THROW AWAY THE SCALE!!

For years and years we have been conditioned by society to concentrate the current condition of our wellbeing upon the number we see on the scale. In reality, this number clutches little if any of our true fate in its grasps. The key is body composition.
By this I mean the amount of lean muscle mass compared to the amount of body fat mass your body contains. For example, if you put two people side by side who are the same height and weigh the exact same, the person with the lower body fat percentage and higher lean mass would appear much smaller. What do I mean? Well the fact is that muscle is twice as dense as fat and therefore takes up half the space. Now don’t get me wrong here. I’m not talking about turning into a muscle monster, I’m talking about long, lean, rejuvenating sculpted, fat burning muscle. That’s right, muscle is what burns body fat. Muscle is your metabolism. The more engaged it is, the more body fat you will be burning 24/7. When beginning a strength program, your body is in shock. You are using muscle that has been dormant for quite some time. That muscle will absolutely react and your body will realize that it needs to build new muscle to keep up with the new stressors you are placing on it. Will you instantly start losing body fat? Absolutely. The thing is that your muscle is in an activation phase. This is where the scale skews the situation. You are losing fat, but gaining some metabolism raising muscle. In the beginning, they may even out, therefore showing little change on the scale. This is where circumference measurements truly tell the story. Soon your muscle gain settles. Your new muscle will continue crushing that unwanted body fat while at the same time begin to sculpt and shape your body like never before. It may sound crass but there is such a thing as “skinny fat”, regarding muscle tone or shape. I have had so many clients tell me “I have only lost only 10 pounds but am wearing the same size as I did in high school when I weighed a lot less.” That is the key. Its not about the scale number it is about your lean composition.
That being said, how do you measure progress then? Easy. It is all about body circumference measurements, which shows changes in body fat percentage, how your clothes are fitting, as well as your state of mind. Let’s face it, we want to look smaller and more put together. It’s all in the inches you are losing in these five main areas: thigh, waist, hip, chest and arm. The days of the nasty scale are over. Hurray! Sculpting and shaping your body through a structured resistance-training regimen, along with an organized nutrition program, now that’s what I’m talking about! Not only will your metabolism be rocking and crushing body fat, you will be stronger, leaner, and overall live a happier life.

Trevor A Buccieri an exercise physiologist and ACSM certified personal trainer, nutrition specialist and fitness expert is the owner and founder of Body & Soul Boot Camp, now opened at its new location 613 Oakwood Ave. Come enjoy 2 FREE WEEKS UNLIMITED PERSONAL TRAINING. Call 572-1536 or visit www.bodysoulexp.com for more information.