Redefine Your Success By Ditching The Scale

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I'm a man, but you bet me in that corner and I'll let it blow. I got time today cause boy, it ain't my time to go. I told my mom before I left that I would make it home and I ain't about to leave my mom alone. It's crazy what I'm living in. I'm trying to be the biggest. Welcome back to another episode of the extreme lifestyle living podcast. I'm your Thursday host, Emma. On today's episode, I'm going to be talking about redefining success. And what I mean by that is ditching the scale and finding other ways to truly measure your progress. I get it. We all go through these periods in our life. I definitely have myself where you're so caught up in the number side of things. You're so caught up on what that number on the scale is telling you. And that really determines how you feel about your body, determines the actions you take from that. And then also in a way determines how you go about living your life day to day. A lot of times when women think about making progress in their fitness journey, their number one thing that they're thinking of is losing weight or dropping an X amount of pounds. Now that can be a great goal for you to have, but this is where a lot of people tend to get unmotivated, feel disappointed in themselves, end up giving up and just really not seeing the results that they want to see because they're chasing this number too much. Now I've been there, especially at my heaviest. I think I was around like 150, maybe 152 pounds at one point in my life. And during that time, when I was starting to get back into my fitness journey and starting to really, Take going to the gym seriously and make it something that I was actually going to make a change in this time and for good The main thing that I was focused on was weighing myself. I would weigh myself every morning. I would weigh myself at nighttime I'd have it in my notes app Morning weight evening weight morning weight evening weight day in day out day in day out and this sometimes would lead me to feel Discouraged sometimes I would wake up and I may have been feeling good that morning when I woke up. I had a lot of energy. I felt like I had a good sleep. I was just in a good headspace. But then the second I stepped on that scale, if I was heavier than what I was the night before or heavier than what I was the morning prior, that would directly affect my mood, my self talk, and how I felt about myself going into the day. And think about this, like, if that's one of the first things you're doing in the morning, like you wake up, you use the washroom, you brush your teeth, you hop on the scale, that's not a good way to start your day. That's one of the first things that's coming into your mind just after you've woken up from your Hopefully eight plus hours of sleep. Of course, you're not going to feel your best. If you're sitting there looking at a number that you think doesn't fit what you've been doing, or you think isn't fair. That it hasn't changed or you think that all the work you're putting in is for nothing because this number hasn't changed or maybe it's gone up, stayed the same, whatever it is. So I've been there trying to chase that scale week over week, day after day, just trying to get that number to go down and just feeling so discouraged and letting it sometimes affect those healthy habits that I was doing so well at building and keeping and maintaining. And by those healthy habits, I mean going to the gym consistently, following my workout program that I'd invested in for myself to really make that change. It would cause me to make poor decisions when it came to my nutrition because I almost felt like What's the point? Like, I didn't lose any weight this week anyway, so why would I say no to going out and getting pizza and garlic fingers on a Saturday night instead of cooking a nice meal in? So then it kind of sends you into that spiral of where you start to focus on those negatives again, similar to what I said in last week's episode about If you're looking for the negatives, you're going to find them and especially if you're starting your day, starting your morning right away with one of those negatives, it's not going to be great. And I'm not going to be blind to the side of maybe some days you do wake up and that number is lower and you get that confidence boost, you get that immediate validation that what you're doing is working. And yes, that can feel really, really great. But we almost forget about those days and those feelings when you do have one of those bad days where the number you see isn't what you predicted or what you thought it should be. So many women that I work with currently have worked with in the past and even just talk to at the gym, online, and in my life, struggle with this and struggle with it very heavily. Most times when women come to me and we start working together, one of their first things they ask is like, When am I going to start seeing the scale dropper? When is, when am I going to be able to lose 10 pounds? How soon do you think I'm going to be able to see these results? And these are great questions to ask for sure. Like none of these questions are bad questions or anything like that. But I think what is missed a lot of the time is there's so many other ways to track your progress. Other than just that number on the scale, because obviously the number on the scale will fluctuate, especially as women too, during certain times of your cycle, your weight is going to change. It's going to have an effect. So if you're just using that as the number to base your success off of, it's not accurate data. So why would you use it? Right. So something I really try to implement with my clients right off the bat is sort of that mindset around the scale isn't everything. Now one of the first ways we start tracking progress is during client check ins. So these happen on a weekly basis and it's my client's responsibility to upload their progress photos so we can see visually the changes that are being made. Okay. Thank you. How your clothes are fitting that you're wearing in your progress photos, how things are tightening up, less bloating, things like that. That's a really great way to be able to see and actually pinpoint where we are seeing changes. Another great way that we use is by measurements. So actually using a measuring tape to measure different areas of your body and then tracking those numbers to see Where you're kind of decreasing, maybe your goal is increasing muscle. You're looking to increase some inches in your glutes. So we start measuring those areas and see really how much those workouts and that nutrition are aiding you in that glute growth. So on a weekly basis, it's my client's responsibility to upload their progress photos, their body measurements, and one way in a week. Now, all of this is done as a way for me to get a good gauge at the progress they're making and also to show them That just because maybe the scale isn't changing as much as they would like but you can really tell from photos They're less bloated around their core. Their legs are tightening up They're seeing some tone and definition around their shoulders and their arms Which are all fantastic things and the changes that these women want to be seeing But if we were just focusing on the scale number, we may not notice those changes, or we may not be able to see those changes as much. That's also why progress photos is such a great way to really track your progress. Because if you're looking at yourself in the mirror every day, it's really hard to gauge that progress and really notice those changes in yourself. Sometimes you won't notice it yourself, but maybe you'll see a friend that you haven't seen in a little while. And they're like, wow, you look really great. You look like you're glowing. You look like X, Y, Z. And that feels really good, right? But if you're not taking those photos for yourself, how are you going to be able to look at those photos and be able to pinpoint those changes for yourself? And that's also where I come into because. I get it. It's hard. I look at my own progress photos sometimes and I'm like, ah, like I just, I don't really see, I don't really know if I noticed these changes as much as I would like to, or I don't think I look as defined as I did the week prior. Things like that. So you can get in your head with it a little bit. So that's where I come in and I'm really able to look at these photos from a standpoint of the work that you're putting in, of the adherence to your habits and your goals and your macros and the program that you've invested it into. To become your best self and I'm able to help you pinpoint and understand and see these changes that you're actually making for yourself. Another thing when it comes to progress is things are not going to happen overnight. Chances are, if you're at a place in your life where you're not quite happy with where you are physically, you're not quite happy with where you are mentally, maybe you're not quite happy with where you are in life or in your career. That didn't just happen overnight. This all added up over years. It takes time to get into these positions. It takes time to build and stick to bad habits. It also takes time to build and stick to good habits. So sometimes it can be really frustrating as a women's coach, because a lot of times I get these questions from clients or they're disappointed or they're upset, or sometimes they even blame you because they're not seeing the results that they think they should be seeing when they've only. been consistent for a week or they've only just started tracking their macros two days ago. They've only had five workouts in their gym. They've only been sticking to these habits for two weeks and then they get frustrated, upset, or sometimes blame you for it. That they haven't seen these results quick enough. Or when am I gonna see these results? Or can you tell me when I'm going to be able to see X progress by? Things like that. And those are all good questions. Like I understand the questions, but I think a lot of times we get too caught up in focusing so much on that goal and not really realizing and taking a step back like, okay, I didn't get to this position in my life where maybe I'm a little bit overweight. Maybe I'm not happy with where I am physically, where I am mentally in my career and understanding that that didn't just happen overnight. You didn't just wake up one morning overweight. You didn't just wake up one morning with your social battery completely drained. You didn't just wake up one morning with nothing left in the tank for you because you give it all out to your family and you give it all out to the people that you work with. These are things that have. compounded over time that have built you up to the position that you are in right now. So that's what I really want you to understand from this is that progress takes time. Progress takes consistency. You need to be consistent with these things and with these habits for a longer period of time. I look the way I do right now because I've been consistent in the gym for five plus years, watching what I eat, making sure I feel my body enough, following a program in the gym, training with intention, and doing all of these things. So yes, I can go out and eat pizza and garlic fingers now, wake up the next morning and still look the exact same, feel happy, feel confident in my body. But the difference is, is I've been doing these things for years on end. And don't think that I don't understand it about like the weight and the goals and all that type of stuff when it comes to the numbers. Because it's been pushed on us as women since we were young. From advertising, from social media, from TV shows, movies, magazines, models, all that type of stuff that you look at. It's. All shown like to be very slim and to have a low weight and Being overweight is a bad thing and all that type of stuff. So I understand it I understand the need and the want to have that number be smaller and have that number be lower But there are so many other ways and so many more fulfilling and real ways to track and celebrate and see that progress than just using the scale. Seeing that number on the scale, those times that you do see it, and it's a number that you wanted to see, it's validation. It's that quick hit of validation that you're looking for. But long term, that won't be successful for you because it's going to be up and down. It's not always going to be going up like this in an upward trajectory. It's going to have ebbs and flows just like everything else in life, just like every other part of your journey. So if you're solely focusing on that number, you're going to be disappointed. So that's why it's so important to have these other ways and these other resources and tools Measurements to track your progress to fall back on because the scale isn't that number one thing that's going to determine whether you're successful or not. A lot of my clients go through something that is called body recomposition. Changing your body's ratio or build up of muscle to fat. So what your results would look like if you were going through body recomposition is you would be shedding fat or losing fat. While gaining muscle and maintaining muscle. So instead of just aiming to lose weight, it's more about transforming how your body looks and feels and actually changing your body's shape. For example, I have many clients that stay the same weight, but you can tell from their progress photos. You can tell from their body measurements. You can tell from their numbers that they're hitting at the gym, that they're leaner, they're stronger, and they look like they have more muscle tone on their body. because they've replaced the fat with muscle. And I mean, don't we all want results like that? Wouldn't you rather have a little bit less body fat and a little bit more muscle definition instead to achieve that toned look that you're looking for? And this approach is way more sustainable long term. This approach prioritize overall health strength and confidence long term. So non skilled victories are so so so easy! So important. And it can be as simple as just feeling like you have more energy every day. Obviously noticing a change in your progress photos. Noticing that pair of leggings that you wear to the gym are fitting a little bit better. Maybe that sports bra just isn't quite as tight around the straps or around the band and maybe your t shirt is fitting just a little bit looser. Maybe you're not getting quite as winded when you're walking up the two flights of stairs to your apartment building. You're sleeping better in the evening. Maybe you're waking up energized and refreshed. These are all signs that you're making progress on your goals. That have absolutely nothing to do with the scale. And I think we can all listen to those things and relate to wanting to see those changes, wanting to feel those changes in our body. I think we all would like to wake up with more energy every day. I think we all would like to get better sleeps at night. We all would like to improve our cardio and not feel quite as winded when maybe you do something that's a little bit out of the normal for you, like going on a hike that has a little bit more hills. Or having to take the stairs because your elevator is broken. The confidence that you feel like putting on a pair of leggings or putting on a pair of shorts that you didn't quite feel as confident in before, but you put them on and you notice that they feel different. And That instant boost and that good feeling is really what's going to power you through long term versus looking at that number on the scale. So many of my clients came to me that had unhealthy relationships with the scale and with their body. They have these habits ingrained in them of weighing themselves every morning, every night, and really focusing and observing. Assessing over these numbers and really letting it affect their day. If the number was good, they'd have a good day. If the number was bad, they'd have a bad day. And that's no way to live. Like listening to that, that doesn't sound like something I would want to do. I don't think that would sound like something you would want to do. So why do we continue to do it to ourselves? So some tips that I have that have worked for me that I've worked for some of my clients in the past when it comes to ditching the scale. So if you're weighing yourself every day, My first thing to do would be to stop weighing yourself every day, especially if that's really affecting you mentally and drop it down to once a week. My next thing would be to set goals that focus on strength and focus on performance. Maybe it's you're setting a goal to lift a certain amount of weight or. Run a certain amount of kilometers, or maybe it's, you want to get through your core workout without having to stop and take a break. Those are all other ways of measuring progress and measuring success that don't have to do with the scale. Take those progress photos. Taking progress photos is so, so crucial. So do them on a weekly basis. Do them at the same time, kind of that same sort of format as you would every week. First thing in the morning is what I always recommend. Take those progress photos and really use those to track your progress, but also take note of how you're feeling every day. What are your energy levels? How are you sleeping? What is your mood like? Do you have a little bit, How do you feel? Are you a little bit better patient? Are you a little bit less snappy with people? Do you find that your day isn't being ruined by seeing that number first thing when you wake up? A great way to really get in tune with how you're feeling and a way to track your progress that doesn't have to do with a scale is through daily journaling and affirmations. Just take some time each day and check in with how you're feeling. How does your body feel? How are those energy levels? What is your mood like all those types of things will really help you to track that progress without the scale So if you're actually looking for results that are going to last a long time instead of just a quick fix or that quick hit of validation This is your way that you're going to be more successful by focusing on how you feel how your body feels how your body is Performing how you're performing in the gym how you're performing at work How you're performing for your family and how you're performing and showing up for yourself And then also for how confident you become I promise you that if you stop looking at the scale and using that as your number one way to measure your progress, you will notice your confidence sky rocket because I know I did. When I started taking my workouts and everything more intentionally, and I stopped looking at the scale every morning and every night, and I really intentionally focused on making progress that had nothing to do with the scale and using different ways to track that progress I was making, that's when I really started to see the results I wanted. It. To feel the results I wanted and really build that confidence that I can say has only increased throughout my journey. And you can do it too. There's nothing stopping you from doing the same thing. So stop letting the scale hold you back from making that real progress and those real results that are actually going to stick with you and make you feel your happiest, healthiest, most confident self. Thank you for tuning in and listening to another Thursday episode on the Extreme Lifestyle Living Podcast. Be sure to check out Trey's Monday episodes and I thank you again for listening or watching wherever you get your podcast or if you're watching on YouTube, I'll see you next Thursday. Ah, but you bet me in that corner and I let, I got time today'cause boy, it ain't my time to go. I told my mom before I left it, I'll make it home and I ain't about to leave my mom alone.