“We can change what we can measure.
Are you using the right measure?” Lee Brandon, CSCS, RSCC*E
As a 6′ female, and over #200 lbs most of my life, I found myself discouraged most of my adolescent years not knowing that this was a genetic gift, and not a curse.
I was blessed to come from good ole’ Oklahoma and Georgia families that were, now looking back, genetic mutants. They farmed, threw hay bales, and tipped cattle. Just quick and powerful. No wonder I was Nationally ranked by the age of 14 (competing in National ASA softball, and Jr. National Track and Field as a Shot putter and a discus thrower.) Looking back now I am not sure why I started throwing that heavy cannon ball, but it just felt intuitive and I seemed to be able to throw it farther than most.
My antecedents were not bombarded with the “twiggy-thin stick figure” Marketing. It has taken 30+ years, but messaging telling the truth about some of the standards used my the Medical and Health professionals has been all wrong!
Did you know that BMI (the Body Mass Index) is totally inaccurate and FALSE. What…yet how many of us felt bad we were labeled as obese by these numbers. Am I alone in this? I know I am not, due to over 50 million women in the US alone being over size 14.
Did you know that the scale doesn’t measure the quality of our body composition. There is much, much more. FACT: The human body must be hydrated. If we are dehydrated, we loose weight on the scale, but we perform at a lower level and look older prematurely. This we have known for years, except I still deal with all ages daily dispelling this age old lie.
NPR recently came out with a great article 10 REASONS WHY BMI IS BOGUS….Lets rethink how we measure our fitness levels. Base it on the truth.
Technology exists that allows us to measure what your made of– water, muscle, %fat, and where it is distributed (without harmful radiation as used in the DEXA scan–but just as accurate) We also have a human 3D scanner that allows us to track your inch loss. Visit the Velocity Lab in Brentwood to set up your assessment today.
If interested in the inch loss challenge, sign up at http://www.fit3d.com/2016inchlosscontest/
Owning our genetic gifts and maximizing them is what this life is all about. Join me in 2016 and remember, “We can change what we can measure.”
In strength,
Lee