1) The scale and body image
– The scale, and weight have been tools used for years in homes, and the doctor’s office. So why the negative correlation with the scale?
– Pretend for just a moment that we live in a world without mirrors, selfies, and body-snarking. What would it be like to think of your body not in terms of how it looks, but with the awe and respect it deserves for being a thinking, breathing, heart-pounding, disease-fighting miracle machine? If we could adopt that perspective daily, maybe we’d be less susceptible to some societal ideals that create a harmful, negative body image.
– Contrary to popular belief, the scale is not telling you about the state of your health, your abilities or your worthiness as a human being.
– Our interpretations of the data the scale gives us are, unfortunately, not based on HEALTH but on cultural beliefs about what health should weigh or what HEALTH looks like, which are largely false and misguided.-
heathline.com2)- Focus on #1 Body Composition Over Body Weight.
Body composition is a far superior indicator of health than the scale could ever be. We know that having a body fat percentage higher than 32% (meaning your total mass is more than 32% fat) can carry with it come serious implications for possible health issues: diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, joint pain etc.
– Keep learning: You can gain muscle while maintaining the same body fat %. Fluctuations happen with everyone. And this is your personal fitness journey. We all get into trouble when comparison arises.
Continue to learn about media and social media. Advertising, celebrity culture, and social media have established two strict beauty ideals: thin-ideal and athletic-ideal. This messaging implies that adhering to these two standards is the only way to be beautiful and be loved.
If you consume large amounts of media and social media, you may be at risk of internalizing these dangerous and unrealistic standards. And studiesTrusted Source have shown that when your peers share these ideals, the effect it has on you is even more powerful.
Creating a healthier body image involves unlearning what you’ve been taught from media sources.
Learning to recognize harmful media messages — whether they’re being sold by advertisers or pushed by unhelpful friends online — is the first step. Learning to see and appreciate a splendid diversity of bodies is also part of the process!
3) Fitness/workout journaling
– A negative body image involves being overly focused on comparing your size, shape, or appearance to unrealistic ideals. Holding yourself to a thin-ideal or an athletic-ideal may cause you to develop unhealthy self-talk, low self-esteem, or disordered eating patterns.
-A great tool to utilize on your fitness journey is logging your progressions with your workouts. There are many benefits to tracking your workouts.
- *Makes it more likely to reach and surpass your goal.
- *Allows you to be more efficient in your time and workouts.
- *Lends accountability to yourself and your goals.
- *Allows for easier modifications and shows when and where changes need to be made.
- *It can be motivating and reinforcing to remind you why you are doing what you are.
- *Helps to drive the focus and direction of your programming.
- *Keeps you committed to your plan.
4) Measuring or weighing food
It’s easy to think that you’re eating correct portion sizes. You measure a salmon filet by the size of your palm and judge the peanut butter you spread on toast to be no more than a teaspoon.
Yet, studies have found that most people underestimate their portion sizes, especially for high-calorie foods such as peanut butter, nuts, sauces and salad dressings. And if you’re hungry, research suggests that you’ll miscalculate portion sizes to a greater degree than you would after eating a meal.
Studies have also revealed that dieters who measure their food are more successful at losing weight compared to those who don’t.
– Unless you’re really good at it, the eyeball method of sizing up portions can be off, sometimes by more than 100 calories.
Not everyone wants, or needs, to weigh the foods they eat. And let’s face it, overestimating by half an ounce of chicken or 2 tablespoons of rice isn’t going to prevent you from achieving results.
– If you would like to educate yourself on portion sizes on your fitness journey, measuring your food can help progress your results, or expedite the process.
5) Are we obsessed with fitness tracking?
-Studies show that consistently using a fitness tracker—a device that tracks your movement, such as a traditional pedometer or other wearable device, or a smartphone app—can increase your steps per day by more than a mile, especially if you establish a heart-smart daily goal.
– Studies show both the benefits, and the negative outcomes of tracking. The goal is to collect data over a period of time. Then adopt healthier behaviors with education. Finally weaning off of some tracking, and only using those tools if really needed throughout your health journey. That’s all they are. Tools in your tool box.
Krickit NASM CPT, PES, CES, BCS Krickit is a Texas native who has been training in Los Angeles for 8 years. She loves utilizing her experience, and education to blend purpose with fil in workouts. Her biggest passion is influencing long term behavioral change with her athletes. Train with Krickit
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