I haven’t stepped on the scale for about a month. This is HUGE for me. In fact, I even ditched it from my home recently when I donated it to my company’s rummage sale. It sold for $5 and now sits in a colleague’s cubicle, where office mates take turns using it. They’ve discovered, as I had with that scale, that your weight can fluctuate a few pounds depending on the surface and area you place it on.
Goodbye, old friend.
I’ve been obsessed with the number on the scale since I was a young girl. The number on the display would affect my mood, either sending me through the roof with elation or frustrating me and having me question everything I was putting in my body and every exercise I was doing. I’ve always been in decent shape and have followed a healthy diet for as long as I can remember. But I’ve never been able to part ways with my scale. I’ve always had one handy and not a week went by that I didn’t step on it at least once.
I recently came across an old “life goals” document I created when I was 25 that lists my one-, five-, and 10-year aspirations. Each category ends with “weigh less than 135 lbs.” Well, I’ve surpassed the 10-year mark and these days, I weigh more than that. In fact, I’ve actually gained eight pounds since I started a weightlifting routine last year.
But, this is okay with me. Seriously, I’m fine with weighing a bit more and have accepted that the number on the scale doesn’t mean jack! My proof? Well, most of my clothes from 10 years ago still fit, I feel happy and strong, I have no major health issues, and my body fat has gone down three percent in the past six months.
My trainer said that body fat percentage is a much better indicator of fitness than weight. So instead of jumping on the scale every other day, I now check my body fat on a body fat monitor every so often.
Hello, new friend.
I surrendered and I now feel free! Not to mention, I moved from the “average” to “fit” category in regards to how much body fat I carry. The only person my weight ever seemed to bother was me. Now that I'm not so focused on that number on the scale, I have more energy and feel content with my life. I'm more present with my husband and pets, I'm less judgmental and critical of myself, and I'm okay with just being me.
I’ll raise a dumbbell to that!
