14. "I Am Having Difficulty Getting More Toned"

I know you want to get more toned; it’s a goal of so many women. I also understand the frustration when you’re working hard, the scale isn’t moving, and you don’t see your progress. Join me to talk about what it really means to “get more toned.”   The Chief Complaint: I am Having Difficulty Getting More Toned First things first, my ladies. I need you to understand that losing weight and seeing that number on the scale go down is not the same thing as getting more toned. More often than not, when my clients come to me, their goal is to “look more toned.” And I absolutely get that. Let me tell you a few fun facts about your frenemy: the scale. It is not your friend. It doesn’t actually tell you about the progress that you’re making. Because of the liar who is the scale, I think progress pictures are absolutely essential. Taking progress pictures lets you see the changes to your body composition over time. For many people, your weight won’t change, yet the changes to your body will be immense. This is because we all have different body types with different nutritional and exercise needs. What I need you to do is have an honest conversation with yourself about what your body goals actually are. And in this conversation, figure out what your body type is and how you can support it the best. In this episode, I talk about the different ways to lose weight and get more toned. They’re not mutually exclusive - in fact, if you want to get toned, this means to increase your muscle mass, that figure on the scale is most likely not going to change. At all.   Homework Have an honest conversation with yourself. Dive into what you want. Dive into understanding your body type. Find a place where you can be with other like-minded women to optimize your genetic potential. Above anything else - learn to accept your unique body.  Are you all in? Let me know in the comments on the episode page how that was for you!   In This Episode  Why losing weight on the scale and “getting more toned” are two different things Some fun facts about the scale Why it’s essential for you to take progress pictures What happens when you gain muscle weight Why you absolutely have to know what your body type is  How to have an honest conversation with yourself about your goals   Quotes  “If we’re losing muscle mass and fat, we are not going to look more toned. We are going to look exactly the same, just smaller.” (5:52) “It’s a constant balance between finding that place where you’re okay in the maintenance mode and then you’re okay when you want to make progress.” (15:50) “There are so many different ways to get the result that you want. Every individual is different and everybody’s going to respond differently.” (18:39)   Resources Mentioned Learn how to Become Brave Enough to Love Yourself - Use Promo Code BE100 for $100 off Join the Waitlist for the Life Coaching Society! Which Body Type are You? Find out with this free quiz! Find Life Coaching for Women Physicians Online Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky on Facebook | Instagram  Subscribe to Life Coaching for Women Physicians on Apple Podcasts Podcast production by the team at Counterweight Creative