Let’s jump right in.

Where did I mess up?

Early on in my nutrition, body composition, and fitness journey, one of my biggest mistakes was not believing I needed that much protein (which, at the time was like 125-135g per day).

I used to believe that it was all about calories. Which it is, but there’s also way more to the story than that.

Yes, calories are important for our goals, but the distribution of calories across our macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbs) are just as important when it come to how you feel working towards your goals, and what your body composition looks like!

I used to not want to “waste” calories on protein, not realizing just how important it is for satiety, body composition goals, and weight loss. (I also recently wrote this somewhat satirical post about trying to lose weight WITHOUT focusing on protein, and how we make it harder for ourselves.)

And, here’s the thing, I get it. Eating enough protein (at least 0.7g per pound of body weight, or goal body weight) IS likely different than what you’re used to. In the typical American diet, people eat between 12-20% of their calories as protein. This 0.7g goal asks people to get closer to 30% (depending on exact overall calorie number).

So, if you’re used to that 15%ish, getting closer to 30% WILL require you to make changes around many of your meals and food choices. You’ll likely have to re-distribute some of your portions, and include some protein-rich snacks to help you get there. And while I imagine that you’ll end up feeling fuller and more energized when you do include more, but that’s not the part that is evident at first. The CHANGE part is. And that can be hard.

Once I decided to actually see what happens when I got my recommended amount of protein, that’s when things really started to change for me.

Protein is slower digesting, so I felt fuller over the course of the day, which then made it easier to manage my overall caloric intake anyway. I gradually lost body fat, and my body composition started to shift. Over time, I also got stronger, and that added lean muscle mass also contributed to more overall caloric burn.

Protein is super important, my friends. Don’t make the same mistake I did. (As stated, I know this change can be challenging, so reach out at sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com if you need help!)

And while we’re talking about protein and body composition, let me add a note about perspectives on weight on the scale.

First of all, weight is simply a data point to use to gage where you’re at in relation to your goals. It is NOT a reflection of your worth, or health, or confidence, or anything like that. I know this shift in thinking can be challenging, it still is for me some days, but we keep working at it!

In fact, even if you continue to use weight as a metric, I also recommend taking time to think about what your desired body composition is. Here’s why:

Yeah, I used to be a big fan of the mirror selfie… so sue me! The real point of sharing these photos is to give some perspectives on weight and body composition and help us all realize that weight is not the be-all-end-all that we sometimes think it is! 3 pounds difference among these three photos… but significantly different body comp.

That’s right, all of those photos are pretty much the same weight.

So if I was ONLY measuring my progress based on weight, I’ve basically be failing for 10 years. I weighed 145.6 this morning… so did I only lose 0.4 pounds over the past 10 years? NOPE! Well, I guess technically that’s the difference in numbers, but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t see the body composition shifts (and strength gains!) that have happened over the years! Although I don’t know the exact numbers on the shift, it’s evident that there has been a change in body fat and muscle mass over the years. (And I eat more now than I ever have!)

So, as I was saying, it’s worth thinking about what you want YOUR desired body composition to look like, or what you want to be able to do. Once you decide that, you can use multiple data points, not just weight, to work towards it.

You might decide you want things like:

Run your first 5k
Back squat 200 pounds
Feeling lean and mobile enough to run after your kids at the park
Do a strict pullup
Fit into a certain outfit
Wear a bikini at the beach (Although I vote that you wear a bikini if you want, regardless of what you look like, but that’s another conversation all together)
Have visible abs

Things like that. And as you can see, these don’t have anything to do with weight directly, although overall body composition shifts will make all of these pieces easier.

Once you decide these things, you can then create benchmarks or ways to check in on them and collect more data than just how much you weigh.

The reality is that you can weigh multiple pounds different from morning to evening, and pounds different from day to day!

Our weight fluctuates based on how much/how recently we’ve eaten, how much water we’ve had to drink, how much sodium we may have consumed the day before, where you are in your menstrual cycles, how hard your recent workouts have been, etc. And that’s completely NORMAL!

So many things impact your weight from day to day it’s CRAZY for us to tie happiness/satisfaction/success/sadness/or any other feeling to it on a daily basis.

Here are some more of my thoughts on weight:

*We all have to weigh SOMETHING. No one can keep losing weight forever! I talked to a client the other day who said she’s been on a diet for 38 years and, rightfully so, wants to move away from the sole focus of losing weight!

*Unless you’re in a weight-based sport, your actual weight probably doesn’t matter. What’s more important is how you feel in your body, how you feel when you workout or go about your daily activities, and how you feel in your clothes. Check in with yourself, collect that data!

*Consider tracking other metrics of body composition, as stated above. Take a photo once a week. Measure various parts of your body and collect that data. Check in with your running or pullup progress, etc. It’s okay to track your weight every once in a while, but just to check to see if it’s trending in the direction you’re looking for it to go, not necessarily as a measure of success.

*Consider also checking in with other data points like sleep quality, daily energy levels, how clothes fit, strength and endurance during workouts, etc. What matters to you? Collect data on those items in relation to your food plan, too!

*Remember that when you work out, and specifically if you lift weights, which I hope you do, that you will gain weight and that’s a good thing for your body, bones, and health!

To recap:

Eat your protein. See what happens. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
Your weight on the scale is NOT everything. It’s a data point, and it’s worth you thinking about what you want your body composition to LOOK LIKE too!

And with all of this, ask for help if you need it. I’m here for you.

What are your thoughts on this post? Share them in the comments!

Leave a comment

Know someone who might benefit from these thoughts?!

Share

Wanna see more posts like this in the future?

Subscribe now

I appreciate you reading!
xoxo,
Sara

The Nutrition For Life Project Blog

A Mistake I made + Some Perspective on Weight