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Dear strong ladies of the New You Challenge (or anyone attacking a "weight loss" goal),
A number of you mentioned during Week 3 you felt disappointed that your weight hasn’t dropped very much, if at all. We wanted to give you a few things to think about (and maybe a few tweaks that can help).
As with any new undertaking, change takes time, and— as they say— nothing worth having comes easy. I know it can be so frustrating when you don't see progress right away, but we are less than one month in to this new program. If the scale hasn’t moved much, please don’t freak out.
The number on the scale is just that— a number. It doesn’t define your worth or your strength. I’m guessing that most of you don’t truly care about the number on the scale at all. Don’t believe me?
What if I told you that you were going to drop 2 pant sizes, become more toned, have more energy throughout the day, and be stronger than you’ve ever been? Sounds amazing, right? What if I said you could accomplish all those objectives without changing the number on the scale at all?
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Your real goal isn’t to lose weight (although that will be an additional effect for some of you), it’s to improve your body composition: to lose fat, and gain muscle (so that your body fat percentage is lower, you are stronger, and you have a more toned physique.) Amiright?
We took hip and waist measurements at the beginning of this class because those are an indicator of body fat, whereas the scale is not. Do yourself a favor and just stop stepping on the scale! (Coach Danny says, "Throw your scale out the window!) Instead of weighing yourself, pay attention to how your clothes fit, how you feel, and (hopefully) how much fun you're having.
Still concerned about your progress? Ask yourself these 4 questions (and be honest about your answers).
- Are you drinking enough water? Water consumption helps with about a million things in your body, and it has been linked to weight loss. Ideally, you should drink a gallon every day.
- Are you getting enough sleep? Lack of sleep hinders your willpower, negatively affects your workouts and recovery, and makes you feel more hungry. Aim for a minimum of 7 hours/sleep per night. . . preferably at least 8.
- Are you eating enough protein? Most women don't. Protein helps build muscle and keep you satiated long after you eat. You should be aiming for 1g per pound of bodyweight every day. Track your protein for a few days, and if you’re not close to that number, increase your intake.
- Are you eating enough? Chronic under-eating can make your body fiercely hold on to extra body fat. If you’re in this program and eating less than 1500 calories/day, you probably need more.
If you’ve done all those things and still feel stumped or off track, write down what you eat (food, quantity, time of day) every day for 3 days and show it to one of your coaches. We are here to help!