Can we take a second to talk numbers?
The health and wellness world has a slight obsession with numbers…
“How many calories should I eat?”
“How much protein did I eat today? What about carbohydrates?”
“I weigh too much. I need to lose “X” amount of pounds.”
“I must reach 10,000 steps every single day.”
“If I don’t work out 60 minutes it’s not worth it.”
Sometimes the focus on these numbers can be a really beneficial thing. And other times it can cause anxiety and stress and can even bring about unhealthy behaviours. So…what’s the deal??
There is a time and place for the “number focus”.
When clients first come to see me, we grab baseline measurements which includes weight and body measurements. While there are many indicators of progress within any given program, this provides my clients and myself with something very tangible to track progress. Not everyone feels comfortable seeing their measurements and so sometimes measurements are done by myself so they can’t see them; sometimes they are sent to me by their husbands. And sometimes, they are at a point in which they don’t want measurements at all. And that is fine! We revisit them every now and again to track our progress but it most certainly is not our focus. With every one of my clients, we all track non weight/measurement indicators of progress. More on that later.
When we begin to focus on nutrition, I ask my clients to track their food intake. Just like with their initial weights, this provides me with a baseline…a starting point to see where their habits lie, how much they are eating on any given day and from there I come up with a plan that keeps them within a certain caloric range and macro breakdown based on their goals. They begin by following the plan and progress by straying away from being told what to eat on a daily basis to using that plan as a blueprint to build their own daily menus. They keep tracking their intake on an app such as myfitnesspal… more as an educational tool to ensure they are getting enough protein and healthy fats in their diet. The length of time any one of my clients spends tracking is really personal to them. Some clients find tracking gives them accountability and they simply feel better knowing they are staying on track. Others figure out pretty quickly how to build their daily menus, they are able to listen to their hunger/fullness cues and are more than happy to ditch the tracking. If those clients see a decline in their progress, we may revert back to nutrition tracking to determine where the “holes” are. But it is NEVER meant to be a long-term task.
NUMBERS SHOULD NEVER BECOME THE FOCUS!
Paying attention to the numbers…the weight, the measurements, the calorie tracking…it is all meant to be a short term strategy. But it isn’t ideal for everyone. So how do you know when to ditch it?
If any form of tracking starts to cause you anxiety and stress…it needs to stop.
If it starts to become obsessive…it needs to stop. If you find yourself on the scale daily; if you find yourself NEEDING to hit the exact calories with the perfect macro split; if you find yourself marching in place for 10 minutes before you go to bed because you didn’t hit YOUR perceived ideal steps for the day; if you find yourself constantly thinking about numbers… than you need to reset.
I cannot stress any of this enough. Most individuals can use these tools in a healthful manner. For others, especially those with a little extra competitive drive…well that competitive nature turns into competition within themselves and it isn’t always healthy.
So if the number game isn’t ideal for me, how else can I track progress??
Sure…taking measurements is a very tangible way to track progress but there are so many other indicators that you are progressing towards your goals.
1. The Way Your Clothes Fit
It happens slowly, but one day you put on those jeans that have always been a little snug and voila…they are actually a little loose around the middle. It’s a great feeling. And you realize your body is changing and you are making progress.
2. You See Muscle Definition
You are wearing a tank top as you clean the house and you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and you do a double take. Are those muscles you see? You can see biceps and triceps that you are certain weren’t there before. That’s progress.
3. Heavy Tasks Don’t Seem As Heavy Anymore
You go to the grocery store and remember you need a 5 gallon jug of water. As you lift it into the cart you realize it’s an easy task…that water jug doesn’t seem nearly as heavy as it once was, and you no longer need help loading it into your car. Progress people! Progress.
4. You Can Keep Up With Your Kids
You take your kids for a bike ride…the normal route you go and up ahead you see it…the “BIG HILL”. You are usually lucky to make it 1/3 of the way up before getting off your bike to push it the rest of the way. But today? Today not only do you make it up the entire hill but you also pass your oldest on the way up. Yup…you’ve guessed it. Progress.
5. You Have More Energy
It happens over time and in fact, you might not even notice it until one day your kids comment that you have been spending more time outside with them lately and they love all the extra time you’ve spent with them shooting hoops. And you reflect on it a little bit…the kids are right! Whereas months ago you would have possibly blown them off telling them you’ve had a long day and you’re too tired, now you are jumping at the opportunity that your 15 year old WANTS to play with you. So much progress!
6. You Are Sleeping Better
No more tossing and turning struggling to fall asleep. No more waking up in the middle of the night only to watch the clock and dream of a good night’s sleep. You fall asleep and stay asleep. Yes… more progress!
Be careful with that number game. As you can see…there are so many ways to monitor progress that aren’t centred around the number on the scale. And these changes are functional, and directly impact your quality of life…unlike what shows up on the scale.
If those numbers mess with your mind and you want to get away from that hamster wheel? Drop me a message and we can work through this together.