What's your best weight?
July 11, 2021
Written By: Registered Dietitian Mairead As a dietitian, this is a very common question I get: how much should I weigh?
While this seems like a straight-forward question, it's often more complicated than we'd think.
You could pull out a calculator and figure out how much you should weigh for your height according to the Body Mass Index (BMI). This will give you a theoretical range, but BMI doesn't take variations in how much muscle people have. With our training at Degree, we often see people put on muscle and lose body fat, but their weight stays the same. The BMI equation can't account for this because it's simply just an equation.
BMI also isn't accurate for tall people, short people, and many different cultural groups.
Theoretically, technically, and temporarily, we could diet ourselves down to be almost any weight we want. But long-term weight maintenance is more complicated than that. Temporary weight changes often just take into account calories in and calories out. Long-term changes have to consider the impact on your metabolism, what your lifestyle looks like, how often you can actually exercise, your favourite foods, who cooks at home, your grocery budget, social events... the list goes on!
Your best weight is the one you can maintain without a fight, but where you're still looking after your body.
What exactly that weight is might change through the different seasons of your life, whether that includes an injury, growing your family, or a change in job.
Your best weight includes eating satisfying amounts of foods you love, as well as making eating decisions that support your long-term health. It includes moving your body in ways that feel good, and moving your body often enough to maintain a level of fitness that lets you enjoy your life the way you want.
When we add or take away something from our life in the pursuit of health or a change in weight, there might be a trade off. Getting in extra workouts might mean going to bed earlier and therefore less TV in the evening. Does that fit with how you want to live your life right now? Going on a restrictive diet might mean less eating out with friends, more time in the kitchen, and less of your favourite foods. Are those trade-offs you want to make? There's no right or wrong answer, just deciding what matters to you.
Finally, contrary to what social media would have you believe, there is more to your body size and weight than just how much you exercise and how you eat.
Your body's specific and unique physiology plays a huge role too, and one we usually can't override completely. This includes genetics, your stress levels and the impact that has on your body, and your current metabolism. Other factors could include socioeconomic status and history, dieting history, and any underlying medical conditions.
Keeping all of this in mind, here's my answer to what your healthiest weight is:
Your healthiest weight at this time is the one where you are eating and moving in ways that feel good and are promoting overall health without taking away from other important parts of your life or sacrificing your mental health.
If you're looking to learn more about how we can work some nutrition changes into your life to help you be your happiest and healthiest self at your best weight, let's chat more.
Nutrition Consultations and On-Going Nutrition Coaching are not available at this time, but you can join the waitlist to be first in line when spots open up. To join the waitlist or to learn more, email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com!
Written By: Coach Sienna The media portrays fitness as looking a certain way and creating this picture of a “perfect person” who eats clean and works out everyday and does everything right and never messes up. When you're always being shown this version of fitness it’s easy to start to think, is this what being fit is? ..... And suddenly you find yourself comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. Fitness is much more than the shape of our body! It's about what your body can do for you and how it can support your daily life and how movement makes you feel strong, accomplished, proud, empowered! Here is how we can overcome the negative impact that some Media has on us, and fitness in general: Redefine Fitness Fitness is more than your body, it's strength, endurance, mobility, energy and how you feel. It's not supposed to be perfect or linear, your body will change and life will happen. What matters most is showing up for yourself and moving your body. Even a little bit can go a long way! Positive Self Talk You don't have to be perfect to love yourself. Be kind to your mind and speak to yourself with kindness. Remind yourself of what your body can do for you, remember you are WORTHY! :) Focusing On The Little Wins We often have such a heavy focus on how we look but what if it was never about how we looked but more about how we felt. Do you notice after you get in a workout or a session you always tend to have a lift in your mood and a shift in perspective. Movement has the power to make us feel strong and happy and more like ourselves! Do Movements You Enjoy Fitness should be fun and functional. You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it! Find movements that excite you. Like lifting, walking, running, dancing, gymnastics etc. When you focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like, you can start to see how strong and capable you really are! Set Goals Related To Movement-Mood-Function Movement - touching your toes or doing your first push-up Mood - Having more energy during the day and feeling less anxious Function - Carrying groceries, running around with your kids, etc. Remember - you are already enough! You don't need to look a certain way to be fit. You just need to move your body in a way you enjoy, take care of yourself and celebrate what your body does for you everyday! If you've been feeling stuck, or wanting to start working out with a Coach, or in an environment that is inclusive, inviting, safe, honours all body shapes and sizes, we can help! CLICK HERE to book a free meeting with one of our Coaches to learn how you can get started at Degree or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com .
Written By: Coach Sienna We know Cardio is good for your heart health but it is also good for our respiratory systems which help bring oxygen to fuel our muscles to do what they gotta do! By doing cardio we strengthen all of these components which help us live a happier healthy lifestyle! Your body is built to move and releases happy chemicals called endorphins from having an increased heart rate which can improve your mood. This can happen in just 10 minutes! We all know Cardio is an important part of our health but most of us just don’t have a lot of time due to kids, work, life etc. Just remember any movement is a good movement! No matter how long or short it may be. The little things add up (: Use this 10 minute at home cardio workout (no equipment needed!) to get your heart rate up and feeling your best even on the busiest days. 2 Rounds of 1 minute of Jumping Jacks 1 minute of High Knees 1 minute Air Squats or Jump Squat 1 minute of Burpees 1 minute of Mountain Climbers *Rest as needed but try to keep it 30s or less between movements! We understand life gets in the way and schedules can be tough - we are here to help! Let us know how it went! Email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com , or, visit www.degreefitnessseaforth.com/get-started to book your FREE No Sweat Intro to learn more!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian You've probably heard of iron and know it's important. Maybe you've even had your levels checked through bloodwork! Iron is an important mineral in our diet. It is part of the blood cells that carry oxygen around our body, and plays roles in growth and the production of some hormones. The amount of iron you need varies. Men need less, while women need more due to blood loss during menstruation. This puts women at higher risk for low iron. The symptoms of low iron include feeling sluggish and fatigued, pale skin, and even hair loss! Women under 50 years old need 18mg of iron a day, while women over 50 and all men only need 8mg of iron daily. Many people can get enough iron through a varied and balanced diet. Iron is found in meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, soy, and many grains and vegetables. Our bodies are better able to absorb iron from animal sources - this type of iron is referred to as "heme iron". Non-heme iron is found in plant sources and is harder for your body to absorb. If you rely on plant-based sources of iron, you may need to eat a lot more of it. Pairing iron sources with sources of vitamin C can also help increase absorption. If you suspect your iron levels are low, ask your doctor to check your levels through a blood test. If your iron level is low and you're already consuming enough through diet, you may need a supplement to increase your levels. Always check if you actually need an iron supplement before starting one! Iron plays some key roles in our bodies, and is important for overall health! Make sure you include a variety of sources daily to meet your body's needs! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!