus.
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