My Frenemy

I'M BACK. . .  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I know, I know, I'm around 19 days late but better late than never, right? :) So how have you guys been? I've missed writing to my fitness buddies! I've been so busy lately that this blog has been put on the back burner for awhile, so I want to thank all of you for sticking it out with me! I've got some new exciting things in store for all of you very soon... :) Expect to not only see a whole new but some new editions added to this blog as well that I hope will help you achieve and/or maintain total fitness! Everything is still in the works but stay tuned because you won't want to miss it!

So anyway... back to my happy new year's wishes, I hope you all brought in the new year safe & sound, ready to go into 2011 with a positive attitude! True positivity comes from having peace within and with the coming of each new year, in an effort to stay as positive as possible, I try to take some time to evaluate what's really important and what's not, habits that I want to continue or think I should stop, and as harsh as it may sound, people I want to keep in my life or distance myself from. This year I've come to the conclusion that there's just someone who has to go! I won't get rid of her completely but I just can't make her an important part of my life anymore. The two of us have this love/hate relationship that at times can be unhealthy for me. To be honest, sometimes I can't even stand to look at her! You may think I sound mean, but I'm not alone, there are thousands, millions even who feel the same way I do! She's pretty popular. Who am I talking about you ask? My Frenemy: THE SCALE.

For those of you who don't know, a "Frenemy" is described as a "friend" and "enemy" which can refer to either an enemy disguised as a friend or to a partner who is simultaneously a competitor and rival. The scale has been just to me. When I'm on a roll I love her! She gives me the numbers I want to see and as time goes on, I'm falling in love! But I realize now that's all part of her master plan to reel me into a false sense of security, because right when I think she's finally jumped over to my side, right when I think we've come to some sort of resolution, I'm eating healthy and exercising, I ask her my weight and she lies to me! Telling me I'm 3 or 4 lbs over what she just told me yesterday! She's no friend of mine! She's an enemy and a deceiver and I refuse to take her abuse anymore!

LOL! Okay, now let's get serious. :) While I do call the scale my "frenemy", I believe she's a necessary evil. You definitely want to, in my opinion, continue to talk to her because keeping up with your weight once a week, or even once a month, is a good way to make sure you are still on the right track. You've just gotta' understand and accept the fact that sometimes she's going to lie. You can be doing everything right, exercising every single day (sometimes twice a day even!) and your diet is totally clean! You're eating 5 small meals a day, fruits &vegetables, a lean protein and whole grains. But you jump on that scale and instead of losing weight or staying the same, you're up 2 or 3 pounds. What's up with that?!? Well, I've found that there are lots of reasons for that. Lemme' give you a few.  

The number one reason for the numbers on your scale to go up is WATER WEIGHT. Did you know that a person can hold up to 6 pounds in water weight?!? Yes, it's true!!! Most people hold at least a pound or two of water weight at any given time, that's natural and a just a fact of life, but extra water weight that will raise the numbers on your scale can come from many things. Salt plays a major factor! If you eat something really salty the night before, don't even bother getting on that scale the next morning! Water weight comes from not only eating salty foods, but some people's bodies react the same way from eating a lot of carbs, too. A vast majority of women hold water weight during their time of the month. Oh, and get this, you can even gain water weight through sore muscles! It's a fact that whenever you work your muscles in a new way, there will usually be some soreness for a day up to a week, and within that time, don't be surprised if the scale tells you some sweet little lies when you step on it. Sore muscles retain water during recovery. This is temporary and not permanent, but that's just something to keep in mind when you start a new weight training program.
 Along with the water retention caused by sore muscles, when building muscle there will be some weight gain, usually 2 or 3, maybe 4 pounds depending on how much muscle you actually gain. Don't worry! The more muscle you develop, the faster the metabolism and the leaner you will eventually become. Why does more muscle equal faster metabolism? With the weight gain of new muscle, your body has to run even faster (i.e - your metabolism) to keep everything running smoothly.

There are many reasons for my frenemy's false numbers, but just remember, as long as your fitness and nutrition routine hasn't changed and you can still fit in all of your clothes, there is no reason to be alarmed. Weight fluctuates for no reason at all, the numbers on the scale, while somewhat important, are just a small part of the bigger puzzle that reveals a fit body. So don't let my frenemy rule your life, but don't take her completely out of the game, just put her on the bench from time to time until she's ready to play fair. :)