Dread The Scales? There's A Better Way To Measure Your Health

Sticking to a healthy diet doesnt mean you have to avoid dining out and say no to plans......You CAN have your cake and it it too. 1 1

In January, we’re overloaded with so many weight loss messages, that even the most confident of us can feel under pressure to lose weight…

…And those of us who may not even need to shift a few pounds, question if they should be trying to or not.

So a lot of us end up logging into our Amazon accounts and buying a brand new set of scales to keep ourselves on track. Or dusting off the old scales and putting them to good use again.

But being healthy is ultimately about feeling healthy – and has very little to with the number on the scale.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the scales don’t have their place – they do, especially if you’re tracking your weight-loss progress. But spending too much time focusing on the number can discourage you.

Often times when you think you’ve dropped weight after a strict diet and sticking to your exercise plan, you discover you haven’t lost as much as you thought you have, or you don’t see the number you were hoping to see (which can be for many different reasons by the way!)

So if you dread stepping on the scale, instead of getting disheartened by what you weight, why not resolve to monitor your health and fitness in a more positive light during 2017?

Here’s a few ways you can track your progress after putting those bathroom scales to the side – I use these ways to measure my health too, and I’ve never felt better!

Lets start with the most noticeable one – your energy levels. Taking note of whether you feel sluggish or full of beans, can be a good indicator of your overall health.

Chances are, if you’re eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and exercising daily, you’ll be feeling the benefits. You’ll feel more alert, have a better nights sleep and won’t feel that ‘afternoon slump’ so many of us suffer from.

Feeling healthy is the first step in looking and feeling your best, so don’t brush off the inside-out effects of your new lifestyle, even if weight loss is your main goal.

Next lets talk about sleep.

We spend close to a third of our lives doing it, and when we get enough of it – we feel great!

It’s fact that we need sleep for our physical, mental and emotional health. The number of hours you sleep is important, but the quality of sleep is just as important.

If you’re unable to get a good nights sleep it could be a sign that you’re not experiencing peak health and fitness.

Cutting down on alcohol and stimulants like cigarettes and caffeine before bed should help you drift off easier, as well as making time for you before you switch the lights off.

How we start our day, is just as important as how we end it.

What about mood? Your mood is closely linked to healthy eating and fuelling your body.

If you’re in a good mood, that’s great! It can be a reflection of good health. But on the other hand, if you’re feeling a little low, or you’ve got a short fuse, this can be a sign that it’s time to make some lifestyle changes.

Losing your temper can happen when your blood sugar is low, so eating balanced meals is key. Also adding more exercise into your week can help as movement releases those feel-good chemicals.

How your skin looks can also be a good reflection of what’s going on inside your body – especially as it’s the biggest organ in the body.

With hundreds of different skin problems, there’s multiple signs that your skin can indicate you’re not experiencing peak health. Two of the most common signs being paleness and itchy skin.

So pay attention to how radiant (or not so radiant) your skin looks, and switch up your lifestyle habits if needs be.

At the end of the day the most important question to ask yourself is “what are your real goals?” What do you want? Not what you’ve been told to want.

The scales don’t measure how strong you’re becoming, how much better you feel, if you can walk the stairs without losing your breath, or if you can play with your grandkids for hours.

Don’t let the number on the scale rule your life and how you feel, judge your progress by ‘health’ instead and you’ll learn how to listen to your body and your efforts will pay off.

For more ways on how to stick to healthy habits and feel great no matter what age you are, click here to get your copy of Paul’s book, The Healthy Habit: www.thehealthyhabitbook.com

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Paul Gough

Paul Gough is an internationally known Physio and Founder of The North East’s Leading Specialist Private Physiotherapy Practice for People in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, who want to keep healthy and active.

You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.

Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.

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Dread The Scales? There’s A Better Way To Measure Your Health