If you’re like me, you spend a good amount of time worrying about the scale and what number it will show the next time you meet!  Hopefully with this article you can feel a little more at ease with your health knowing that this is a battle we all could potentially face. You are not alone!

Alongside hunger, disgust, exhaustion, and dissatisfaction– some form of anxiety typically develops between now and the next time you weigh in!  Do not beat yourself up when you see that you didn’t lose a certain number of pounds, or any at all.  If you are staying consistent with your weekly activity, eating properly, and getting plenty of rest, the weight loss will come!  It is extremely easy to get discouraged when working towards your goals! Almost every person will have those days where they wake up feeling amazing, ready to power through a tough workout; but then they go to weigh in and get completely let down. This COULD happen to you. Don’t be afraid of the scale, it is merely a tool in the shed to help monitor progress, it is not the final determinant of your success.

One thing to take into consideration when initially getting into a workout/diet program is that your body needs time to adapt to these new activities and foods.  Rome was not built overnight, so give your body some time to adjust.  As we begin to increase physical activity, the body may react inadvertently to the newfound energy increases.  Research shows us that without extreme and drastic changes to daily living patterns, true adaptations to exercise can take up to four weeks to become noticeable.  Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that in those first four weeks we won’t see any weight loss or gains in strength, it just means to truly see major changes in measurements or appearance. Some patience is required!  So during those first four weeks of activity, train with purpose, be specific, resilient, and dedicated to your goals!

A great way to ensure you are gathering the proper nutrients needed for your body specifically is by calculating your required daily macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins).  After eating a certain way for so long, the body becomes accustomed to managing itself based on those foods and habits you’ve been working with.  Sometimes, if switched up sporadically, you could have unfavorable reactions in the initial stages.  With your new diet and workout regimen, you could potentially see either a large surge of weight loss within the first few weeks, or little to no weight loss at all–and that’s okay!  A very common mistake among the general population is that people tend to starve themselves just because they are trying to lose weight.  We start a weight loss program cutting out calories because for the longest time we’ve been told we’re eating too much.  Then we get caught up in trying to be too perfect, and end up gaining weight because our body in moments of stress will decide to hold onto our fat rather than burn it off.  Remember this–you wouldn’t put only half a tank of gas in your car and expect to get across the country on that one tank, same goes with your dieting.  Properly fueling up your body over time will help you lose more weight and feel energized throughout the week!

Trust the process, continue to grind, and chase your goals.  The scale will always be there.  Weighing in one day and seeing a number that you don’t like can be so discouraging, but do not allow yourself to get off track.  The body fluctuates in weight throughout the day, so don’t let that one moment tear you down.  Continue to work, continue to push