Let's talk about "losing" weight.
When it comes to us gals, weight is the devil, it's the bane of our existence, it's that damn thorn in our side. However, it really shouldn't be as weight is quite arbitrary, as in it can change for any reason at all—it's that time of the month, you drank a lot of water, you drank too much wine on the weekend, etc.
But I get why weight is so important when it comes to being healthy. Yes, there are some people who need to lose weight to get to what doctors would deem a "healthy" size. But I find that when it comes to the majority of women I know, most are at a "healthy" size and simply want to lose that 5-10 lbs. just because they want to look and feel better, which I totally can get behind and agree with when it comes to the latter. I mean, who doesn't want to like what they see in the mirror?
However, I'm going state that in order to look and feel better you need to gain weight. Yes, GAIN it. Now, you are probably thinking, "Oh shut up Laura, what the hell do you know." Well, surprisingly a lot more than you would think since I'm not a fitness trainer or nutritionist/dietitian (make sure to read my About section to learn more about my knowledge and passion when it comes to fitness and health.) I'll get to my reasoning on why I'm saying to gain weight later on in this post. But first, you need to know about body fat versus body weight.
Body Spec - Showing Me What I'm Made Of
Yesterday, I visited a company called Body Spec, which is based out of Los Angeles. Their slogan is "Find out what you are made of" and this is what they do according to their website:
As mentioned, Body Spec travels by van to different locations all over the Bay Area. I was able to catch them at the OrangeTheory in Los Gatos. For $45 you can get a body fat scan (known as a DXA scan) that's, according to them, the most accurate and precise body fat measurement test. It only takes 10 minutes, you can do it fully clothed, and after the scan you receive a report on not only your body fat percentage and weight, but you also get data on where your fat is distributed throughout. Well, that seems kind of cool so I signed up.
I've never done anything like this in the past, so I went in not knowing much of anything about my body fat. I weighed myself the other day and I was close to 149 (I'm 5'6'' by the way), but didn't know how much fat attributed to that weight.
Before I did the scan, the Body Spec tech told me to remove my jewelry and shoes. I asked him if it was okay if I ate right before, as I didn't want me doing so to skew the results. He said it was totally okay and I would be fine. I was relieved since I had to eat right before I went to my appointment.
As they stated, it only took 10 minutes and I walked outside to meet with a Body Spec consultant to discuss my results.
When I first saw it, I wasn't really sure if it was good or bad. Naturally, I saw my weight and thought, "Well shit, it looks like I gained a few more pounds as this is saying I'm 151.4 lbs... or the scale at home is broken." But then, I saw the "Total Body Fat %" and realized that my weight isn't so bad in comparison. The consultant reassured me too, and said it was amazing since I placed in the 0-20th percentile. The average body fat percentage for women is roughly anywhere between 29%-33%. For a woman who is a pro athlete, it's 16%-22%.
I fall into a pro athlete category? Woohoo!
From there I was able to see where most of my fat resided—my Gynoid, which is the hips, upper thighs, and buttocks region. According to the consultant, this is the most common area for women to have the most amount of fat. I carry the least amount of fat in my Android, which is the lower stomach. This is freaking amazing news since I know that area is tough to get tightened and toned, so I'm incredibly grateful for that.
Build Muscle - You'll Thank Me Later
As you can see from my results, I'm sure you have a better picture as to why I told you earlier that you want to gain weight. Seriously, don't worry about losing those 5, 10, 15 or whatever pounds it is that you want to lose.
I honestly almost went a year without weighing myself because in the past I became incredibly obsessed with the scale, and I determined all my successes and failure because of it. I'm so happy I kicked the scale to the curb because once I did that I focused more on my workouts and simply eating as healthy as I could. By continually doing this, my workouts metamorphosed into something positive and satisfying. I got to a point where I wanted (and still do) wanted to build muscle once I started seeing just minor results.
Think Like an Athlete
So when you're training, think and train like an athlete. Avoiding the scale, lifting heavier and always pushing yourself harder is key to "losing" weight. I promise once you start doing these things, the fat, which is what you're really trying to lose, will melt off. In turn, kick ass muscle will replace it and science tells you that it definitely weighs more than fat, so naturally you will weigh more once you start doing this.
I hope providing my results gives you better insight into losing weight and the changes you may need to make to get there. If you have any questions, or if you want me to ask about my results or about my workout routine, drop me a line at Laura@thefitmotochick.com.
As always, thanks for reading.
L²
