I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. Psalm 16:8,9
When working to lose weight, do you judge your success by the scales?
What if you have been diligent in your lifestyle changes yet you do not see the scales getting any lower or perhaps even more troubling, they go up?
What is your reaction?
Discouragement? Disappointment? Thoughts of failure?
Well, let me say, DO NOT be moved by what you see! “Oh, that’s easy for you to say because you do not know how hard I’ve been working”, you may say.
I do know that if your success is measured by what the bathroom scales say, then you will probably struggle to find success! Why?
Let me tell you…
There are many factors that go into what your weight reads when measured by scales.
For one, how much salt have you eaten lately? If you consume a lot of sodium in your diet, then many times your body will retain fluid, which will end up as added pounds on the scale. It is not unusual to gain 2-3 pounds overnight in water weight. For women, this can also be the case during “that time of the month”.
Another thing to consider – if you are truly working hard to lose, then you are most likely exercising. If you have been following my suggestions, then you have included strength training in your routine. When you are building muscle, you in fact are losing fat but because muscle is denser than fat, it can appear that you have not lost “weight” and in some cases, actually gain.
What is the best way to judge your success?
By how you feel – both mentally and physically! Do you feel better? Are you able to do more or longer without becoming worn out or exhausted? Do you look in the mirror and see changes in your body?
The very best way to judge your weight loss is by measurements. But even these can be a little confusing if you don’t have the tape measure at the exact same spot each time you measure.
So, here is what I suggest…go to your closet and pull out something that you can’t quite fit into (I personally feel a pair of pants is the best tool to use). Now try it on and make a mental note of just how much you need to lose for it to fit properly. Next, keep it in a place that is easy to locate and each week, try it on. As you do, you will begin to notice they are getting closer to the right fit until that glorious day, when they fit perfectly!
Just remember, if your scales don’t move the way you want them to, don’t be moved!
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