So. I shot this video last week…
Is she holding… lube?
…and then all hell broke loose. (But, of course, you’re already subscribed to my newbie YouTube channel, so you knew that already, right?)
And, although I spent the first few days of my summer being dropped in a dunk tank, we won’t talk about that. All I know, is that when my daughter starts waking up at 9:30 every day instead of 7…it’s officially summer.
But why a #scalefreesummer? Why now?
Because I’ve already learned the hard way, that permanent weight loss is about the fact that what you do to lose the weight will be what you do to keep it off. It’s about habits. The habits – and the nature of consistency that comes along with something being and becoming a habit – is what creates the weight loss. And, in fact, you can achieve the weight loss goal by focusing solely on the habits and throwing a middle finger to the scale.
(To be fair, and to assuage the fears of those of us who are addicted to the scale, I’ll accept a graduated digression from the scale – if you check it every day, try to strive to only check it once a week instead; if you check it every weekend, go for twice a month.)
What most people don’t realize is that it’s “pretty easy” to lose weight; it’s keeping it off that’s the challenge. And, as someone who has successfully kept my weight off for a long time and is experiencing quite a bit of success in literally transforming my physique for a competition in a healthy fashion – and taking my sweet, sweet time in doing so, because I’m not gonna embarrass myself or my blog getting on stage when I’m not ready – I think that I’m pretty intimately familiar with how this game goes.
A full-scale change has to happen. It’s literally a mind-body-soul type experience. Your mind is affected because, quite honestly, you have to change the way you think about food. Your body, because you need to prepare it for the ability to actually transform. And your soul, well… you really have to look at the things that make you happy, decide whether or not they’re standing in your way, and be willing to both let those old things go and embrace new things, allowing the new to make you happy.
I really hope that makes sense. It’s early and it may or may not look like gibberish through my sleepy eyes.
I’m tackling this from both the standpoint of the person who needs to change, and the person helping others change. I’ve got 8 people in two groups – 4 men, 4 women – that I’m going to personally be counseling through the entire summer, and writing about their experiences here. Everyone’s coming from a different place – some are thin and want to be lean, some are obese and are working with emotional eating, and some are right in the middle.
The fact of the matter is, this is what I’m basing my career on – yeah, I can train you, but what will you learn about how to live after you “can’t afford a trainer anymore?” What will you learn when you’ve decided we can’t work together anymore? What about living – not just weight lifting and weight loss – will you understand? This is giving me the opportunity to create a system that legitimately helps people, and understand how to navigate issues other than the ones I’ve endured, myself. They’re allowing me to share their stories with you, and hopefully it’ll help you work through whatever you might be going through, as well.
That being said… I’m filling up my hashtag with love, support, jokes, and insights from my own training. And, most importantly, I’ve got prizes for you if you do the same!
You don’t, necessarily, have to tweet in order to be down. You can share your photos on Instagram using the hashtag #ScaleFreeSummer, or you can come to the FB page and post your workouts and updates, and dialogue with our community there! You don’t need to @ me on twitter or Facebook, but definitely mention me on Instagram so that I make sure I can comment.
Add the #ScaleFreeSummer hashtag to your Fuelband, your Runkeeper, your DailyMile, your MyFitnessPal, whatever app you use to share your fitness activities on social media! I want to know what you’ve got going on! Maybe you could show me a little something!
We’ll be spending a few weeks on each facet of the #ScaleFreeSummer – mind, body, and soul – and I want to bring you along for the ride!
So…who’s coming along?
Click here to buy the #ScaleFreeSummer e-book and training guide!
24 comments
Good Morning,
You mentioned that you train folks. I may not live in your area. How does one become your “student?” I am a BG who has unsuccessfully attempted losing weight since the birth of my son in 2008 and want to try something new.
I won’t be officially opening shop for at least another couple of months, right now. But for people who might need a little additional support, you can email me using the contact form above.
Funny, I was just saying this morning about how I’m going to ditch the scale and just go by how I feel. I’m in!!
I’ve been obsessed with the scale at points. I’ve managed to leave it alone at points, but when I do step on I’m either shocked at the number or satisfied that I don’t weigh as much as I think I do. I’m so much more than a number on a scale or a clothing size. I’m a person. And as a person I feel kind of blah right now. I know my struggle is maintaining the healthy habits. I know exactly what I should be doing and should/should not be eating, but I let it fall by the wayside. I owe it to myself to finally start taking care of myself in all facets of my life. Thanks for starting this Erika!
I’m in #scalefreesummer OWWWWW!
Excuse the triple post! lol
btw what r u thoughts on the Jawbone up? Thx in advance for ur response can’t wait to learn more!! #scalefreesummer
Covered it for a full week here.
Mind, body, and soul?!!? I am so in for #scalefreesummer but I’ll be on a “graduated digression” plan. I look forward to participating and focusing on habits!
I’m all the way down for #scalefreesummer, I have been past ready to ditch the scale. I feel like I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight, hoping for the magic number that I get upset when it doesn’t look that way. But here’s what I have figured out …. with the running and the lifting, things are starting to move around. I’d rather see my other numbers get to normal, than to keep focused on the scale that probably won’t be moving any time soon. I need to be #scalefree!
It’s tempting, but pretty unlikely that I will avoid the scale for months at a time. For one, I spent a year on weight watchers and made it to Lifetime so I don’t weigh in weekly, but I must weigh in monthly to keep my free benefits and be accountable for maintaining the goal I worked so hard to achieve. But even without WW, it’s just too easy for me to think “I got this” and not get a sanity check on the scale at least every few weeks. I’m not a “daily weigher” and I don’t let the numbers the drive me crazy, so it’s all good.
If you’re checking once a month, then don’t worry about the scale aspect; you CAN share and encourage with your contributions, though! 🙂
This is exactly what I need to stop focusing on the scale so much. I’m starting my #scalefreesummertoday!
I’m just getting started. I’m at a very,very unhealthy weight, it’s so bad that if I gain another pound I’m going to have my own show on TLC. I’m at the point where I need to do something. I don’t have money for a trainer. Thankfully, my college provides a fitness center. It’s really hard and I’m really scared, but, I want to be healthy. I don’t care about being fine (well, maybe a little), however, my goal is to get the weight off and get well and developing a healthy lifestyle. So, I’m down for anything that will help me.
I ‘ve stopped looking at the scale so much and am now focusing on healthier eating habits and getting more active. Great inspirational post.
I love this idea! Can’t wait to see what everyone has to share. And I definitely have to get more motivated because these random sicknesses have been plaguing me.
Do you think weighing in once a month is a bad idea? I still have some weight to lose. My main goal is to lose inches and the jiggle. The most important thing right now is to build good eating habits with whole nutritional foods. The scale is not the most important thing Scale free Summer Lets Go!!!
Nope!
This is timely…My scale malfunctioned about a month ago…I thought…well, I just changed the batteries two weeks ago. No way have I dropped this much weight…I started to freak out cuz I’ve been weighing myself weekly and worried what might happen if I didn’t have that accountability? Less about that weekly step on and more about the daily step up? DING! When I hopped on a scale at the doctor’s office recently, I wasn’t displeased…so, I guess I’m in, Erika!
I am so down! I need to focus on my fitness without focusing on the scale right now for my sanity. I’m looking forward to this experience.
I’m really looking forward to this. I already follow you on twitter but I didn’t know you wanted the hash tag to be used when we tweet our fitness info. I’m excited to enjoy this experience with you. I also am interested in hearong more about your ohilosohy in training once you officially hang up shingle. I think the M.B.S connection is what I’m missing to really reach my goals. Thanks for a great opportunity and best of luck to you.
Interesting….I ditched my scale almost four months ago and exercised more and watched what I ate….then last week on Tuesday had my early check up and guess what? Was weighed at the doctor’s office and I have lost 13 pounds! It felt great and was so happy because I haven’t been driving myself insane on the scale 😉
I’m here for Scale Free Summer. I want to change my lifestyle–not temporarily lose weight. I purposely avoid weighing myself too frequently. I do it about once a month or so. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t want to be lighter but my goals have always been to be healthier, to be more physically fit. I’m not tied to a certain number of pounds to be lost. Realizing that I’m not only trying to lose weight makes it easier for me to be gentle with myself. If I slip up, I know I can just start again. Gaining a pound after losing used to be a sign for me to give up because “I just can’t do this” but now it’s a sign for me to refocus my efforts. I think you are 100% right when you say it’s all about habits. Looking forward to learning more about the others’ journeys and yours as well.
After some initial hesitation I decided to do this (today is day 1 of week 4), and I’m only going to weigh myself every 6th week. Been logging what I eat and how I feel and WHY I ate what I did and I’ve already identified 3 or 4 habits that are keeping me where I am. For example, I use excuses like “I only get to see my friend every-so-often!” to eat a garlic burger and shake at Steak and Shake, but then that same week I used the excuse “Well I didn’t buy it so it’s free” to eat donuts a co-worker had brought in.
And I realized, if I work 30 minutes a day on the bike and burn MAYBE 150 calories, that donut that I ate that is 300 calories, it takes me two days to “burn off” (just excluding all the negative side effects the HFCS and other preservatives…) so even eating a “treat” twice a week or three times a week leaves me with only one or two days of “weight loss”, calorically speaking… So on top of journaling and exercising at least 30 minutes a day, I rate each day as a “WL (weight loss)” or “NWL (non-weight loss)” day, by did I eat junk food or did I have habits that contribute to no weight loss, and aim to do less than 3 NWL days a week, with the main goal of being 1 or fewer a week.
I’m definitely in for the Scale Free Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring… I’ve hidden my scale while I was cleaning and there’s no telling where it is. I don’t go back to the doctor for another 6 months, so I’m ready!!!
[…] I have definitely toned up this summer, including almost 3” lost on my waist! No wonder Erika of The Black Girl’s Guide to Weight Loss actually commented on one of my Instagram photos with one word – […]
Comments are closed.