I talked about scales in a previous blog post and how you shouldn’t weigh yourself everyday due to daily fluctuations in body weight, but it occurred to me that some people may be too scared to even step onto the scales in the first place!
Of course weight is just a number and it shouldn’t matter, but if you’re scared of the scales, this one's for you.
There are a variety of ways to see if your exercise regime or diet is effective and not one of these methods require you to panic about a meaningless number!
Track Energy Levels
It’s normal for energy levels to dip right after a meal as your body is digesting food, but you should keep a track of which foods make you feel most lethargic and which foods seemingly gave you a boost in energy. Some people find low-carb meals just don’t give them the energy to get through the day, whilst others thrive on low-carb and high-fat meals. Others may swear by gluten-free foods as they make them feel less bloated and tired. There is no right answer here - keep a track of what kinds of food you react to best and capitalise on them!
Appearance
Take pictures of yourself! It’s usually best to wear close-fitting clothing and to take one picture from the front, a side-on photo, and one from the rear to get a full body view. Take these three photos every 8 weeks and compare them! You might find that this serves as motivation to go further with your weight goals as you can visibly see progress.
Thoughts about food
This next one isn’t for everyone, but give it a try especially if you have a bad relationship with food. What I mean by this is to track your thoughts about food. It can help to write down your thoughts about a certain type of food that you might feel guilty eating - usually high-calorie, fatty, or sugary foods. Write about why you feel guilty and what is making you eat it in the first place. As you work towards your weight-loss goals, these feelings should become less intense and you should also feel less guilty about eating food you enjoy!
How do you feel?
This one is simple. Do you feel stronger? Do you have more energy? Do you feel happier? Do you feel fitter? If your answer to one of these was yes - even just one - then this is progress and you’re well on your way to a healthier lifestyle.