Does just the thought of throwing out your scale make you nervous? Or maybe you’re ready to stick it in the drawer and forget about it but just need a little help doing so. Either way, keep reading.
If you’ve been around long enough, you probably know that I am not a fan (and if you’re new here, Hi I’m Lisa, the self-proclaimed dietitian who doesn’t believe in diets). So, why don’t I like the scale? To start, the scale only reveals your body weight at a specific time and tells you nothing about your overall health, and in my opinion, that’s not very helpful.
But what really makes me mad about the scale is the negative experience it creates. For example, say you get on the scale and see that the number has moved in a direction you didn’t want it to. At that moment your mood instantly changes. You feel guilty for eating that second piece of pizza last night with your friends. You feel bad about skipping your workout to take a walk and get some fresh air. You feel like you failed and start thinking of all the ways you can get “back on the wagon” and start fresh (umm, hello all-or-nothing thinking!).
Now, what if the number on the scale moves in the direction you wanted it to? Sure, you will feel happy about this change, maybe even proud of yourself (which is totally fine), but then comes the pressure. The pressure to keep moving that number. The pressure to not mess things up. The pressure to be “perfect.”
You can see that regardless of how the number on the scale moves, the overall experience isn’t great. So, what if we shifted our focus and looked at other indicators of health? What if instead of obsessing over the number on the scale we paid attention to our energy levels, lab values, strength, and overall mood? I’m not saying that you can’t have goals, I’m just asking that you pick something other than the number on the scale to track your progress. Want some examples? I’ve listed a few things the scale doesn’t show you below.
The scale doesn’t show you;
- How strong you are during a workout
- How kind you are to a friend in need
- How loving you are to your family members
- How your smile lights up the room
- How your mindset has shifted
- How stable your energy levels are
- How your lab values have improved
- How beautiful you are every freaking day
The number on the scale tells you nothing about who you are as a person or where you are on your journey. So, is it time to break up with the scale? If you said yes, send me a message on Instagram so we can celebrate together! If you said not yet, that’s ok too! This is your journey and you get to take things at your own pace. If you want individualized support and guidance as you navigate this part of your journey, fill out my coaching application so we can find the Thoughtfully Fueled coaching program that is right for you!
