Ten out of ten doctors agree that eating is good for you. People focus on weight as though it were the only measure of fitness. It’s not. Weight is just one of many ways to measure fitness. Weight is just a number.
For many people, right after they start working out, they actually gain weight. This is because they are starting to put on muscle mass and muscle is heavier than fat. However, once you have some muscle it actually makes you burn more calories because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue. To put it simply, muscle takes more energy to maintain.
I remember in the movie American Beauty, the main character begins exercising and speaks to his neighbors for tips. They ask him, “Do you just want to lose weight or do you want to have increased strength and flexibility as well.” He responds, “I want to look good naked.”
By focusing on just your weight, you can lose sight of the actual benefits of exercise. Working out makes you look better and feel better. You’ll move more fluidly and have more energy overall. This is the real goal of working out, not just to see a lower number on the scale. Weight is only one measure of overall fitness. In other words, don’t only pay attention to the scale and forget about the mirror.