The Fat Burn Revolution (11 page)

Body-fat analyser scales work using what’s called bioelectrical impedance analysis. You stand with bare feet on a metal contact area on the scale and the device sends a small, harmless
electrical current through your body up from the soles of your feet. Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt, although some people report a slight tingling sensation. Because electrical current
passes more slowly through fat than muscle the device is able to gauge how much fat is in your body compared to the muscle and thus can estimate what percentage of your body is composed of fat.

However, they are not always reliable and in my experience they seem to work better for some people than others. Readings can be distorted by the amount of water and food in your system, changes
in circulation rate (such as following exercise or a stressful experience) and even body temperature. I recommend using them first thing in the morning straight after you get out of bed, that way
you’ll be keeping conditions as similar as you can each time you step on them. Even though the readings may not be very accurate you can still use them to get a rough idea of your
progress.

This brings me to a question I get asked all the time: how often should you step on the scale? I’ve found that different strategies suit different people, but generally, while people are
working towards fat loss I recommend getting on the scales once per day.

Now, I know this may well go against advice you’ve been given elsewhere and you may be surprised to hear it coming from me, given that I’ve just explained that I’d prefer you
didn’t focus too much on weight. So let me explain. There are several reasons I recommend this, firstly, and most importantly, so people can see overall trends in their weight and body-fat
levels. As explained, both weight and body-fat readings can fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, so recording them daily allows people to see temporary changes for the blips that they are, rather than
getting mistakenly concerned or excited about them. It can also serve as a daily reminder of your goals. Plus it can help you to make the connection between the foods you’ve been eating and
the current weight and composition on your body. If you eat too many fattening foods one day and struggle to lose fat for a few days afterwards, you’ll have a good idea what might have caused
your progress to stall.

Daily weighing may not be for you. It doesn’t suit everyone and you are, of course, free to choose whatever weighing protocol you like. In fact, you do not have to use scales at all if you
don’t want to. Some people prefer just to measure or look at how their clothes fit or take scale readings weekly or even monthly. If something like that is what you think will work best for
you, then go with it. But the daily option is there for you if you want it. Just because a lot of popular diet plans/groups/gurus have told you not to, doesn’t mean you can’t do it now
if that’s what you want to do. By now you should be fully aware that weight is not necessarily a good gauge of how good you look or how much fat you are carrying and that the numbers will
fluctuate daily. You also understand why you’re looking for a general trend rather than a daily drop. So, if you are an adult and have no history of eating disorders or obsession with weight
then go ahead and step on the scales every morning if you want to. It’s your body and you’re taking control now. That’s what the Fat Burn Revolution is all about.

I
highly recommend you record your experiences, daily diet and workout session details in a journal. If you’re a stationery fan you could
treat yourself to an attractive notepad that you’ll enjoy writing in or if you prefer a keyboard to pen and paper there’s digital version available to download at
juliabuckley.co.uk
.

Keeping a journal is a very effective, tried-and-tested tool to help you achieve your goals. It forces you to think about what you have and haven’t done (or have and haven’t eaten).
For many people the mere fact that they know they are going to have to write everything they eat down in a journal helps them to eat a better diet. Knowing that they can’t just cram foods
down their throats and then conveniently forget about it makes them stop and think twice about their food choices. Seeing these details written down somehow makes them seem more ‘real’
and relevant, which encourages more mindful decision-making.

Secondly, journal keeping can shed light on the cause and effect of your actions. For example, it will show you if there starts to be a pattern where you don’t eat properly one day then
don’t feel like you have the energy to put in a good workout on the next. Or, if you overeat processed foods or drink excessive alcohol one week and then see an increase when you step on the
scales and/or measure yourself a few days later, it will be a lot harder to blame it on water retention. It’s not so easy to pretend to yourself that you can’t understand why the
numbers aren’t going in the right direction when the evidence is laid bare in front of you.

It’s not all ‘stick’ and no carrot though. The best thing about keeping a Fat Burn Revolution journal is that it’s highly motivational and becomes a record of achievement
you can be very proud of. As well as logging what you eat, you should also document the details (weights used, rep counts, how you felt, etc.) of each workout you do. One reason for this is to
allow you to see the relationship between what you eat and your performance in your workouts. But the fun thing about it is that by recording what you achieve in each of your workouts you will be
setting yourself a target to beat in your next session.

If you have a week where the scales do not show any signs of progress, you may still have a victorious workout or two, or vice versa. People often don’t notice their fitness and strength
improving but seeing the details on paper gives sold proof that their commitment is paying off. On the practical side, it also saves time messing about finding the right weights for each exercise
at the start of every session and can also help with meal planning.

Writing things down is a very comforting, cathartic experience for a lot of people too. Recording your feelings and experiences may help you to stay calm and give you space to remember why you’re doing all this. It’s important to look back often and appreciate the
wonderful changes you’re making for yourself and those you care about.

Every workout is an opportunity to shed fat and sculpt your body

N
ow it’s time to take your Before photo.

This is probably not going to be much fun for you, I know. But that’s OK, no one likes it, just do it anyway.

Most people hate seeing their Before shot. But I can assure you that they are an incredibly effective aid to fat loss. These images dissolve the fuzz of denial which descends when people tell
themselves that their poor diet and lack of exercise doesn’t matter. Looking at your Before photo will force you to face the reality of the current condition of your body. But there’s
no need to be down on yourself if you’re shocked or unhappy about what you see. You should smile because now you have leverage that is going to help you make changes. And the benefits of
those changes are going to spread far and wide throughout many aspects of your life. This a goodbye photo, remember, you are on the road to the Fat Burn Revolution.

Some of the participants in the pilot programme stored their Before photos on their phones and looked at them whenever the thought of straying off-course entered their heads. Seeing the shots
provided a potent reminder of their goals. This worked really well for them. It worked at the beginning of the programme by helping to remind them that they have work to do to get the body they
wanted and later in the programme it served as an encouraging reminder of how far they’d come in just a handful of weeks.

You don’t have to show the photograph to anyone else if you don’t want to. But when you have slimmed down and toned up you may find you want to share it so other people who are
feeling the same way you did at the start can see the changes the Fat Burn Revolution could make to them. When that day comes I’d love to hear from you and will be happy to publish your
photos on my website.