Pick a Pair of Pants and Scale Back the Scale- A 30 day No Scale Challenge

All women have it.  You know what I'm talking about. That pair of pants in your closet that you love. You may not fit into them right now, but you refuse to get rid of them because you love them and you are hoping that one day you may fit into them again.

At the beginning of my weight loss/ fitness journey (2 years ago), the clothes in my closet ranged over 4 sizes. I had one of these favorite pairs of pants in the two smallest sizes, and while I got rid of everything else in those sizes, I never got rid of those two pairs of pants. Fitting into these pants again was not an unattainable goal. It could happen and I really wanted it.

Periodically, I tried the pants on. I remember the day that I fit back into the larger of the two pairs of pants. I was so excited and motivated to continue my journey. Every time I wore them it reminded me how much my hard work and dedication to eating clean had paid off. Soon enough Those pants started getting too big on me and the smaller pants began to fit. Overtime, those became to big for me as well.

During all of this I developed a bad habit, I weighed myself daily and I was frustrated when the number on the scale wasn't going down.  Why did this frustrate me when my clothes where falling off me? It was clear every time I got dressed that I was losing inches. I’m now two sizes smaller than the smallest size I had left in my closet, having gone down a total of 5 sizes. The fascinating part is that while I dropped the last two sizes, I didn't drop any more weight.

So what is this post all about? Well, I'm trying to cure my bad habit. Logically, I know that the number on the scale is just that, a number. I also know that as I train hard at the gym and continue to eat right, I am building lean muscle mass that may cause my body weight to increase while helping me burn fat.

But… I just can't get over that number on the scale.

So I'm getting rid of it.

I will weigh myself on February 1, and then for the entire month of February, I am getting rid of the scale in my house. I will give it to my husband and tell him to find some place to hid it from me and not give it back until March 1. This may sound like an easy thing to do, but when you have been weighing yourself two times a day for over two years, it's not so easy.

That doesn't mean that I'm finished with clean eating and tough workouts.  If anything, I will probably want to eat cleaner and work harder at the gym since I won't have a scale to weigh myself. The thought of doing this scares me, but part healthy living does not only include improving physical health by training and eating well. It also includes my improving my mental health. Weighing myself multiple times a day is not a healthy thing to do.

So instead, I will rely on my pants. I will just make sure that the pants I fit into now still fit me. There are two pairs that I will use as my measure. One is great pair of skinny jeans that always make my behind look great and the other are the pants of a great suit I just bought this summer that I think are just a tad too tight around my hips. I picked these because I love them both and I'll know just by putting them on if I have gotten bigger, smaller or stayed the same size regardless of what the scale may say.

Who else has an obsession with the scale? And who else wants to join me in February for the 30-day No Scale Challenge?

Great, so now it's your turn. Go into your closet and pick out a pair of pants. If you are happy with where you are now, pick your favorite pair of jeans. If you are working to lose some inches, then pick a pair one size down from where you are now.

What did you pick? What do they look like? Why did you pick those?

I'm interested in hearing what you picked and why. Please comment below and let me know. If you would rather do that privately, then send me a private message.

I'll be posting here throughout the month about how my clothes fit, how I feel, and how I am performing at the gym, so comment on this post if you want to follow my progress.

It will be interesting to see what happens at the end of this month with no scale.

Make Your Resolutions a Reality

Have you ever kept one of your New Year’s resolutions? I don't think I ever have. It has gotten to the point that we either make resolutions that we know we will break or just don’t bother making them at all. I don't know which one is worse.

For most of my adult life I have made the same New Year’s resolution. Each year I vow to drink more water. It usually lasts about 10 days and then it's forgotten for the rest of the year. You see, the problem is not setting the goal, the problem is being disciplined enough to achieve the goal.

I recently read an article in TIME magazine called “How to Motivate Yourself: 3 Easy Steps Backed by Science” by Eric Baker. This article outlines the following 3 strategies to help you achieve your goals after you set them.

1. Get Positive

Studies show that happy people are more successful, but in turn, being successful in reaching your goals will make you happier. It's a big cycle and a win-win situation. More importantly, having a positive attitude as you approach your goals is essential. If you don't believe that you will be successful then you most definitely won't be. Staying positive is hard to do, especially if you have tried to accomplish a goal and failed before.

The best way to be optimistic about your progress is to celebrate your progress along the way. To do this, you need to first set measurable goals so that you can monitor your progress. Celebrate every pound shed, inch lost, or weight lifted.

However, you are human, and sometimes you may stray from your goals. Don’t let a few days of slip ups cause you to forget your long-term goals. This is the biggest problem with New Year’s resolutions. Its very easy to forget the resolution if you mess up a few times. Don't drop the resolution if you have strayed. Start each day with a clean slate. Don't let what happened yesterday distract you from continuing to pursue your goals today.

Every step in the right direction is important and as you celebrate your progress, it will  be easier for you to retain a positive outlook.

2. Get Rewarded

When I really want my children to do something, I bribe them. It's probably not the best parenting strategy, but it works. Isn't that what “allowance” is all about? Do your chores and I'll give you $5. It's simple positive reinforcement.

If you are doing something for yourself, why not bribe yourself. Give yourself a reward for doing things that will help you achieve your goals.

I had a friend who used to put a dollar in a jar every time she went to the gym and when she reached $100 she would reward herself by booking a massage. She didn't really miss the dollar 4-5 times a week, but she appreciated the massage every few months.

The TIME article (mentioned above) suggests giving a friend $100 when you set the goal and instructing him to return the money when the goal is accomplished.  The idea is that you will work hard to get that money back. Either way, work out some reward system for yourself so you have something to look forward to as you accomplish your goals.

3. Get peer pressure

If you surround yourself with people who are doing what you want to be doing, it's much easier to get things done.

For example, losing weight is much easier to do if the people you associate with work out and eat healthy. When I decided to change the way I ate, I was lucky that my husband was supportive. He didn't mind the dinners with grilled chicken and vegetables instead of fried chicken and pasta. You see, he wanted to lose weight too but wasn't ready to take on the burden of preparing healthy meals. Since I was already preparing healthy meals, it was much easier for him to sacrifice the unhealthy foods. When I started going to the gym, he started working out too. The end result was both of us became healthier and achieved our weight loss goals.

I have similar relationships with supportive friends at the gym. We talk to each other by phone, text, and Facebook to find out what time we will go work out. Training together helps us all stay positive and holds us accountable for missed training sessions.

So what can you do to ensure that you are getting positive peer pressure? Find a friend who has similar goals.

Do you want to go to the gym more? Find a friend who does too and use peer pressure to motivate each other. Text or call that person every day and ask them if they went to the gym that day or how their workout went. Even better, try to join the same gym and work out together.

Find a friend at work who also wants to lose weight. Plan out your lunch menus together. Maybe switch off days preparing that lunch so that it’s a little easier for both of you. Exchange healthy recipes. Go food shopping together after work. Organize a "Biggest Loser" weight loss competition in your office. Have everyone put in $5 as a prize for the winner.

Sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing too.


This is where you come in…

Now that we have reviewed some strategies for success, are you ready to take on the challenge of your resolution? I know I am.  I am going to revisit my goal of drinking more water. I hope to drink at least 2 liters of water each day. I know it's good for my skin and digestion and that it will keep me from drinking other high calorie drinks or drinks with artificial sweeteners.

In addition to the strategies outlined here, I've learned a few things about discipline in the last few years. I'm hoping this time I'll be successful. I'll stay positive and construct a reward system for myself, but I need you to provide the peer pressure. I am making this goal public because I am welcoming your peer pressure. Please feel free to ask me about my progress.

Would anyone like to join me?