Dear Mr. Scale

Today you are my friend. Amazing how a good number from you can start my day with a smile. The opposite - an unexpected increase or dreaded plateau - and watch out. My mood will be low, I might be snappish and heaven forbid my spouse tell me I “look beautiful.” Grrrrh.

I’m just guessing you are male, although more likely you are female…we are so much more judgmental and critical.

Why do you have this power over me? My rational side knows you are an inanimate object that just spits out a number, yet even now after years of our love hate relationship, my heart still races when I step on. I know deep down that I have control over you and your results, not vice versa, but you still scare and thrill me a little.

Thankfully, my decision to check in with you daily has taken most of your power over me away. I know my number, accept it and do what I need to either maintain it or change it.

You have helped me finally attain a weight that I am happy with, so thank you. After years and years…and years…I am accepting my number and have no desire to drastically change it. My goal now is to improve my overall health, fitness and strength.

So, today was a good day, but I know that tomorrow might not be. And it might not be because of anything I’ve done or not done. Our daily meetings have shown me one thing…the body is fluid. Weight ebbs and flows. As long as I am taking the right steps and eating properly, you will react accordingly, in your own time. An increase could have been a result of hormones, soy sauce marinade or heck, just a change in my sleep habits. I promise not to panic if I see an unexpected number, although I may still be cranky. See you in the morning.

The 80/10/10 Guide to Weight Loss

People often ask me what is the best workout for weight loss.  They are surprised when I tell them it isn't really about exercise, it is about diet.  Weight loss is 80% diet, 10% exercise and 10% genetic.

Genetics will determine some of how your body responds.  Lucky folks lose more quickly than the masses.  Men, with their increased muscle mass, take off weight much more easily than most women.  However, these are factors out of your control so focus on the two you can control - diet and exercise.

I know from personal experience that weight loss is mostly dependent on my diet.  This concept has been reinforced over the last three weeks as I've followed a detox cleanse eating plan.  I've lost 5+ pounds and actually been working out less!  For 21 days I've done yoga, light cardio and haven't even wear my heartrate monitor...and guess what?  Those pesky few pounds I've been struggling with are gone because I eliminated crappy carbs and kept my caloric intake steady.  All diet.

If you look at the numbers, it makes sense that diet is more important.  A typical gym session will only burn 500-600 calories (and that is if the person is really pushing themselves).  I know I can wolf down 600 calories in about ten minutes with a plate of brie, french bread, chocolate and a bottle of wine.  No matter how hard we try, or how badly we want to, we cannot "burn off" our caloric indulgences.

Now, I'm not saying don't exercise.  Quite the opposite.  Exercise should be a foundation and should be done routinely as part of a wellness regiment.   I do cardio and resistance training most days of the week, but I don't factor the caloric burn into my daily targets -- exercise is assumed and is a non-issue.   I workout because it makes me feel good and strong...not because it is burning a measly 300 calories.  When exercise becomes more important is during the maintenance phase.  Once the weight is off and dietary restrictions ease up slightly, exercise is crucial to keeping it off.

As the pressure to get summer bathing suit ready approaches, remember to focus your effort on what makes the greatest impact -- diet.  Don't worry about whether you burned 300 or 500 calories in your spin class...focus on what you will eat AFTER your spin class.

Food Makeover Courtesy of Jamie Oliver

Americans love makeover TV.  Extreme Home Makeover, What Not to Wear, heck even car makeovers with Pimp My Ride.  I especially love weight loss makeovers ala Celebrity Fit Club or Biggest Loser.  Seeing the light bulb go on and then watching how participants triumph over their exercise and nutrition demons is inspiring.  Makes those watching believe they can do it too. 

Last night, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution aired on ABC.  Jamie is a British chef who is on a mission to change how Americans, especially children, eat.  He choose to start the American movement (he already is working on England) in Huntington, West Virginia -- the unhealthiest city in the world.  Huntington not only has the highest obesity rate of any town in the US, they also appear to have some of the angriest, most negative and most change adverse people around.   Although this show isn't a typical weight loss makeover show, it is bigger.  It is about planting a seed of change that could have a positive health impact on all those featured and all who watch.

The show began with Jamie attempting to alter an elementary school lunch program.  Not sure about you, but I remember my lunch ladies being pretty set in their ways.  One in particular even gets offended when Jamie calls her a "lunch lady."  The cooks, as they prefer to be called, proudly defended serving pizza for breakfast and potato pearls (don't ask).  Although I felt badly for Jamie, I also sympathized with the cooks -- they had a job to do and budget to meet.  

What I liked most about the first show was how it made me really think about what I serve my kids and what they might be eating at school.  Thankfully, I pack my little one's lunch every day, but what about the older kids who make their own choices?  It also sparked conversation between my hubby and I about why people resist change, as well as what other challenges Jamie will face in coming weeks.  We were wondering...

• How do you offer fresh foods at school while keeping on budget and without increasing staffing needs?
• How do you get kids to choose healthier options when the less healthy options are still being offered?
• How do you convince parents to change eating habits at home, especially when budget is a factor?

I can't wait for the full premiere on Friday to see how Jamie tackles these issues and more.  For more information about Jamie Oliver and his food revolution, check out his site:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution