So You Want To Know My Number…

· by · in Fitness, Gym, Me, Motivation, Rant, Weight. ·

I am constantly being asked how much I weigh. I’m sure most of you don’t mean it in an offensive manner, perhaps just curiosity. But I find that those of you who ask me in person are then quick to compare me and judge me in comparison to your weight.

I am not ashamed of my weight, just tired of people asking me my weight and then the conversation going 2 ways (1) ‘oh you’re so lucky’ – Well luck has nothing to do with it, it’s about being motivated and dedicated to yourself and your lifestyle and making sacrifices accordingly. (2) ‘oh you weigh heavier than me’ –as long as your satisfied with your weight that’s all that matters. Please then don’t proceed the conversation about how you must be ‘healthier’ than me when there are a lot of elements you clearly haven’t taken into account (say for example I train, you don’t, I am ‘tall’, your ‘short) – I don’t like comparing apples to oranges. So I figured seeing as tho you’re so interested in my number, here are a few more numbers that perhaps you should take into consideration before you compare, judge and come up with excuses why or why not your happy with your own…

 numbers

On the 11.09.2013 I woke up at 6:00am, I worked a 9.5 hour day (7:00am-5:00pm). When I got home trained from 5:20pm to 6:45pm where I benched 30kg, deadlift 60kg, bend over rows 30kg, lat raises 5kg, overhead pressed 10kg and did 110 squats for day 11 of the JessE-B September Squat Challenge with a 20kg bar across my back. I then took Rusty (my puppy) for a 3k run/walk. I consumed 1090 cals, 113g of protein, 62g of carbs and 43g of fat and 1.5 litres of water. I have studied for the last hour and am now writing this blog at 8:30pm.

Calendar

Now I’m not trying to have a brag – but I have not stopped today and this is a typical day for me. I work full-time in a senior and demanding roll, I am undertaking my Masters in Marketing part-time, I have a puppy who is a German Shepherd so he is a big thing who does need to be taken on walks, runs, to training session or to the dog park daily. I live out of home which means housework needs to be done, I have a lovely partner who I need and want to spend time with and then lots of family and friends who I also like to touch base with. I am a busy person, but it’s MY choice. I choose to train as for some reason it makes me feel relaxed, it’s my de-stressor. I choose to monitor my nutrition and allow myself to still have that burger meal if I want (after all, 1 burger and chip meal won’t make me fat, just like 1 healthy meal won’t make me skinny). I am human, I have my good days and I have my bad days. It’s all a part of my lifestyle and like me you have choices. But please don’t bring it back to luck or comparing me to yourself, we are all different in height, the way we carry our weight and body builds etc, apples to oranges statement applies.

apples-and-oranges

I said to myself to try and keep this post sarcastic free after yesterdays run in (my final straw). So I’m going to wrap up as if I continue down this track it’s just going to go downhill. So out of all this, personally I don’t think ones weight alone gives any indication for if your ‘healthy’ or not. For staters the scales don’t take into account your important factors like you height etc, besides – rule 101 ‘muscle weighs more than fat’ (exception: to those high tech scales which compute all the information of your weight and body breakdown) and really at the end of the day how much does your weight really summaries you? It’s just a number…

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Furthermore, I think healthy is a lifestyle, where everything aligns. What one deems as a healthy lifestyle will differ to someone else’s. You just need to be happy with who you are and what you’re doing at the end of the day. Surround yourself with people who are going to make you better and not bitter.

 So on that note, I’m going to go and run myself a bath, as I definitely think I have earnt some me time. Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts and if you have found yourself in similar situations and how you responded. Would be good to know I’m not alone!

 JessE-B

 Ps. I woke up at 6:15am weighing 60.1 kg and at 8:45pm here I am weighing 61.8, just in case you were still interested.

 Pss. I am 170cm tall

27 responses to “So You Want To Know My Number…”

  1. It interests me how people have the audacity to ask how much you weigh…to me it’s a personal issue and we should leave comparisons back in high school…anyway…nicely written! Very engaging.

  3. Through my own extreme weight fluctuations (122 – 63kg), I have realised that it is just a number. Glycogen, bone density, lean muscle tissue, intramuscular fat, adipose fat, water retention, so many components…don’t forget organs! The more it means to you, the more you worry about it. The diet that works for me is experimentation with so called healthy foods, listening to my body’s hunger, clean water and sufficient sleep. In the gym it’s a different story, I push beyond what I believe I am capable of, music to change my headspace, that is how I make progress. Currently sitting at 88kg, approx 9% body fat, and I am the healthiest and happiest I’ve ever been in my life. Find what works for you.

  4. Well said Jess! I for one am sick of people comparing their weight to mine. I’m currently at the heaviest I have been weighing in at 64.5kg but I am the strongest and leanest I have ever been at 8.5% body fat! Every single body is different and it’s about time people start believing this, particularly women! It’s so important to eat to nourish your body and allow yourself to have those treat meals! Keep blogging! A great read x x

    • Hey! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to read & comment 🙂 Fantastic work on your body weight percentage babe, that’s brilliant – absolutely kick ass. Exactly! Thankyou lovely xx

  5. another thing people forget is that weight lifting affects weight in a positive way – ie gaining muscle might make the scale go up a bit. That and just because a person is ‘skinny’ doesn’t mean they are healthy – its all relative to height, lifestyle and individual. I am sorry you had to deal with folks getting on your nerves in that way.

    • Thankyou for stopping by & having a read. Yes it’s amazing how many people don’t take any of the other important variables into account. Let’s see if I can teach a few 😉

  7. Love this post! totally agree with you in the matter that people always think weight/body is a luck thing rather than a hard work and dedication thing. being fit is a lifestyle that requires time, planning, and sweat. weight is also irrelevant. i am now heavier than i was 5 months ago, but i look way healthier and feel better due to adding in weights and HIIT into my workouts.

    • Thanks so much for stopping by, having a read and commenting Rena. I’m glad you loved it. I was struggling writting it but thought it needs to be said and addressed. Exactly!! Well done:)

  8. Awesome post. There are a lot of factors that go into being healthy and I think people just assume it’s enough to be skinny. You can be “skinny” and not be able to run a mile, just like you can be muscular and not completely fit.

  9. I’ve been asked about my weight. I always thought that was extremely rude. I can’t believe people would ask you your weight. Working out and eating as you do, you are obviously in good shape and the weight is really a result, not the goal. I hope you give them erroneous answers when people ask.

    As for your day, Whew, I can’t do even half of that, though I’ll bet I’m twice your age, plus I have health issues. I admire your dedication, it sounds like you are taking very good care of yourself. You may want to slow down just a little, but as long as you enjoy every day, you’re a lucky person.

    • Hi! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 Exactly, result not the goal. I’m 23 and am an over committer, I do think I need to slow down a little – but there is now rest for the wicked. Thankyou!

  10. Great post. A few of my friends tell me how ‘lucky’ I am to be ‘skinny’…which kind of annoys me, because I’m working my butt off to be the way I am! 🙂

  11. I really liked this post! How much you weigh is a really personal thing, and often irrelevant. 10 years ago I was between 47 and 50kg… skinny but most definitely not healthy. Since then I’ve been trending upward, but even now (in my 70s) I know I’m feeding my body nutritious food and getting in the swing of exercise. I might be heavier but I’m healthier!
    I wish people would throw out the scales – or at least stop looking to them as the ultimate goal – as they really only tell part of the story. Good on you for posting to vent your frustration at the competitive “scale culture”! It sounds like you’re wonderfully healthy 🙂

    • Hi, thanks for stopping by and reading =) Most definitely! Not going to lie I do weigh myself but it’s more to track my diet for if its working for me etc and not actually taking too much into account my actual weight – which I want to increase, with muscle of course! x

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