The Health and Fitness Truth Blog

Starting October 1st, 2004, I will be offering a new feature on the website. Once a week, I will send you an inspirational message that can guide your week, inspire you to greatness, or let you know I care. If you are interested in receiving a ONCE a week email- short but sweet- contact me at : kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com

Here is a sample of an email I recieved which I found quite inspirational:

Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.
Norman Vincent Peale

This is a” clue” to the key to exercise consistency- the feeling of accomplishment and confidence you have when you take action to exercise. Remember this feeling- above and beyond the negative thoughts which may preceed an exercise session, and you will always come back to exercise.

Several weeks ago I wrote an opinion piece on how often to weigh yourself. Since then, I polled 30 clients and friends, asking them “How often do you weigh yourself? Is the scale motivating or depressing? Do you consider yourself overweight, just right, or just out of shape?” Of the 26 respondents, here are the results:

7 weigh themselves daily or every other day. Of these respondents, all considered themselves overweight, and 2 actually found the weigh- ins depressing . The other 5 found it motivating, as they were on “diets” and were feeling successful.

9 weighed themselves once a week, and most felt it was motivating, but all made the comment that it was only motivating when the scale shows a lower number.

4 respondents do not weigh themselves, and can tell if they are losing weight by how their clothes fit-and all felt that the scale was depressing.

4 respondents weigh themselves once a month, and did not feel particularly depressed or motivated by the number. This seems like a happy middle ground- even though this group was not any thinner or in better shape than the other respondents.

Finally two people, one man, weigh themselves only once a year. The woman who responded said she does not have a scale, and finds weighing depressing, and does not allow her two teenage girls to weigh themselves either. Ironically, this woman is very fit, and of healthy, normal weight.

Conclusions? There are several, despite the variations of opinion and technique. Those overweight people who are successfully dieting find it helpful to keep them on track. Most others find the scale depressing, and should STOP weighing themselves so frequently if this is so. Overwhelmingly, women judge themselves, and are influenced greatly, by what the scale says. If the number is lower, they are happy, if it is not, they are depressed. HOW CAN WE LET A MACHINE, WITH SO MUCH INHERENT INACCURACY AND FLUCTUATIONS, JUDGE OUR BEAUTY AND WORTH?

Gone are the good old days when high school athletes showed up for a fall sport after spending a summer of fun and sun. High school sports are big business now, and the pressure to win and to excel as an athlete is greater than ever. To some degree, I long for the good old days, as the pressure on these young athletes is often way too much for most of them. However, we have learned so much about the importance of pre-season sport-specific conditioning as a preventative measure to reduce sports injuries and heat induced illnesses, that this topic warrants an in depth conversation.

 Any high school athlete playing a fall sport will be exercising in heat at some time in early fall. Being in good cardiovascular condition, and being well- acclimated to the heat through a progressive regimen of exercise over the summer is worth the effort in order to reduce discomfort and the possiblity of heat stroke and heat illnesses. In addition, students who come into season “out of shape” are much more likely to injure themselves in the early part of the season, as they try and condition themselves in the few short weeks before games begin. As a high school coach, I encourage my athletes to “stay in shape” all year- as this is just good advice for all Americans- but I also suggest several specific types of exercise that the athletes should practice over the summer. If your sport is stop and go like field hockey, soccer, football and basketball, speed and agility are keys to success. Practice sprint work equivalent to an average sprint  during the game and add quick directional changes to enhance agility and decrease injury risk during the season.

Strength training is also essential- especially working the legs and core, as this is where most athletes derive their power and speed from. Football players need to work their upper body of course as well, and a well rounded strength training program will reduce the risk of injury to the upper body, and especially the shoulders, the most injured upper body part. Runs of 1-2 miles are great to get baseline cardiovascular conditioning, and longer runs will be necessary for some sports like cross country track. Finally, all sports demand that the athletes have good flexibility, so a stretching regimen consistent with the sport being played is also recommended. Just think “specificity”- train yourself in ways that mimic the sport you are participating in, and you’ll have a great fall season!

How often do you weigh yourself? I ask my clients this question quite frequently, and the answers vary so greatly, it amazes me. Some people- both women and men- get on the scale daily- others refuse to get on at all. What is really best for us to stay on track, but not frustrate ourselves? Fitness experts and nutritionists give lots of varied answers as well, and I, too, have changed my mind over the years on this touchy subject.

Except for clients with a history of eating disorders, I believe it is important to occasionally weigh yourself . Daily weighing is a waste of time. Your bodyweight can fluctuate 2-5 pounds in one day, so this is a perfect way to really frustrate yourself!! Thus, I have found that weighing in once every two weeks is a sensible habit- one which will keep you on track whether you are trying to maintain or lose weight, or even gain weight.

There are several reasons for why this two week interval may be most appropriate. First,weight loss is rarely exact or predictable. Oftentimes, my clients will not lose weight one week, but will lose two pounds the next. So, expecting the scale to change EVERY week is not appropriate for most of us. Plus, the scales we use at home are not super accurate- especially for small weight changes like one pound. On the other side of the coin, weighing yourself every two weeks does not allow you to gain large amounts of weight without knowing it. I actually have a client who gained over 30 pounds in a year and did not realize it- he always wore loose clothing and was not focused on his appearance.

If the scale does depress you, you can always try measuring yourself-but even this can be inaccurate- so be as careful and exact as you can. Ultimately, the best tool for assessing change is a bodyfat test- something that a personal trainer can easily do for you! I will be conducting a survey of my clients and friends on their “scale habits”- watch for it soon! Feel free to let me know how you handle weighing in.

We are pleased to announce the launching of our site on May 10, 2004. We welcome your feedback and suggestions, which can be provided by clicking on Comments directly below this post.