Vatche Shakarian | Weight Loss Coach

please don’t let the scale discourage you! the scale is just one tool in your toolbox. you are probably making amazing progress - but that darn scale is trying to convince ya otherwise 🤔 your self worth will never be defined by the scale. when i first started my weight loss journey, i let the scale get to my head. so just know you are not alone in this. but eventually, i realized that I WAS making tons of legit progress - it was just being clouded by that number on the scale. your body is mostly water. your weight is going to fluctuate every day. but... the scale will never show you how awesome you are. the scale will never show you how much stronger you’re getting. the scale will never show you how confident you’re becoming. don’t let the scale stop you from celebrating your wins. if you don’t celebrate any wins - you’re going to think you’re not making progress. just because the scale hasn’t gone down in a little while doesn’t mean you’re a failure. you can also take progress photos and body measurements to measure fat loss progress. weighing in is simply DATA. putting a lot of emotions into each weigh in can create a lot of anxiety. i don’t want you to feel anxious when weighing in! and i know some people say to put the scale away forever, which i get... but exposure therapy can be extremely helpful in some cases. some of our clients weigh in every day, some weigh in once a week, some never weigh in. it depends on the person! always rooting for you, Vatche

7 Things I Learned After Losing 100 Lbs⁣ ⁣ After going from 275 lbs to 170lbs, I learned a thing or two...⁣ ⁣ Well, I learned a lottttt of stuff.⁣ ⁣ But in this post, I wanted to share 7 things that I think will help you out on your journey as well.⁣ ⁣ Full disclosure, I am currently chillin' around 210 lbs now, 6'2" (just because 170lbs was too lean for me, and I made an effort to gain some muscle after losing weight!)⁣ ⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣The world doesn't stop when you're trying to lose weight. Celebrations are still going to happen. You can and should be able to enjoy your time with loved ones without feeling like you are going to ruin all your progress!⁣ ⁣ 2️⃣This is a lifelong journey. Who cares if it takes you a while to figure this stuff out? Seriously. This fitness thing is a long-term thing. It's not something you pick up for a few weeks then put away!⁣ ⁣ 3️⃣Don't neglect strength training. This is a big one. If you are aiming to gain muscle, get stronger, and improve your bone density, it's important to incorporate some strength training a few days per week⁣ ⁣ 4️⃣Fad diets are going to backfire. Ultra-restrictive approaches are going to do more harm than good. Think about the approach you are taking with your diet. Is it sustainable? No foods have to be off limits ! ⁣ 5️⃣The number on the scale DOES NOT define your self worth. You are MORE than the number on the scale. There are so many other signs of progress that you're probably overlooking. Don't get obsessed with the scale like Past Vatche⁣ ⁣ 6️⃣You should not be in a calorie deficit year-round. Losing weight is cool, but so is being in maintenance or even in a surplus. You're not going to lose weight forever. There are going to be times where you aren't in a deficit, and that's welcome!⁣ ⁣ 7️⃣Your mindset is incredibly powerful. If you try to find a reason NOT to workout or prep some meals, you're going to find it. It's cliche, but mind over matter is so true. You can do anything you set your mind to.⁣ ⁣ I'm rooting for each and every one of you.⁣ ⁣ This stuff takes time. Don't be upset if you haven't figured it all out yet. You'll get there. Especially if you keep showing up.⁣ ⁣

I made sooo many mistakes on my weight loss journey. I was approaching 300 lbs before I said enough is enough! I went from 280 ish lbs to 170 ish lbs. I am so grateful I did. But it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But it is POSSIBLE! Here are 4 glaring mistakes I made. I made like 100 mistakes but here are a few. Mistake 1 - I cut out my favorite foods because I got caught up in the latest fads. I went keto and then started eating one meal a day. It was sooo restrictive. I didn’t have to do this. Mistake 2 - I skipped out on celebrations with friends and family. I knew food was going to be there. I was going to be out of my normal routine. I thought I was gonna lose all my progress. So I ended up missing out on a lot of fun 😭 Mistake 3 - I did hours of cardio everyday hoping to burn as many calories as I could. I didn’t take strength training seriously. I lost all my muscle. I wrecked my metabolism. Working out was a chore to me. I never took a rest day… the list goes on and on. Mistake 4 - I only thought day to day. Only focused on the scale. Didn’t care about my relationship with food. I was solely focused on getting smaller. That’s not what health is about. I was not eating enough. I was trying to find shortcuts. And they caught up to me. I’m writing this because I want you to learn from my mistakes! Was this helpful? Let me know! If you need help on your journey, you know I’m here !

Ditch The “All Or Nothing Mindset” By @vatcheshakarian When it comes to health and wellness and fitness, something is always better than nothing. Have you ever skipped a workout because you didn’t have the full 60 minutes you wanted? Have you ever had a rough start with your nutrition on Friday, and let it spiral into the entire weekend, saying you’ll ‘start again on Monday?’ If so, this is sooo common. But it’s stopping you from seeing progress. You would be seeing progress right now if you didn’t have a perfectionist mindset with your health/fitness. Contrary to popular beliefs, you do NOT have to be perfect in order to see progress. You do need to be consistent, though. And you can’t stay consistent if you are constantly starting and stopping on your journey. So take the slower, more sustainable route this time around. It might take more time, but hey, you’ll actually end up getting to your goals this way. Need more help on your journey? Let me know! Send me a message and we can chat. Always rooting for you, Vatche #transformationinprogress #weightlossblog #weightmanagement #weightlossfood #weightlossmission #betteryou #eatbetter #healthandwellness #eatsmart #fatlosstips #healthierchoices #nutritionadvice #countingcalories #slimmingdown #caloriedeficit #caloriecontrol #healthkick #fatlosssuccess #notadiet #eatwellbewell #dietingtips #weightlosstips #fatlossmotivation #healthgoals #fatlosshelp #iwilldothis #doingitforme #healthyme⁣ #healthierme #dietstartsnow

You Can’t Outrun A Poor Diet! If you think you can exercise your way to weight loss, you are gonna be disappointed, friend! I run 25-30 miles per week and i am not losing weight! Why? How? Because i am eating back the calories i burned from my exercise. Exercise only accounts for 5-10% of the calories you burn every day. You really don’t burn a lot of calories when you work out. That’s why it’s important to view exercise as a way to celebrate your body and what it’s capable of. Instead of just wanting to burn as many calories as you can. It’s a race you won’t win! You can eat back the calories burned in a few minutes!! Or at least I definitely can. I hope this isn’t discouraging. This is just me telling you the truth. Any thoughts on this? Let me know down below 👇🏼 Always rooting for ya, Vatche ❤️

What are some non-scale victories you want to share? I would love to know below 👇🏼 For me, I feel like my cardio is improving since I started running last April! this is not a post talking poorly about doctors. I’m sure many many doctors are very great! I’m simply saying this. Your bodyweight is not the only way to measure your health and your progress. You could be improving your cardiovascular system with exercise. You could be gaining muscle and strength in the gym. You could be making healthier choices with your food. You could be improving your relationship with food and now you don’t feel guilty for eating a donut. You could be improving your cholesterol, your blood pressure, your A1C, etc. You could be making progress by showing up for yourself on the hard days. There are many ways you can make progress with health and fitness. Don’t just look at the scale to view your progress. You are more than what you weigh! Your weight will never define your progress or journey. Love ya lots. Celebrate the wins. Vatche 💗

what’s your favorite diet soda? Let me know down below! I love root beer, dr pepper, diet coke, sprite. Anything, really. I’ll drink any diet soda haha Diet soda isn’t harmful! Especially in the doses we consume it in! Like having a can or two is going to do absolutely nothing. You are going to be okay. The biggest thing to worry about is the caffeine imo 🤷🏻‍♂️ Diet soda tastes so much better when theres no one in your ear saying it’s bad for you 😌

What You Should Focus on For Fat Loss By @vatcheshakarian⁣ ⁣ If you are consistent with these 8 habits, you will see amazing progress. ⁣ And you’ll also be able to keep the weight off for good if you keep doing them 😉 ⁣ What you need to focus on are these 8 effective habits. ✅👇🏽👇🏽⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Be in a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is needed to burn fat. Take your bodyweight in pounds and multiply it by 11-12. Eat in a range of those calories consistently and honestly. ⚖⁣ ⁣ 2️⃣ Strength train a few times a week. No, lifting weights does not make you bulky. Lifting weights makes you stronger and can also improve your muscle mass and bone density. Who doesn’t want to be strong? 💪🏽⁣ ⁣ 3️⃣ Stay active throughout the week. This can be walking, hiking, biking. Any activity that gets you active. Not solely to burn calories, but for you to feel good and increase your activity and improve your heart health 🚲⁣ ⁣ 4️⃣ Focus on getting quality sleep. Sleep is sooo important for recovery, hormonal balance, and overall energy. So, put down the Netflix and catch some Zs. 😴⁣ ⁣ 5️⃣ Eat your fruits and veggies. Fruits and veggies contain fiber, nutrients, and vitamins that your body loves. They are also lower in calories, so you can eat more of it. 6️⃣ Focus on eating protein with each meal. Protein is the most filling macronutrient and can help you stay full. It can also help you build and maintain your muscle mass! 7️⃣ Swap your liquid calories for lower calorie drinks. They make “zero sugar” versions of almost any drink. Also, minimizing your alcohol intake is key. You don’t have to completely eliminate it, but you should consume less than you currently are 🍷 8️⃣ Be PATIENT. Like, AF. Because fat loss takes time. Do you have more to lose? It’s going to take even longer than you think. That’s okay. You didn’t put on all your weight overnight. Don’t expect to lose it all overnight. Put those patience pants on. ⌛ 9️⃣ Ditch the perfection mindset. You’re never gonna be perfect on your journey. You will slip up. It’s all about how you react to said slip up. Just keep moving forward. One day at a time. ⁣ Did you find this helpful? If so, share it with a friend!

These are all facts btw. So, if you disagree with any of these, i would love for you to cite your sources 😉 Too much of ANYTHING can be harmful. That’s why the dosage matters. My goal is to help you understand nutrition and how you shouldn’t be afraid of food. People on the internet will tell you that everything is “bad for you” But it’s not true! They just want more clicks and views. Thats why you gotta follow evidence based pages when it comes to nutrition!

i know some people will disagree, and that’s okay. i would love to have a discussion on this topic! Let me know your thoughts below. I used to convince myself that i had a sugar addiction. Turns out, i didn’t. Because i eat these foods every day still, i just reduce my portions of these foods. I used to eat an entire box of cereal every day. Now, it lasts me a week. How? Well, first, i stopped surrounding myself with these foods all the time. Also, i started prioritizing nutrient dense foods that keep me full, so i was less inclined to munch on some sugary cereals or snacks. These foods are not very filling and they are very delicious. Of course they are easy to overeat on! These ultra processed foods are never going to go away. So you can either cut them out … OR you can learn how to navigate them. Because life is too short to never enjoy some “fun” foods every now and then. These foods aren’t inherently harmful either. Unless you eat too many calories of it. I’m not promoting highly processed foods. Of course i want you to mostly eat nutrient dense foods. But i’m saying you are probably not addicted to sugar. Love ya lots, Vatche 💗

This is something that is really annoying me. “You don’t even look like you work out!” Like wtf does that even mean??? You have to look a certain way if your goal is to exercise and stay active? Not everyone has aesthetic goals. Not everyone wants to be a bodybuilder. Not everyone has goals of packing on as much muscle as possible. Some of us are good where we are at and we just want to maintain our level of fitness and health. Why do people think everyone needs to be a super jacked bodybuilder? Some of us (me included) just want to stay active and fit and healthy. I don’t care to be super shredded because it messed with my mental health, my hunger, my sleep, my libido. Also, i like running, and i cant do it well when i am not eating enough calories! Look, you can have aesthetic goals. That’s great. But just because someone doesn’t, that doesn’t mean they don’t try in their workouts or they don’t care about this stuff.

i know not everyone is privileged enough to get quality sleep, i understand that. This is just poking fun at people who DO have the time to sleep and they choose to scroll on their phone instead 😂😂 #Satire #sleep #funny #getyoursleep #sleepiscool