It's Not About The Scale

As a child and a teenager, I had no idea what the impact a scale would play in my life. The only time I stepped on one was during my doctor vists, and those were few and far apart.  I never understood what the number meant and really....did not care. But, after becoming pregant with my first child, the scale, which use to be a distant object, was becoming my worse enemy.  It was then I realized that the number on that dial determined my health, and how I felt emotionally.  To see 200 pounds was shocking, and something that will quickly lower your self esteem. Over the years, the scale has been a constant reminder of my successes and failures (many more failures than successes) and even began to define me as a person.  I mean, what kind of a person am I at 265 pounds?????  I started out my day on the scale, and it was the scale that determined what kind of a day I would have. After having weight loss surgery, the scale had become more a friend than a foe...why not...it was showing my success.  But, what about those days where it did not move, despite my hard efforts.  Was it STILL my friend???  I will admit...there were many days where I just wanted to throw it out the window and hunt down Ben and Jerry.  But, knew that was not an option. Now, here at maintence, the scale is more of a pain than it was as I was losing.  Why??  Because it seems to fluctuate a bit more as I become settled.  Fortunately, it's not bad, but enough to be annoying.  But, I am learning what the scale means.....it means that my body (bones, muscles, water, organs, urine, poopie, and everything else inside) weighs a certain amount at that moment in the day.  Nothing else....... I have found that if I do not get in all of my water the day before, if I do not get in enough sleep, if I eat something high in sodium, take a rest day, have not pottied in a few days will all cause my weight to go up a little. So, it is impossible to truely gain 2 pounds of fat overnight, and it's the fat that I should be worried amount. My nutritionist told me that I've reached a point where the scale is no longer useful for me.  My physical activity is so high that my percent of body fat should be monitored because of the amount of muscle I have (will cause a higher weight) and the amount of water weight I retain (to fix muscle microtears caused from the higher activity level).  So, her advice has made me rethink how I view the scale....it's now a TOOL, like my pouch.  It just lets me monitor my weight and percentage of body fat.  Nothing else. (Yes, I step on every day, and I write down my weight so I can see trends). So...the bottom line is that health is not necessarily measured by weight.  There are many ways to measure health. 1.  How do your clothes fit?  Are they getting tight?  If so...why?  I recently noticed that some of my shirts are becoming snug in the arms.  Immediately, I freaked out, until it occurred to me that my arms were becoming very toned from my pole dancing classes.  So, if your clothes suddenly become small, don't freak out...reflect on why. 2.  Take body measurements.  This is another great way to monitor when the scale refuses to budge.  You could be losing inches, but retaining water.  Also, check you blood pressure and percentage of body fat.  Both are great indicators of your health. 3.  Look at how healthy your diet is and how much physical activity you are doing.  Is doing everyday chores becoming easier to perform?  Can you move for a longer period of time?  As we become healthy, simple things become less of a challenge to us. 4.  How do you feel emotionally?  When we work hard it shows on the inside as well as the outside.  We feel better emotionally.  We get a sense of accomplishment, and boost to the self esteem.  Are you getting enough sleep?  Studies show that there is a direct relation with our weight.  That lack of sleep will cause us to be obese - between the increase of cortisol and our lack of good choices. So, just because the scale did not move, does not mean that I did not work hard.  Look at all of the positive changes I made that day.  Yes, I may have had some oops, and I must be accountable to them.  But to rethink how I view the scale is probably the most positive thing I can do each day.

Did I mention how much I dig you Jill??? This is a PHENOMENAL post! Thanks so much! Hugs..............................

Good post! I have a constant love~hate relationship with my beloved scale. On days when I feel the need to hurl the blessed thing out the window, I know that it is my constant reminder that I have to watch what I eat... whether it is I need more fiber and water so nature can take control or ...I may need to quit grazing and throw out my trigger foods in the house. Who am I kidding, I know what I have been eating so I use my scale as a tool. I also know that if I have stepped up my workout, I just may have gained a few pounds of wonderful muscle mass!!! Thanks for the insight! cathy

Hi Jill, Thank you for the awesome post. I have always hated my scale even as a child and teenager. I had a mother that was always dieting and 3 olders sisters that where always dieting too. So that is what I learned was to diet. But what gets me my mom always rewarded us with food. If we did well on a report card we would go to Dairy Queen for a Dilly Bar if we did whatever it was always food. It is a hard cycle to break. I too get on the scale every morning and frown at my scale. I can't wait to the day and the scale is not  habit for me. I was always told to wear pants that are fitted and not sweat pants  than you are more aware of how your clothes are fitting and if they fit good and you feel good the # on the scale will not matter as more.  Little by little I know I will get away from my scale. Thank you for that post. Gwen

I agree with this post - somethimes I think the scale is such a liar - and other times I think it is awesome - but I so fear it! Yet I feel compelled to look at it every day! And based on what it says determines how I will eat that day.... It is also hard to ge away with a rewards being food or a dinner - I so try not to reward my son like that - but it is so easy to fall back into - and I watch how other people do it took - like his grandma will offer him a doughnut if he eats his breakfast??  I had to stop it because it is just too much sugar for him... Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarg... life!! lolol Jackie

I love you Jill and see so much of myself in that post... THANK YOU for posting that and for making a difference for one woman in Northern VIrginia... 

I admit it!  i am a scale addict and need scale addicts annonymous! lol.  BUT!  While I love to see the number on the scale, it doesn't bum me out to see that it hasn't changed or anything, i love to see it go down, but I don't change the way I was told to eat and drink due to the scale.  I might remind myself to get that second walk of the day in (only a week out) or something, but I don't let the scale consume me.  I just like the high you get when the number changes! hehe.

Great Post!  I admit, I start my day now with weighing myself.  It's more of an obsession that anything else.  At least I don't go mental though if I don't see a loss.  Even this early out for me, I see that my eating habits over the last few days dictate the results on the scale.  For example, this week, I know that I did not eat as much as I should have.  I had so many late nights that I would just come home from work and go directly to bed without dinner.  I've only lost 1/2lb in a week because of it.  I know that my body is just holding onto everything I give it for fuel.  I've even discussed the fluxuations with my husband who also is a scale watcher.  He's always freaking out because he goes between the same five pounds.  I told him to just focus on that his clothes are feeling good and he would know in the fit if he was really gaining again.  :)