I stole My Client's Scale!

I hope you’re enjoying the summer so far. I’ve been busy helping more clients achieve greater levels of fitness, training hard for an upcoming jiu-jitsu tournament, and of course BBQing and hanging out in my swimming pool with friends for fun and relaxation.

One of the biggest challenges I have as a fitness professional is replacing some of the misinformation with fitness truth in the minds of my clients. After an initial assessment where body weight is recorded, I sometimes don’t have a client step on the scale for months, even if weight loss is a goal. This is a hard pill to swallow for some individuals, especially if they’ve been weighing themselves daily for years.

Initial weight loss from a calorie-restrictive diet is usually temporary. Additionally, this drop in weight means nothing in terms of long-term health and fitness.

There is a woman I started working with recently who is developing some really fantastic new habits. Although she was able to change many factors about her lifestyle, staying off the scale for a while proved to be a challenge. Since she was still weighing herself after I explained to her that the scale was not the best method to judge her progress, I inferred that she didn’t have a complete understanding yet. She still had some deprogramming to do. To help her along, I stole her scale and told her not to go on her sister’s scale either.

When individuals come into my office claiming to desire weight loss, I know what they really want is fat loss. The process of over-restriction of calories can lead to losses in both water and muscle. While the water weight will return after adequate nutrition is once again adhered to, the loss of muscle can have long-term damaging effects. However, with the right combination of the proper mindset, nutrition, and exercise, permanent fat-loss can be achieved.

2) Motivational quote of the month

It's not knowing what to do, it's doing what you know.

Anthony Robbins

I hope you found this information to be helpful.