Recently I stumbled across an online calculator while skimming through my daily feeds that offered to divine my “ideal body weight” (suggested by Girls Gone Strong).

The results for this 46yo at 5’3″:

Based on the Robinson formula (1983), your ideal weight is 119.3 lbs
Based on the Miller formula (1983), your ideal weight is 126.1 lbs
Based on the Devine formula (1974), your ideal weight is 115.5 lbs
Based on the Hamwi formula (1964), your ideal weight is 114.9 lbs

Based on the healthy BMI recommendation, your recommended weight is 104.4 lbs – 141.1 lbs 

Yeeeeeeeeeah. Anybody who’s been following my weight ticker knows that the closest I’ve gotten to any of these numbers was back in summer of 2013 and 2014. I was within “healthy BMI” range for those 2 time periods, which also had a great side effect of retiring my old wardrobe.

My ultimate goal weight is set closer to the Miller formula, which unfortunately my not be realistic since I intend to build muscle. (That fantasy about being a physique model might be just way over the top crazy.)

Of course, many fitness and personal improvement blogs will tell me that my personal worth isn’t solely valued by a number on the scale. But without metrics, how does one improve and better oneself? That is the basis for sites and apps like MyFitnesspal: to provide a visible (and hopefully objective) record to help one make good decisions about health & fitness.

Personal observations over the course of 4 years using MFP:

Starting off the new year with a plan: the first 3 months of the year are critical. Staying consistent with a diet and fitness plan yields valuable insights. This is the best time to build momentum and keep fueling it. A roadmap keeps you accountable and something to look forward to.

The next 3 months are hell: I’ve managed to buck the trend of quitting after the first 30 days into the year. But it’s the second quarter of the year that I have trouble with staying on track. Spring weather and activity distracts from my primary focus of getting lean and staying on track. (It doesn’t help that it’s the start of the blockbuster movie season + my birfday.) This is the timeframe to knuckle down and reassess what works, what doesn’t.

It’s not what I eat, but how much I eat: seriously I’ve done sugar detox, Whole30, Paleo/Primal Blueprint, LCHF and Keto. While these diet plans help you keep the hunger monsters at bay, ultimately it’s the calorie deficit that yields the most weight loss. Female hormones, age, and height make weight loss more challenging and don’t always play nice with diets. However, in order to keep performance optimal, the quality of your food DOES matter.

Pets keep you happy, healthy and active: seriously, no matter what size or breed of dog you have…walk them!!!  If you have cats, play with them. Dogs and cats are prone to the same lifestyle ailments that plague humans. How many furkids are overweight/obese these days? That number is growing. You and your furbabies will benefit from outdoor activity and sunlight (vitamin D yo). Daily physical interaction and stimulation keeps them sane and well-adjusted. The same applies to human kids too!

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Something new and novel can jumpstart a flagging resolve or derailment. Buy new fitness gear or fitness clothing, join a new gym or try a different sport or program. Find new tunes to workout to. Challenge your friends or invite them to join you. Look up some new apps, find something that will inspire you. Do WHATEVER it takes to get you back on track. Because your health and longevity is worth it. This is the only body you get in life–don’t limit the price tag to maintain it.

Do warmups: coz no matter how ready you think you are, your body doesn’t always conform to ambition. Your brain is always thinking ahead, but the body is slow to catch up. Warmups are critical to injury-free workouts; it’s your body’s wakeup call to the day ahead. It’s a physical meditation on the activities you’re about to embark on.

Don’t shortchange yourself on sleep: No matter how cool the app or fun the game or binge-worthy the show/movie, go to bed! 7-8 hours is a guideline, but it’s not realistic when you work out, juggle a career and family, have injuries or sickness to tend, amid all the other adult responsibilities of life. The older I get, the more sleep I need to heal, repair, recharge. I see more strength and weight loss progress when I get more restful sleep.

Health & fitness should not become a religion or a fad: while these things improve your quality of life, health & fitness should not supplant life (with few exceptions). Life should not revolve around your workout routine or dietary choices. H&F should improve and augment your life, and help create a better version of you. How many hours you spend in the gym is not the measure of success. What you omit from your plate is not the only determinant of happiness in life. Thou shalt not worship the gods of iron or cardio (amen, Nia Shanks). H&F are disciplines that help you make better decisions, form worthy goals and achieve success.

Finally, the one terrible wisdom that everybody should remember and take to heart: YOU CAN’T CHANGE OTHER PEOPLE. You cannot force them down the better path. No matter how dire the need for intervention, people MUST choose for themselves and must take the next step to health and fitness ON THEIR OWN. You can be supportive or be an example, but trying to proselytize will get you nowhere. A loved one could be on their death bed, but bending them to your will does no good. They must decide for themselves, take action for themselves, be accountable to themselves. Transformation must be embraced, not coerced. Be a positive influence; don’t troll, abuse, tyrannize, or bully them into good health. Shame and guilt are not the path to healthy behavior. However, trust and encouragement can produce amazing results. Even hope can be a powerful motivator.

And now I want to thank the following resources for helping me on this journey to H&F:

• Mark’s Daily Apple/Primal Blueprint
• Bodyrecomposition by Lyle McDonald
• Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength 
• Whole30/Dallas & Melissa Hartwig
• StrongLifts
• Girls Gone Strong
• Nia Shanks
• Scooby’s Home Workouts
• Paleo for Women
• Zen Habits/Leo Batauta
• Nerd Fitness
• Mr Money Mustache
• SuppVersity
• PCC Blog/Progressive Calisthenics
• Jimmy Moores LLVLC
• Tim Ferriss
• The Bulletproof Exec

 Here’s to finding many more resources and discoveries in 2016.