Week 3 | The Scale Vs. Pics and Intuitive Eating

Week 3 is done and I think it is time for a little quiz. 

Are you ready?

Okay, here we go... 

Week 3 | The Scale Vs. Pics and Intuitive Eating

Look at the picture below of my progress according to the scale and let me know if you think this is working. 

What do you think? 

Well, I will tell you this: 

If Ashlee from 5-10 years ago was looking at this, she definitely would have said that it is NOT working. 

She would have thought that she was in a plateau, and that she needed to change programs, diet, and workout routine immediately because it's not working, right? 

Now, what if I were to tell you to only look at the peaks? Only look at my high points. 

Are my spikes as high as they were when I started? 

What if I also added in that the spike in the middle was because of my menstrual cycle and not actual fat gain? 

Okay what if I also told you that on average, I am losing a pound a week? 

Kinda confusing, right?

And that, my friend, is why the scale should only be used as ONE form of tracking. 

The scale is easy to use, quick to step on, and in some aspects, easy to understand. 

But the scale does NOT tell you everything you need to know.

Because the scale doesn't just track fat loss, it also tracks water retention, inflammation, muscle gain/loss and hormonal weight gain/loss. 

Now, I want to be clear here... 

The scale is not the devil. 

And it's not "unhealthy" to use. 

What is unhealthy is our emotional attachment to what the number says. 

So if that is something you're still working on, and you prefer to not use it, that is cool with me!

I understand on a deep level. 

But let's acknowledge where the true issues lie...

And that is the havoc that the media and the health and fitness industry has caused us since adolescence by claiming certain weights are "ideal" or that weighing over X amount is disgusting. 

So before anyone sends me a private message asking me why I am focusing on the scale so much, I'm not. 

It's a tool. 

I am using it as the tool it is. No emotional attachment. 

But if I am going to use it, I am going to discuss how to use it correctly. 

Cool? Okay, cool. 

Let's move on. 

Versus the pictures. 

Now, let's talk about progress pictures. 

We are used to seeing INSANE before and after pictures on social media. 

When we see these though, we often forget to take into account multiple aspects of HOW they got their results. 

Here's what we need to look at: 

1) The amount of time it took them. Week to week progress pictures will look much different than 6 month progress or several years of progress. I am all about people showing off their hard work, but if they're not being forthcoming with how long it took them, it's probably because it took a really long time (as it should). 

2) What did they do to get those results? This is a quick reminder that whatever you do to get the results, you will have to keep doing to keep the results. Period. So if you get results by not drinking alcohol, you will have to continue to not drink alcohol to keep those results. So you have to look at what YOU are willing to do, and what you are willing to KEEP doing. 

3) Watch out for tricky people. Sometimes they'll take pictures from different angles/distances, with different lighting, in different clothes to make they're results look more impressive than they actually are. 

Do we got that? Okay, now lets talk about what to look for short term in progress pictures: 

So, as I have said before, I don't have much to lose. 

I am doing this as a service to the members who are looking for something different in terms of how they can go into a calorie deficit. 

So there are not going to be any huge "OMG what a transformation." moments on this journey.

And that's okay, because we rarely have those until months or years have passed anyway... 

So let's talk about the little things I look for: 

1) Dips
2) Divots (Definition)
3) Clothing fit

Dips - Where body parts start to "move in". 

In the forward facing pic, my stomach starts to dip in a little more as opposed to being more "boxy" and on side view the lower belly is coming in slightly.

Divots (Definition) - The dark lines where muscle definition is will start to get longer. 

Starting to see this on the inner thigh, under part of my arm, and just overall on my back.

Clothing fit - Clothes will start to lay flatter and fit more comfortably. 

I'm not wearing much clothes here lol... but if I were wearing more, this would also come into play. 

Now if you are thinking that there's not much change here, you'd be right because it's been 3 weeks and I want SUSTAINABLE and REALISTIC. 

I want you all to go "Hey! I can do that and have it not take over my life!" and then to get results naturally and gradually. 

Slow and steady wins the race :)

Intuitive Eating

Over the weekend, I had a concert and a birthday party at the lake. 

With all the hectic-ness of the weekend, I decided to give intuitive eating a shot. 

Now, intuitive eating is much deeper than I dove into, and if you want to learn more about it, you can learn here: https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/

But my goals for the weekend were: 

1) Eat what sounded good, but make sure to keep my protein up. 
2) Stop eating when full
3) Don't feel guilt over anything I eat
4) Drink water while consuming any alcohol (This is not part of Intuitive Eating, just my own goal)

And overall, it went okay. 

I think eating this way takes lots of work and focus and (I believe) it does not promote a calorie deficit... And that's kinda the opposite of what I am trying to do here, soooo. I don't know. 

I honestly just wanted to see what I felt like not following the 3 meal plan that I have been the last couple months... 

Just a Reminder of what my 3 meal plan is: 

1) Staple Protein
2) BAS (Big Ass Salad)
3) Balanced Plate

And I didn't love it. I felt like maybe this was a bit too much flexibility, and without the veggies, I didn't feel as good. 

That's not to say that I ate zero vegetables. I actually ate one of the biggest salads I have ever seen at the birthday party (It was at a restaurant), but overall, without the guidelines I felt like I wouldn't make much progress. 

That was interesting, but I doubt I'll eat that way again during this experiment. 

Here's the stats:

Started the week: 133.2
Ended the week: 130.8

Excited to see what happens in the second half of this research! 

Other notes: 

-Getting bored with my BAS, which is typical for me. Finding ways to spice it up again!
-Went 2 alcoholic drinks over what I planned for the weekend. No biggie, just something to note. 

And that wraps up Week #3! Come back for Week #4 when I will tackle yet another concert and a bachelorette party! (I promise it calms down a bit after this... I think? lol)