For as far back and I can remember, I always thought the scale was the true measure of whether or not I was healthy. My perception of the number the scale read was, for better or worse, how I viewed myself. Too high and I was out of shape. Just right and I was healthy (and I really wasn’t). For many, what the scale says leads to an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. And this is something we need to stop.
Shows like The Biggest Loser and diet programs such as Weight Watchers reinforce the notion that the scale is the barometer of our success. We’ve been programmed to believe that the number on the scale is the best way to measure progress on our health and wellness goals and it’s simply not true. Who doesn’t have a friend or colleague that weighs themselves every day and then stress out over what's on the scale? Instead of focusing on how they look or feel, they are letting the scale dictate if they are or aren’t enough. I have had clients who were feeling lean, had to purchase new clothes because their old ones were too big, were sleeping better, had better energy levels, and were feeling fantastic. Until they stepped on the scale. They knew their bodies were changing but the scale read they were only 5 pounds lighter so they were frustrated. The scale changed their perception of their success.
“…the scale can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. It cannot measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or live. Don’t give the scale more power than it has earned.”
As a coach, you will never hear me ask me how much you weight. You’ll never be asked to step on a scale and report a number. In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss® we look at other metrics to determine where we are on our path to health and wellness. That’s why we ask for measurements and before and after photos. We encourage you to get your blood work done so you know if you have any underlying medical issues (thyroid, adrenal fatigue, allergies, leaky gut, etc). The difference you see in those before and after photos? That’s progress. The smaller measurements? That’s progress. A healthy thyroid or gut? That’s progress. These are the things that should define your success. Not the scale. 5 pounds of lean muscle in your body looks dramatically different than 5 pounds of fat. Yet your scale will still read the same number. Would you be unhappy if you weighed the same but were sleeping better, were in the best shape of your life (hello muscles!), in a great mood, and had healthy blood work? I didn’t think so.
Let’s toss our scales out the window and really focus on what’s important. Know the metrics you should be using to measure progress and never let the scale be how you measure your worth. I’ve stopped using the scale. Will you?