The first bathroom scale is thought to have been introduced to man nearly 4000 years ago in the Middle East (imagine what the bathrooms looked liked!). I wonder if women were as obsessed as we are now with how much they weighed. Curious…

Have you convinced yourself that you “should” weigh a certain weight (and I bet it might be pretty arbitrary…like what you weighed when you were 21). Have you forgotten about how it feels to actually “feel” good, or better yet, “look” good…or are you so consumed by reaching that number on the scale that when people tell you that you look good or when you have loads of energy, you dismiss them because you didn’t see that “perfect little number” on the scale this morning?
If you answered “yes” to any of these, you’ve been lied to. Sorry to break it to you, but you have been played for a fool. By a scale. Yes, a stupid little machine that takes up space next to your toilet.
And you even trusted it enough to get naked for it!

 
I want to tell you three lies that the scale tells you on a regular basis, so you can be empowered with knowledge before you jump on that scale next time.
Lie #1:
When you drop weight after a week of “dieting” or severe calorie-restriction, the scale doesn’t tell you that you’ve mostly shed excess water weight and precious muscle…NOT necessarily BODY FAT. Bummer. This is why yo-yo dieting never, never, never works and why you are frustrated, frustrated, frustrated because you can’t seem to “maintain” a healthy weight range.

Lie #2:
The scale fails to tell you what that number actually means. Your body composition is simply what makes up your total body weight, including water, body fat, muscle, organs and tissues, and your skeletal system. When you weigh on a standard scale, the number includes the total weight of all of these components. This number can often fluctuate for a few reasons, often +/- 5 pounds each day. It can change depending on hormonal levels during the month (especially for women), increased or decreased muscle mass (which weighs more than fat), change in body fat, water retention, temperature, change in habits, along with lack of sleep (which can lead to overeating).

Lie #3:
It does not give you a complete picture of how good you feel or how healthy you actually are inside. Don’t get me wrong, we shouldn’t completely discount our total weight. It can be used as a baseline to our overall health. If you’re remaining consistent with a fitness routine and a well-balanced eating routine (even cheating a little), your focus seems to shift from the scale to how you’re looking and feeling. I can almost guarantee if you asked 10 fitness trainers or athletes if they ever weigh themselves, I bet 8 out of 10 say they don’t. Why? Because they LISTEN TO THEIR BODY. They know when they’re off track or lacking energy or if they’ve packed on a few extra. They don’t need a scale to tell them.
Here is a real-life example of how the number on the scale can be very misleading, and I hope this gives you a better picture of what I’m talking about.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLE:

The Battle of the Two 150-Pound Women

(be sure to use your imagination to picture each these women)

Woman #1 stats:
Background: She does not exercise consistently, yo-yo diet*s, wears a size 10-12 pants, and hates her muffin-top, and that spare tire around her waist.
Total Body Weight: 150 pounds
Total Body Fat: 60 pounds (40% of her total body weight)
Total Lean Muscle: 60 pounds (40% of her total body weight)
Other (water, bones, etc.) 30 pounds (20% of her total body weight)

Woman #2 stats:
Background: She exercises consistently, eats well balanced and nutritiously (she probably even cheats occasionally), wears a size 6-8 pants, has a lean waistline and very little “bulge.”
Total Body Weight: 150 pounds
Total Body Fat: 37.5 pounds (25% of her total body weight…and totally healthy)
Total Lean Muscle: 82.5 pounds (55% of her total body weight)
Other (water, bones, etc.) 30 pounds (20% of her total body weight)

If you saw these two women walking next to each other, you may never guess they weighed exactly the same when they get on a scale. You would likely judge Woman #1 as significantly heavier than 150 pounds. However, Woman #2 may actually look like she weighs 30 pounds less because her muscle tone and healthy body fat levels makes her smaller, fitter, and leaner.
Which one would you rather be? Woman #1 or Woman #2…
MORAL OF THE STORY…SCALES LIE AND OFTEN DO NOT TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH!
Don’t use the scale as the only measurement of your success. Focus on how you feel in your clothes, your energy, your sleep, your mood…and your confidence. Avoid weighing daily – weigh once a week at most. You will know if you have gained weight when you look in the mirror or if those pants feel a little tighter than they did last winter. You will also know if your body composition has changed if those pants feel a bit looser.
Free yourself from being a slave to the scale…it may not be an easy habit to break at first, but it will be the most liberating feeling when you finally do!
And by the way….
Who else looks at that number other than you and maybe your doctor? Why do your friends or even your husband need to know your weight?
If the topic of conversation of “weight” comes up frequently with your friends, you need to change the subject quick (because nothing good can come of a conversation about weight. And honestly, you may even want to reevaluate who you are hanging with. Remember, you are a product of those you surround yourself with.
As part of the Boardroom Babe community, you’ve already taken the first step to a path of success.
Maybe one day we should have a “scale-burning” party
Committed to your success…no matter what you weigh,
Lindsay V.

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A lot of you have asked how to choose an avocado since we all have heard the research about the health benefits of avocado in our diet. Here’s a quick “How To” video to work your way around the brown, bumpy, delicious fruit (or is it a vegetable…hmmm??).

Plus, I’ll give you the recipe for my 4-minute Super-Energy-Lunch-Black Bean Salad (it took me longer to spell that than it did to make it!).

Want to know your way around any other healthy foods in the kitchen? Leave me a comment and I might make it my next video!

Eat deliciously!

~Lindsay

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On my last trip to California to a fitness business conference, my friend and fellow fat loss expert, Shawna Kaminski from Calgary asked to interview me for her clients since many of her clients are working women who end up eating out on the run and need a program that will help them lose body fat and stay on track.

She wanted to ask me about my “Working Girl’s Guide to Eating on the Run” (if you haven’t downloaded your free copy yet, be sure to get it here >> www.GetSkinnyOnTheGo.com) and wanted me to give some pointers about how to make the best choices when you eat out.

Check out the interview below and if you want to know more about Shawna’s program “Female Fat Loss Over 40″ click here >> http://tinyurl.com/FemaleFatLoss-Over40.  

And remember…plan, plan, plan. When you leave your choices up to chance, you set yourself up to make poor choices. Set yourself up for success by having confidence that you will order the right meals, and stay on track to meet your ultimate fitness goals.

Your coach and friend in success,

Lindsay

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I just arrived last night in Newport Beach, California and cozied-up in my awesome suite at the Newport Fairmont.

I know the next few days will be super-busy since I’m meeting with my coaches and meetings with an exclusive group of other top fitness trainers from all over the world. Even as a coach myself, I invest in coaches all around me…we all need coaches to keep us on the top of our game, keep us accountable to our goals, and give us the kick-in-the-butt when we’re slacking a little.

But the main point of my post this morning is that being away from your home-base can be a challenge to stay on track…not to mention if you’re away on a conference or trade show when the schedule is jammed-pack from early in the morning to late at night. Typically you’re in a conference room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with few options for each meal and we haven’t even talked about the “social beverages” of the evening events.

Especially when you’re traveling, your body is already trying to make the adjustments of travel, the changes of your body when you fly, time changes, and sleep patterns.

When you fly you tend to retain water, that is why it is critical to be hydrated before, during, and after your flight to keep your system in check. Dehydration will also trigger false “hunger-pangs” that we mistake as hunger when it’s really our body telling us it just needs some good hydration. 

KEEP HYDRATED: I always buy one of the big waters after security to take with me on the plane. Hopefully you got an aisle seat so you can get up a few times . Drink 65-85oz of water each day, if you’re drinking do a drink-water-swap so that you can keep your body from becoming even more dehydrated from the alcohol.

PACK YOUR BREAKFAST: The most important meal of the day we all know is to start our day with a solid breakfast (whether we’re traveling or not). If you start with a complete breakfast you set your metabolism up to burn fat through the day, give you energy even if you’re sleep is off from time-change or late-night activities, and you’re less likely to get later-day cravings that you end up eating whatever you can get your hands on.

Here’s what I always pack on my trips (whether vacation or business):

• Ziplock baggie of raw whole oats
• Packets of almond butters (or a small container), I’ve found Justin’s Nut Butters that makes convenient travel packets of their natural nut butters (this is great to add to an apple if you can get your hands on one from the hotel or local store…yes, I’m the one that “helps myself” to a few extra pieces of fruit from the hotel fitness centers if they have it
• Ziplock baggie of Protein Powder in my shaker bottle (this is the protein I use and highly recommend: http://tinyurl.com/bestproteinrecommendation)
• A few meal bars (I just found KIND bars, but keep in mind that they are mostly dried fruit and nuts, so they are high in natural sugar, be sure to eat these earlier in the day so you have time to burn it off)
• Ziplock of almonds

Here’s a great breakfast idea that is super-easy and will rev up your metabolism first thing: Heat hot water in the hotel room coffee maker. Put your oatmeal in a mug and pour the boiling water over the oats and sit for a few minutes. I use about equal parts oats to water, but you can adjust to how you like it. I add about a tablespoon of almond butter or you can add a handful of almonds. Such an easy tip that will make a huge impact.

I’lll be sure to post some of my travel fitness tips and workouts too…gotta run to my first meeting!

Also, if you haven’t yet downloaded my free eGuide, The Working Girl’s Guide to Eating on the Run, click here and use it whenever you eat out…it will save you a ton of calories.

Talk to you soon!

Lindsay

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