H20 and the Scale

I have been pretty much fighting the same 10 lbs for the past 3 months.

Up 3 down 6, up 2 down 5.......it really is quite frustrating.

Most fitness experts will tell you to NOT weigh yourself more than once a week or even once a month, some will say don't focus on the lbs on the scale but rather how you feel and how your clothes fit.

I weigh myself every single time I go to the bathroom ~ again, I am not kidding. It has become a tool for me to stay focused. I learned very early on that I could not get discouraged when the scale jumped 5 lbs in a day when I knew I had not consumed 5lbs worth of calories.

I have come to understand my body and that it can vary 7 lbs in 12 hrs but come right back down the very next morning. I stand on the scale as a way to remind myself where I am and why I am doing what I am doing. I go to the bathroom first thing in the morning, empty my bladder and get naked and stand on the scale immediately upon waking every single morning. This is when I weigh my lowest everyday.

Some days it makes me smile. When I see the number on the scale read the lowest it has in 10 yrs it gives me strength to eat right that day or push harder on the treadmill to see if I can get the scale to drop even further.

On days when the scale jumps a few pounds I don't give in and say screw it, instead I watch what I eat more carefully, be sure I drink plenty of water and pray that it is temporary. I'm not saying I don't have bad days or fall off the wagon once in awhile and give in to a burger or something (I will discuss falling off the wagon in another blog entry) but when I do it is not because I am punishing myself because of what the scale reads.

And every time I reach a new low I try to tell myself that it's my new high and I never want to go above that weight again. Of course it doesn't happen - because I now understand my body better. I know my weight varies due to water weight and so I am careful not to beat myself up or set unrealistic goals.

I learned early on that your body doesn't know the difference between if your thirsty or hungry so when you think your hungry drink water first, if you're still hungry afterwards then you should grab something to eat that is healthy and you are likely to eat less as well.

Whether you avoid the scale like the plague or you use it as a tool to inspire and keep you grounded like I do, is up to you - you have to do what works for YOU.  You have to do your homework and learn to understand your body.

While we can debate about the use of the scale - we cannot debate the role H20 plays in your body and the important role it has in aiding in weight loss and boosting your metabolism. The amount you should drink can be debated but what I found to work for me, is if you make water your go to drink when your thirsty and you drink water throughout the day when you start to feel a little hungry and if you are exercising - you will naturally drink enough water throughout the day, MOST days.

I know when I work out I easily drink about 48 oz just during and immediately after my workout - that is about half of my daily intake in about 2 hrs. I then have 22 hrs left in the day to drink a minimum of 48 more oz.  - it becomes fairly easy over time.