Your scale isn’t always the best way to measure your health goals
Many of us stand on the scales every day (or very regularly) and think that the number we are shown equals how healthy our bodies are, however this isn’t always true. Sure, sometimes we might go to the doctors and they might ask us to step on the scales but this is probably one of the only times that we need to think about what we weigh. Our health is much more that what number shows up on the scales and we shouldn’t feel the need to compare our number to the rest of society.
Often when people work out regularly they weigh themselves alongside their exercise sessions and can get disappointed when their number isn’t changing or is even going higher. As we work out we are turning the fat in our bodies into muscle (which is actually heavier than fat) so that is why we can weigh more on the scales when we are trying to lose weight. So we shouldn’t be exercising to lose weight as this isn’t always effective but we should be exercising to have fun. Find the fun in movement again like when you were a child, and to also improve our cardio vascular endurance (how far you can walk/run/climb without getting tired or out of breath) and physical health.
There are other ways to monitor how healthy we are
On a day to day level there are lots of ways we can measure and monitor how healthy we are and they have nothing to do with what we weigh. We can be really flexible on how we measure health and it all depends on what is important to you, some ideas include;
- Quality of sleep – how did you sleep, how long did it take you to fall asleep, did you wake up during the night and if so how often and for how long, etc?
- Digestion – How did your body feel after eating, did you feel unwell after eating something in particular, did you feel bloated during the day, how were your bowel movements, etc.?
- Moods/Mental Health – How did you feel overall throughout the day, were there changes in your mood, what were your emotions like, etc.?
- Cardiovascular endurance – Could you get through the day without being out of breath, how do you feel after climbing stairs or walking around, are you happy with how far/long you are able to; run, walk, climb, ride a bike, dance, etc.?
- Hydration – In the UK we are supposed to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day, do you feel you meet this, have you felt thirsty during the day, urine is supposed to be a pale straw colour and if yours has been darker than this it could mean that you need to drink more water, etc.?
This is a short list however you can customise your health plan to whatever you think is priority for you and your health. When monitoring your health goals it is important to take notice of any improvements no matter how small and how much work you are putting into looking after yourself.
We have made an example of a health goals plan which you can download by clicking here. If you think that this plan will not help you to reach your health goals, you can find other example health plans online based on the but check that whatever plan you use will help you meet your goals.
If you have any concerns about your physical or mental health, please visit your GP/Doctor to discuss accessing appropriate support.
If you need to talk to anyone about how you are feeling whether it is about body image or any other thoughts you are having you can contact some organisations who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Both of the services below are confidential and free to contact.
If you are under 19 you can contact Childline over the phone (on: 08001111) and online to speak with a counsellor about how you are feeling.
If you are over 19 you can contact The Samaritans over the phone (on: 116123) or via email.
If we become obsessed with our body image this can sometimes affect our mental health and our relationship with food which can lead to eating problems or eating disorders.
Beat Eating Disorders provides helplines for adults and young people and offers support and information about eating disorders (please note that you do not need to have a diagnosis of an eating disorder to contact Beat):
Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677
Studentline: 0808 801 0811
Youthline: 0808 801 0711
Open 365 days a year from 12pm – 8pm during the week, and 4pm – 8pm on weekends and bank holidays.
Beat also provide 1-1 online support via web chat. This is accessible by clicking here and is available; Monday – Friday: 12:00 – 20:00 and Saturday – Sunday: 16:00 – 20:00 BST
