Why I’m OK With Gaining 10 lbs.

In the past year or so, I’ve steadily been gaining weight. Now I’m 10 lbs. heavier than I was a year ago. But I’m ok with it…in fact, I’m even happy about it. Why?

Because those are 10 lbs. of muscle baby!

A month or two ago…still working on getting some biceps!

My body fat % has stayed the same throughout this entire time, which means the weight I gained is not fat. Woo hoo!

This is the exact reason why you can’t rely on the number on the scale to measure your progress. If I hadn’t known my body fat percentage, it would be so easy to beat myself up for gaining 10 lbs.

I also know it’s muscle I gained because all of my lifts have gotten stronger and heavier. I am at my personal best for deadlifts, squats, rows, lunges and more! My body has been getting stronger, and in turn, building muscle.

Ladies, don’t be afraid to lift heavy or work towards lifting heavier weights! You will gain muscle mass and lower your fat percentage as well. And you’ll look pretty awesome at the gym ;)

Lastly, don’t let the number on your scale dictate anything. In fact, don’t even weigh yourself! If you have access to a trainer or gym that can do so, get your body fat tested. It will give you a way to track your progress in a way better way than the scale does. If you can’t get this done, then use a measuring tape to measure certain parts of your body (arms, legs, belly, hips), and if the number is going down, it means you’re losing fat.

I’ll leave you with this quote, which I love:

Have you gotten your body fat percentage calculated? Or do you use other methods to track your progress?