Muscle weighs more than fat. That’s something that skinny people say. Period.
Every morning, I step on the scale and it yells back at me with three digits. I am usually only unhappy with the second of these three digits. The first digit? Cool, it ain’t gonna change. The third digit? Eh, whatever. It changes daily. The second digit? Holy hell, why?!?!
I’m sure most of you have seen the photos where they compare 5LBs of fat versus 5LBs of muscle? Spoiler alert, 5LBs of muscle takes up a lot less real estate than 5LBs of fat- and if you live in California, real estate is expensive- and the muscle is a lot more dense. At least from my non-professional opinion. Check it out….
I have read in multiple articles on the intrawebs, and if its on the internet it must be true, that when you are looking to lose weight you should trust the measuring tape more than you should trust the scale. In a war of BFFs, the pink measuring tape is your true BFF, and the scale is your jealous “Single White Female” sort of friend. Who. To. Trust. I am partial to my pets…
With the scale, you may not see a decrease in that second digit, but have you checked out what line you are hitting between 33 and 34 inches around our waist? Has that moved? That all seems well and good, except that it still doesn’t take into account that I am still at a weight on the scale that is much higher than I have been in the past. This would also be great advice if I was just starting out and getting into a hard workout regime. I am not. I have been working my ass off at the gym for years. With that, I don’t think its unreasonable to see, want, and expect a decrease in that second digit on the scale. I know I have it in me. I’ve seen it before. Its also my favorite number that I want there in that second position, the number 4. Yet I ping pong in the same 5LBs for 2 months now and keep seeing the 6 or the 5 trying to move in as a permanent resident on that second digit arena.
Have you ever in your life drank 100 ounces of water daily, ate responsibly, worked out burning over 500 calories during said workout, and slept the recommended 8 hours for 3 days in a row to NOT lose an ounce? Not even a smidge. Not even a .01. Well, I have. It’s those periods that I want to scream my head off and throw plates. This has happened the last two weeks in a row.
And since I am on a great rant right here… With the amount of time I have spent working out the last decade of my life you’d think my legs and thighs would start to resemble cottage cheese less and less. Nope. Let me tell you, whoever finds a cure for cellulite is a god. We can put a man on a moon but we can’t figure out a way to tighten the skin fibers so the damn fat doesn’t poke through. Who’d a thunk? I actually think its gotten worse the last 2 years, which is when I’ve really taken the workouts and “dieting” to the next level. Why is that? If there is anyone reading this blog post right now that has that answer, please feel free to message me and give me a good download of information. I am all ears… or all thighs.
Do I give up, throw in the white towel, and get the white flag flapping in the wind? Nope. I brush myself off and get my big, cottage cheese booty off the ground and get back to it. Wow, what a visual. I refuse to let that second digit get me down. If I let it get me down then I will no longer yo-yo between these 5LBs but I will be back to where I started in August. I refuse to be that Laura again. I was able to make a little headway this week and get myself out of that 158.8LBs rut I’ve been stuck in. If you’ve been a devoted follower who reads each and every post to the bitter end every week, and also takes the time to compare my weekly stats then of course you know. Everyone is doing that, right? Right?!?! Papa can you hear me……oh man, another musical break. Sorry. It does feel good to get past the little hiccup, but I hope to not get overconfident like I have in the past and blow it. I have limited my social calendar and I thank my friends that have accepted this as the new, and improved, Laura.
My call to action this week: Measuring, weighing, it doesn’t matter. Maybe you even prefer to use your favorite jeans as a way to measure your weight loss on this fight… Just make sure you read my “Little Black Dress” post from October to make sure these jeans aren’t from the disco era (link below). Throw those out. What I am trying to say is, different strokes for different folks. Whatever your method is, use it and keep using it consistently so you don’t get a false sense of accomplishment from a “new method” because thats how you fall back on bad habits. So make the decision, which one have you been using and which one works for you and only you. Don’t let Dr. Skinny McBonehips tell you whats right for you to measure your own success.
Bye Felicia.
WEIGH IN/MEASUREMENTS: 157.2 LBS, Chest 36.5, Under Boob 30, Belly Button 32, Below Hips 38.25, Largest Part of Butt 41.75.
SONG OF THE WEEK: “Machine” by Marie Digby
My body is here but somewhere along the way
I lost my mind
It’s never too late to be found
Waiting on someone to pick me up
But I got left behind
But it won’t bring me downCause I’m gonna cut these strings
Cut them and set me free
Nothing controlling meI’m not a machine, I’m not a machine
I’ve got the breath in me
Mia Bella Lotta 