This past Saturday morning, I was headed into the women’s locker room after an awesome workout–I lifted with heavier weights than usual, I had a blast at the class I attended, and I just felt good about it all.
Like most times I go into that locker room, I was tempted on Saturday to check my weight on the scale. I debated about it as I opened my locker and gathered my things, but in the end, I resisted. I left without stepping on that scale.
And for me, this was a little victory….
I’m at a healthy weight. I know I am…I’ve had wellness evaluations (bod pod tests also–that show much more important stats) to show for it, but oftentimes I let whatever number shows up on the scale determine my mindset about how I look and feel.
I know that if I would have stepped on that scale on Saturday and looked down to see a number higher than I’d *hoped for,* I would have let it ruin that great feeling I’d had from a great workout. And that makes me so mad at myself! It’s just a number that, for me, shouldn’t mean much at all.
And this all got me thinking….why are we so obsessed with the scale anyway?
I believe weight absolutely has it’s place…For people that are very overweight, obese, or underweight, the number on that scale can tell them a lot and is, in fact, important. But once you get down (or up) into the healthy range, that number really doesn’t tell us much, not the truly important things as least. Same goes for the BMI calculation…did you know that according to that, back in his “prime,” Arnold Schwarzenger (<-um, somehow I spelled that right on the first try?) was considered dangerously obese? And that man was just a whole lotta muscle.
Body composition is much more important. Getting enough quality sleep each night, eating wholesome foods (the right amount for you), and being able to run around/exercise/move are all important in determining how “healthy” we are! And that’s what I remind myself with each time I’m tempted to use that scale. I know that I’m at a healthy point, and most importantly, I feel good, so there’s really no need for it, especially on any sort of regular basis.
My point in all of this rambling? The number on that scale doesn’t solely determine our health or who we really are. We have to listen to our bodies–do we feel good? If not, then things have to change. If so, then we’re probably doing just fine! We can’t let the scale become an obsession or something that determines how we feel about ourselves, our health. Good choices, one right after another, really add up, and I believe that’s what we should strive for.
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What are you thoughts on the scale?
Do you weigh yourself often?
Do you think it proposes too much (unhealthy) pressure?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Urgh…the scales. I totally understand what you mean. I used to weigh myself every single day and it did affect my moods. I now only weigh myself once a week. And it’s purely to keep a track that I’m not creeping higher/lower without noticing. But, unlike before, I give myself some grace either side of my ‘happy weight’ so I don’t go crazy. I always look at myself before getting on the scales and make sure I’m happy with what I see – then the number, whatever it is, doesn’t matter because I liked my body before knowing the figures!
It’s small steps but this is my little victory :)
All great points, Danica. I think the scale is a frenemy for me. I like the scale to keep myself in check. But I hate obsessing about it. I would say I get on the scale once a week IF I am exercising and eating well. If I’m not, I just know that the number would be discouraging so I keep myself from it. Maybe that’s not a good thing because I only keep myself in check when I feel like it, but I’d rather the scale be a positive motivator than a discouragement.
I think there is definitely too much pressure put on numbers and weight. It varries so much from person to person as you said. The same number can be totally different looking and feeling on different people, so it really has little meaning.
I’m still debating how I feel. I feel like if I don’t weigh myself, then I Ed up slipping into a “lazy” mindset and don’t be very healthy, but if I do then I’m crazy onto of healthy eating and such.
I definitely weight myself way too often, and it totally messes with my head. I hate it, but at the same time I can’t break myself from the habit. Like you said, I know I’m healthy, and at a good body fat percentage, but for some reason that number on the scale is validation that I can’t seem to shake. (Except of course when I get a number I don’t like, and then I obsess about it all day.) I wish I could stop, but I’m not sure I could go without knowing for fear of gaining too much!
Thank you so much for writing this. I used to obsessively weigh myself, but I’ve strayed away from that recently and I’m so glad. It’s a lot less pressure on myself, which feels great. Sure, I still have temptations to do it like you did at the gym, but I know it only makes me stronger every time I resist.
It is such a breath of fresh air to read this! As a high school health/physical education teacher I start to see girls struggle with this at such a young age and it breaks my heart. I used to think that the scale mattered but it really does not do your body or your mind justice. You need to feel happy with yourself, not a number. I think that one of the best ways to determine yoru success is to see how you feel in your clothes, if they fit a little less snug or you’re pleased with the way you look then I say “go you!” I am loving your posts Danica, and I can’t help but comment!
I used to weigh myself at the gym at my university. I had a set idea of what I weighed, and anytime I strayed from that, I would get nervous. Not nervous enough to cut out foods or gorge myself (I used to be really underweight), but I became a lot more self-conscious. Then I stopped weighing myself because I didn’t want that to happen. I know I’m at a healthy weight, sleep well and eat enough fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins. Weight is just a number, and health is about so many different things.
I stopped weighing myself years ago unless it’s at the doctors. It’s not worth it since it changes by the minute. The fit of my clothes are a much better gauge.
Yep, the dreaded scale…. There are some that can step on there and not let if affect how they look at themselves or how they approach the day. I am not one of those people by any means.
I hardly ever weigh myself…..ever. I feel very good about myself and about where I am at on my journey. Still wanting to get even more healthy, I am just not at a place that I can just hop on there and weigh myself. Still a process. :)
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