Some questions have been weighing on my mind (pun intended) and I'm hoping the Active Academics can help!
1) I've been toying with the idea of getting a scale. I don't currently own one and I'm torn. A part of me thinks it will keep me more accountable to myself and would be a good way to track my progress, but I also wonder if seeing the number on a regular basis would depress me and make me lose my motivation. What are your thoughts on scales and weighing yourself regularly?
2) It's a lazy Sunday afternoon and I know I should get off the couch and do something active, but I can't muster the motivation to just get up, put my shoes on and get out the door. What thoughts or visuals do you find help to motivate you during moments like these?
Trying to balance academic life with a healthy lifestyle.
6 comments:
Great questions Kai! Here is my two cents.
1. I do not like to use the scale. I like to go by how my clothes fit and how I feel. Weight fluctuates so much during the month, that I tend to get fixed up the number rather than feeling good. IMHO, If you are going to weigh yourself, do it like every two weeks or once a month.
2. There are MANY days that I would just rather sit on the couch. I try a little mind over matter. Like "OK, I will do this for 10 minutes. If I feel crappy or want to stop, then OK." 9 times out of 10, I want to keep going. Also, try using positive encouragement by saying how great you will feel or that you will feel like you accomplished something.
OK, that's my take. Good Luck!!!
Yes, good questions. My opinions:
1. The answer to ownership of a scale will be different for each individual. Initially, I didn't own a scale because I was on Weight Watchers and I weighed in each week at a meeting. That is the only place I would weigh myself and it was at the same time each week. Personally, I didn't fixate on the number so much because I realized that, all in all, that was only a portion of what I needed to be concerned with.
I'm not longer attending WW meetings in persona so I purchased a scale. I'm not obsessed, nor am I consistent about weighing myself. I probably do so about once every 2 weeks. Mainly, I'm focused on maintaining my size and I pay more attention to how my clothes fit.
2. I have 1 pair of before pants. When I need some extra motivation I pull those out. I know that I am never, never going to fit into those pants again. That serves as my motivation to keep active.
Scales: I own one and get on it regularly. If I didn't I wouldn't be aware of exactly how much I've done to my body on terms of damage. It never dawned on me how bad things were til I weighed myself and saw a picture of myself. Just remember that your weight varies ALL DAY. Your true weight is in the AM, after you've gone to the bathroom, before you eat or do anything else (and of course without clothes on). Aways weight at the same time of day, similar circumstances and the same exact scale--since they can differ slightly too. It's a useful tool, along with measuring inches.
For the second, if I could answer that I wouldn't need to be here. :)
I have a scale and I actually weigh myself every morning. I find that this does two things for me. First, on days when I'm moving towards or maintaining my "ideal" weight, it puts me in a good mood. Second, when I hit the somewhat arbitrarily designated "danger" weight, it motivates me to take action. But I will admit it can be demoralizing to watch the number climb when I'm gaining weight....
1. I rarely use a scale! I use my clothes . . . to me, size is more important than number. I weigh 20 more pounds than I did years ago, but I am smaller . . . more muscle rather than fat.
Personally, I don't use a scale. When I notice my pants getting a bit tight, it is time to lose weight. I watch how much I eat until the pants fit fine again.
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