Find Your Happy Weight

Since April, I've been losing weight fairly consistently, at the rate of about a half a pound per week. Some weeks, I have just held steady. When I had a three-week break from teaching my fitness classes, I put on a pound. But basically, I've been losing weight for the past seven months.

This was also the case in 2017. I lost weight during the warmer months, but had difficulty over the winter, eventually gaining back most of what I had lost. Many of us struggle more during the colder, darker part of the year. My goal this winter is just to stabilize, rather than continue to lose more weight. This is because I have finally hit my happy weight.

Could I be skinnier? For sure. And maybe I will be, eventually. But because winter is coming, I want to keep my goals realistic. Almost every winter, I've gained weight. Holding steady would be a major win.

How do you know when you've hit your happy weight? Is it a number on the scale? Is it a size on the label in your jeans? Is it a measurement around your waist?

Yes! You can find your happy weight based on any of these things.

You might have a favorite pair of jeans that you haven't worn in years. Your happy weight might be when you finally slip back into those old jeans and button them up again. Imagine that feeling!

Although I am happy at my current weight, in the past, before having any babies, I weighed about 8 pounds less than I do today. Should I return to the weight I was in high school and college? Probably not. I could, but I carry more muscle on my body today. I need to weigh more in order to keep my extra muscle. And this is especially crucial as we age--we want and NEED more muscle, not less. More muscle means strength. And strength is what keep us functioning independently.

Finding your happy weight should make you feel...HAPPY! Duh, right? But setting your goal for a weight that is too low will not make you happy. You will constantly deprive yourself, battle against your body, and end up feeling like a failure. Or if you succeed in losing too much weight, you will look and feel unhealthy. Too skinny is not a success--not if you lose muscle mass and deplete your immune system.

Your happy weight has to also be your healthy weight. You can't be happy when you feel exhausted, run down, sick, and starving. For women, a bodyfat percentage of around 20% is usually ideal. If you go too far below this, you will not have enough fat to produce the hormones you need for optimum health.

As we head into the colder, darker months of the year, I'd like to offer my support. I am available as a weight loss coach and holistic personal trainer. Do you need someone in your corner? Leave me a message in the comment section!