...Measuring your progress! Hi there!
So here I am. Making another health blog in the blog-o-sphere. I'm doing this for myself. A means of accountability, to document my progress and struggles towards accomplishing my goals. I've discovered that not only have I "cured" myself of a fatty liver (don't ask how, cause I got lucky with this one), but I also have PCOS and am in risk for other health issues that run in my family. This past trip to the Doctors' was eye opening and it fuels a different type of motivation and drive for which I'm really excited about. Not only do I want to be fit and healthy, but I want to run a marathon. I want to change my relationship with food, cause the information I read about nutrition and how it fuels and works with the human body is intriguing. And of course a by product of all of this is, I know I'm going to end up looking and feeling absolutely fantastic. If you want to join me on my journey towards a more healthy and fit self, come along for the ride!
Of course the first topic at hand are the stats. I'm 27 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighing in at 180 pounds. My previous doctor says for my height I should be weighing about 140 lbs, but since I'm Latina I need to aim for 150. Not sure how my ethnic background plays into that, but interestingly my current doctor gave me a higher number. She suggested, to aim for 160, maybe even 150. All these numbers are confusing, and can be so disheartening for me when I'm at a stare down with my scale early in the morning. So my question is, what's the best way to measure weight loss? Especially with all the numbers I'm getting from two different doctors, and the universal knowledge of muscle is heavier then fat. In fact, I believe it's three times heavier then fat. Not to mention your weight can fluctuate with what you eat, water retention, time of the month for us females, and any other reasons that's not known to me currently. Can I rely on the age old scale? Or should the scale be thrown out the window, if not saved in case it could be a valuable tool in a dieter's arsenal?
Looking at other ways to measure weight loss, hydrostatic weighing and bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) I feel are out of the question. The first is a technology that's way to expensive where they dunk you under water. The second would have to be done by a professional and even then it could not be all that accurate due to water retention, time of the month for us females, and the skill level of said professional. There's always the caliper pinch test, for which they say is the least accurate of the 3, but easier to have done. There's also calculating your BMI, and measuring your self. So again, what's the best way?
I guess I'll be using a combination of the scale, caliper pinch test, and measuring tape. The scale because I like to have the instant gratification of knowing I lost a pound, even though it can frustrate me most. I'm also going with the pinch test and measuring route, so I know my body fat and measurements. As for what number I should be aiming for, my first goal is 160. To see how my body looks and feels at that weight and of course to see how my PCOS reacts to that weight as well. If not satisfactory, then I'll go down ten pounds at a time until I'm hitting the points I need to hit and my doctors tells me I'm in the clear. All in all, my main focus is to be healthy, learn new things, and enjoy the rewards of a healthier life style.
Again welcome to my journey and lets all aim for success in our health goals!
-Tatiana
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