“Ignore the numbers on the scale” turns out to be good advice:

What matters more for the health

Taken at face value, the numbers on the scale represent nothing more nor less than your relationship with gravity.

On a more complex level, weight reflects muscle, fat, water, hormonal fluctuations, food*, stress, and sleep, so the number can stay the same while your body shrinks.

^{*Literally, the food itself, not the consequences. Let’s put it this way: if you eat an entire cabbage, then you’re not going to “put on weight” from it, but nevertheless, the mass of the cabbage is inside you right now and the scale will reflect that.}

As you probably know, muscle weighs more than fat, so if you gain the former and lose the latter, you can look leaner at the same weight. In other words, losing inches without losing weight means body recomposition is happening and your body is probably doing well, all else being equal. This also means that you can see progress sooner than the scale would tell you, by taking measurements and noting how your clothes fit.

A common mistake that many people make when trying to “lose weight” is cutting calories and adding cardio, but that usually breaks down muscle and slows long-term fat loss, rather than hastening it.

A three-step process that’s better:

• Set your intentions by replacing restricting and overtraining with fueling well, training with purpose, and recovering intentionally too
• Add protein, nutrient diversity, water, and energizing whole foods that contain plenty of fiber
• Strengthen by focusing on strength training and progressive overload, which outperforms cardio for long-term fat burning

Some myths to not fall for:

• The muscle and fat myth: muscle does not turn into fat; losing muscle lowers daily burn and increases fat storage
• The menopause myth: you can build muscle during menopause by adjusting training, protein intake, and recovery
• The cardio myth: cardio burns energy briefly, but muscle burns energy all day and thus has a bigger long-term impact

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

Can You Gain Muscle & Lose Fat At The Same Time?

Take care!

If you can’t put your leg behind your head while standing, try doing the splits against a wall first, and progress from there! ← text version of an item from a “if you can’t do this yet, try this first” picture set this writer saw on Instagram once upon a time

So, what if you’re more at the point of not quite being able to touch your toes yet?

From zero to…

Liv, of LivInLeggings fame, has these three starter-stretches that are actually starter-stretches:

Stretch 1: Reverse Tabletop with Foot Tuck Variation

1. Sit on the floor, feet slightly wider than your hips, lean back onto your hands (fingertips pointing outward).
2. Lift your hips towards a reverse tabletop, engage your glutes, and flatten the front of your hips.
3. Add a foot tuck variation by stepping one foot back and pressing your weight forward.

Benefits:

• Stretches multiple muscles, including the soles of the feet.
• Improves foot arches, balance, and stability.
• Loosens fascia, enhancing flexibility in subsequent stretches.

Stretch 2: Squat to Forward Fold

1. Start in a low squat (feet wider than your hips, toes mostly forward).
2. Alternate between a low squat and a forward fold, keeping your hands on the floor or your toes.

Benefits:

• Stretches hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
• Maintains good form and avoids overstraining.

Stretch 3: Side Lunge with Side Body Reach

1. Begin in a tall kneeling position, step one foot out to the side (toes pointing outward).
2. Lunge your hips towards your front ankle, keeping your tailbone tucked.
3. Add a side body reach by resting your forearm on your thigh and reaching the other arm overhead.
4. For a deeper stretch, cradle the back of your head with your hand, pressing lightly for a tricep stretch.

Benefits:

• Stretches inner thighs, lats, and triceps.
• Improves posture, shoulder mobility, and low squat ability.

For more on each of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

Test For Whether You Will Be Able To Achieve The Splits

Take care!