JP Mullowney

Weighing yourself, the great conundrum. How many well intentioned dieters have stood in their bathrooms wondering, in thoughts reminiscent of Prince Hamlet, “to weigh or not to weigh, that is the question?” While, your decision is likely not as dramatic as Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, it is still important to your overall fitness goals.

The frequency and time of weigh-ins has been shown to influence the success of your training goals. For example, in their 2014 review paper, Zheng et al found that regular self-weighing was related to increased weight loss. In addition, more frequent weighing did not negatively influence psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety. These results agree with an earlier review by Burke, Wang, and Sevick (2011) which also found that regular self-weighing produced positive weight loss outcomes.

From this, it can be concluded that regular weigh-ins can enhance your fitness goals. However, when it comes to regular weigh-ins, what is the correct protocol? To increase the accuracy of your weigh-ins, registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner suggests following the “4 S’s” protocol:

Same time of day
Same day of the week
Same clothing
Same Scale

For many people, the most practical time to meet these conditions is immediately upon waking in the morning. While following a protocol like the above should result in consistent measures, be aware that numerous factors can cause weight fluctuations. These include: salt intake (higher salt intake increases water retention), amount of food eaten the previous day, and most importantly for females, hormonal fluctuations.

The Take Home Message:

Weighing yourself frequently can positively influence your weight loss goals. When weighing yourself, try to follow the 4 S’s protocol for the most accurate results. Don’t worry too much if your weight fluctuates a little from week to week, numerous factors can cause this. Instead, look for a general downward trend. Most importantly though, who had any idea that Thomas knew his Shakespeare!

References:

Burke, L., Wang, J., Sevick, M.A. (2011). Self-monitoring in weight loss: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111(1), 92-102.

Weighing in on the scales: Find your true weight. (2005). Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/weighing-in-on-scales-find-your-true-weight#1

Zheng, Y.,…, Burke, L. (2014). Self-weighing in weight management: A systematic literature review. Obesity, 23(2), 256-265.

Prepared for the JKC blog by Coach Thomas.

Photo credit: JP Mullowney

My initial goal was to find qualified personal training services in a personalized small gym setting. I have never been a fan of large gyms. JKC offers a friendly, happy gym experience that motivates me to strive for bigger and better results every week. Jon, Thomas and Craig are genuinely talented and always excited to celebrate everyone’s success.

I have a passion for challenging myself to achieve or beat goals. My favourite memories take me back to greater wins than I ever imagined with deadlifts and after a lot of determination and hard work, being able to do multiple chin-ups. Training at JKC has been one of the best experiences of my life – thank you for your commitment to helping me stay fit!!💪🏼😅

Kathryn Sparrow

Nutritional Coaching by Julia Howard

From my initial consult with Julia, she was professional and knowledgeable as both a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and athlete. She was interested in my nutrition and fitness goals and the development of a plan that would set me up for success.

Julia designed weekly meal plans that were complete with recipes and shopping lists. The food choices were nutritious, easy to prepare, and ensured that I felt well nourished and energized throughout my training and non-training days. Not only do I feel leaner and more fit, but I have more energy and I feel much more in tune with my body and food choices. Julia really helped me put everything in place so I can continue this process going forward- I cannot thank her enough!

I’ve always been a gym rat, but was getting tired of the same ol’ routine. My better half was attending JKC and encouraged me to try it out. My favourite part of JKC is that is isn’t a gym – it’s a community. Jon and Thomas are awesome, and I love that every time I go I know who’s working out with me and we can socialize while working on our health. Everyone is supportive, encouraging and genuinely looks out for one another. It’s an upbeat and positive experience and I can honestly say that I look forward to each and every workout.

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin.  Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising.  So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life.  Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening.  Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me.  I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do.  I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task.  I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

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