Live by the scale....and your motivation will die by the scale...

Erin and I had our first weigh-in this morning!  Both of us had a decrease in the scale of about one pound.  We could let this get us down, but there are a few things we must keep in mind to maintain motivation and focus.  When anyone begins a new exercise program and diet change, the body needs time to adjust and in a way recalibrate itself to the new routine.  Give your body a few weeks or even longer to adjust before you become critical of yourself.  We are also doing a lot of weight training and muscle endurance exercises, this means we are building muscle.  Muscle is more dense than fat, so that means it weighs more.  If you aren't losing fat as quick as you are building muscle, then you aren't going to see the number on the scale decrease very quickly.  Every single pound is a milestone and you must recognize and appreciate the small victories!  Erin and I may have not seen huge decreases on the scale yet, but we are without a doubt more fit today than we were when we began.  We have more energy, more endurance for our workouts, more confidence, and our pants are fitting better!  The scale is not what we base our success on, it is merely a tool to help monitor changes in our bodies.  We also took measurements of our waist, chest, legs, and arms.  We will be measuring to see how many inches we have lost on week three.  Remember, stay focused on your goal and be patient.  You didn't gain that weight overnight and it is not going to melt off overnight.  Recognize the small victories.  Every minute spent working on your fitness is an investment towards your future!

Tasha Larsen

weight:  147 lbs

body fat:  21.8%

Erin Niederhauser

weight:  157 lbs

body fat:  24% 

(Check post one for our previous weight and body fat.  Good job to Erin on her body fat decrease!)