10/24/15: The winner of our free DietBet game entry is…Lisa!!! And since I had several Lisas enter, the winning Lisa’s email address has something to do with stars. Lisa w/ stars, please check your inbox for instructions on how to claim your free entry. And for everyone else, thank you so much for entering! You have set some amazing goals for yourselves?you got this! 🙂
Here?s a question I?m asked frequently: ?Heidi, I?m following my diet so carefully, working out hard five days a week, and the scale is not budging! What am I doing wrong??
My answer? Nothing…You?re very possibly not doing anything wrong! In fact, you?ve been doing so many things right. It?s kinda? sad how we let that dumb number on the scale make us feel either over-the-moon elated or like a total failure.
Here are seven ways you can tell that all your hard work and dedication are paying off?no matter what number is on that darn scale:
- Do your clothes fit looser? If so, you’ve changed body fat into lean body mass (muscle) which will burn more fat. That?s a win!
- Have you lost inches? If you haven?t taken your measurements yet, go do it right now! And retake your measurements each time you weigh. You might be surprised at the results. 😉
- Do you just feel better? Do you have more energy? These are sure signs of a healthier body.
- Are you sleeping better? Again, another sign of a healthier body.
- A small weight gain or no weight loss could be due to what you ate recently. Sodium and carbs (yes, even the healthy ones) can cause water retention, so keep that in mind.
- Ladies, is it around that time of the month? Along with all the other ?lovely? things we get to experience during this time, temporary weight gain can be one of them. Remember, the key word here is temporary.
- Only weigh yourself once a week. I know. It?s so tempting to step on that scale more often just to see…but…if that number on the scale is not what you’d hoped, it can be pretty disappointing and lead to making some not-so-great choices. Your weight naturally fluctuates from day to day, so why set yourself up for some totally unnecessary frustration? If you?re carb cycling, weigh yourself weekly on the morning of day 6 for most cycles (most number of days post Reward Day and after the most number of low-carb days).
And here’s a bonus tip: Chris and I are hosting another DietBet game?”Thanksgiving Slim Down”?that begins on October 27th, and I’m giving away one free entry right here! To enter, leave me a comment below telling me one thing you’re going to do to keep your transformation goals front and center during the holidays AND share this post on social media. And I want to be able to find you, so please tag me and use the hashtag #thanksgivingslimdown. You have until midnight, Friday, October 23, to enter, and one winner will be randomly chosen and announced right here on Saturday, October 24. And don’t forget to sign up for our game: DietBet.com/ChrisPowell.
So there you have it…my sure-fire tips for winning that battle with your scale. 🙂
Xoxo,
Heidi
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186 Responses
The sweets are a hugeee problem for me during the holidays. Therefore this year I am limiting 1 sweet per day of celebration. I am a graduate student in dietetics fighting self shaming and binge eating. I’ve recently decided to fight back (harder) and I have been following IIFYM and weight lifting 6 days a week along with cardiovascular 5-6 days a week since August. You and Chris Powell have been such a huge inspiration to me in my journey to become a registered dietitian and with my own personal lifestyle! Thank you for helping me in so many ways!
#thanksgivingslimdown
There are three things I would like to do for the challenge:
1. More water intake
2. Daily log of food consumed
3. Start a different for of excercise (e.g. Zumba, hiking, roller skatting)
So excited to get back on the right frame of mind. In the past 4 years I’ve lost a total of 75 lbs. I still have another 40 lbs to reach my goal weight. Need some motivation to finish the race!
I have a two year old and a four month old and it can get difficult so I do my best at putting the kids to bed early and give myself a half an hour to do an at home crossfit workout and do a burpee challenge. I am not quite strong enough 4 month postpartum but I have a goal to be stronger and healthier by 6 months. We are going to the Bahamas this December and I want to feel and look good in a bathing suit. I have a picture hanging up to motivate me to look like what I used to before my beautiful kiddos.
I am making a list of my goals and putting them on my board so I can stay focused on training for a half marathon and focusing on the positive in my life. thanks for always sharing, positive encouraging tips.
I am going to make better food choices and ask myself if eating something is going to hurt or help my goals. I am also going to start working out again and make no excuses. My wedding is in 6 months and I still have a ways to go.
My Dad was recently diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer at age 58. He was very active before the diagnosis, but has become less and less inclined to exercise since. His doctor told him that he HAS to exercise, and that his body can handle it.
i am also trying to stay fit (I am a college professor and commute 1 1/2 hours to my school each way), so we made a deal that we both reach our 10,000 step goal/day on our Fitbits. We are also walking together each night after dinner for 15 minutes. My favorite activity during the holidays, though, is the Turkey Trot! We walk/run it together every Thanksgiving.
Am a 22yr old final year student. Presently, am weighing 95kg that’s about 190LBS. I know I have a flaw with eating. Few times I am determind to loose weight n I start working on myself, dropping 10kg in a month, n later I just start adding weight again. I have problem of enduring to exercise. Pls I need ur help CHRIS and HEIDI POWELL
Hi Francesca: Chris and Heidi wish they could personally help everyone, but that’s just not possible, as you can imagine. That’s why they’ve made all their transformation tools available for all of us to use, and you can find these in this blog post: https://heidipowell.net/9060. Be sure and look at all the links within the post too. Begin today – make that first promise, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
We are going to make healthier versions of our favorite recipes and the ones that we can’t (pumpkin pie) we will eat smaller portions ??
I am going to be aware of what I put on my plate. Veggies first, then protein then carbs. I will eat slower to feel the satisfaction of a meal before I desire a second plate. I ‘treat’ myself by going for a walk and buying a black coffee at the corner store.
I want to become more aware of my cravings, and know that these too shall pass.
No mindless snacking… only eating when I am hungry #thanksgivingslimdown