It's hard to believe I'm at a little over 2000 calories a day now! That has been a HUGE long-term goal of mine since I stared the macro experiment over a year ago. The scale is the highest it's been in years, but again, I am fully aware that significant muscle growth will not come without seeing the scale go up. I am currently 125 lbs at 5'4" and down with da thickness. :P
My friend Amanda Bucci posted a YouTube video today, which I thought had some really great points about other ways to measure progress besides scale weight and I would encourage you all to watch it. I wanted to touch on that subject here on the blog because I think everyone needs to be reminded that depending on scale weight isn't always the best. In fact, it can set you back.
Let me explain. First of all, scale weight FLUCTUATES DAILY. It is not uncommon to be up or down 3-5 lbs in 24 hours just due to intake of sodium, hormonal changes (good ol' time of the month), fiber intake, volume of foods/liquids sitting in stomach, timing of scale measurement, and many other factors. It may be different for guys, but I know for us girls, seeing the scale go up can totally screw up the rest of our day. But it SHOULDN'T.
My friend Amanda Bucci posted a YouTube video today, which I thought had some really great points about other ways to measure progress besides scale weight and I would encourage you all to watch it. I wanted to touch on that subject here on the blog because I think everyone needs to be reminded that depending on scale weight isn't always the best. In fact, it can set you back.
Let me explain. First of all, scale weight FLUCTUATES DAILY. It is not uncommon to be up or down 3-5 lbs in 24 hours just due to intake of sodium, hormonal changes (good ol' time of the month), fiber intake, volume of foods/liquids sitting in stomach, timing of scale measurement, and many other factors. It may be different for guys, but I know for us girls, seeing the scale go up can totally screw up the rest of our day. But it SHOULDN'T.
I know it's been posted a billion times, so I'm sure you've seen the picture of 5lbs of fat vs 5lbs of muscle. The difference is pretty insane. I used to weigh 125 before I lifted and I looked EXTREMELY different than I do now at the same weight, having been lifting consistently for two years. When you are in a muscle building/reverse dieting/"bulking" phase of some sort, you will gain muscle and fat. It's inevitable. So you might as well accept it for what it is and view it as a scientific process of optimizing your physique rather than attaching it to your personal self-worth.
Also, guess how many calories are in a pound of fat? 3,500. It is HIGHLY unlikely that you ate 3,500 calories ON TOP of your maintenance caloric intake in a day. :)
Also, guess how many calories are in a pound of fat? 3,500. It is HIGHLY unlikely that you ate 3,500 calories ON TOP of your maintenance caloric intake in a day. :)
All that to say, don't freak out when the scale jumps up. Everyone's weight fluctuates from day to day and it is completely normal. If you are in a muscle gaining phase and get freaked out by the scale, I would even encourage you to take a break from the scale and rely on progress pictures, how your clothes fit, and perhaps tape measurements instead. Just some food for thought.
Live life to the fullest! Enjoy this glorious weekend of Christmas parties and fun with friends and family! :)
Much love!
- C
Live life to the fullest! Enjoy this glorious weekend of Christmas parties and fun with friends and family! :)
Much love!
- C
RSS Feed