I finally figured out why using a scale is quite possibly the worst way to measure progress. I got very frustrated with myself because after two and a half months of eating only 1200 calories and working out almost every day… It seemed as though I hadn’t lost any weight. Needless to say, I was PISSED. I really wanted to just punch a wall and give up. I vented to my husband and he told me that the gym might not calibrate their scales on a regular basis. Then, I decided to hop on scale #2 (the scale at the Ft. Dix gym). As it happens, that scale revealed that I did loose weight.. almost 15 lbs 🙂 I’m still not quite at weight standards for the Army, but some progress is better than no progress. So, I took out the tape measure. My BMI is down to 32% = PASSING! So, next week I;m going to try taking the APFT. I know that I;m not going to get a perfect score only 3 months postpartum, but I know I can pass.
I hate how people trying to get into shape don’t measure success by the amount of healthy decisions we make, the way we feel, or improvement in well-being. Instead, we measure success against impossible standards. We look at people like the Kardashians, and we compare ourselves to them without considering that they don’t have to deal with the things that regular people. They may try to act like they have the same issues as us… but they don’t. People like them may have a family, and a job. But they don’t even do their own make-up, let alone have to watch their kids. People like the Kardashians pay people to deal with the parts of life that they don’t want to be bothered with. For most other people, we have to juggle work, and family (which can be hard enough). For those of us trying to get back into shape, juggling family, work, and working out can be near impossible.
So, when we check our email and social media we see these people who seem to have a kid only three months ago and somehow end up with a beach body. It’s a discouraging way to start our day. Moreover, we do this to ourselves MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. In response, we starve ourselves, workout for countless hours, and tell ourselves that we aren’t beautiful. We tell ourselves that we aren’t good enough. This toxic frame of mind seeps from our pores and effects all aspects of life. It reeks havoc on our spiritual, mental, physical and social well being. For me, I know my loved ones see how upset I get about it. Me being upset about how I look has actually had a profound effect on them because as a woman… it is really important to me… as it is for most other women.
That’s why I’ve decided to not weigh myself anymore. I’m just going to do my best to make healthy decisions and to stick to a solid work out plan. No more pushing myself to impossible standards of beauty. I’m just going to do the best I can and praise myself for the small goal posts I hit (i.e.: passing the APFT). It isn’t about how we look. I think the discussion needs to change focus onto how we feel.Most of all, it’s time to love ourselves just as we are (even if we are trying to lead more healthier lives). I think when we do this, we have the confidence to actually go out there and work-out, and be brave enough to live life to the fullest.
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Not Born To Run 