Everyone
has fears and anxious moments. We are all working on things that we
need to face and work thru. There is one “fear” that I’ve yet
to determine would serve me to face. I get anxious around
something I come across several times a day—at the gym, and in
other people’s bathrooms. I fear the scale. I fear that my
curiosity will get the best of me, and I’ll step on it.
I
stopped weighing myself quite a few years ago when I realized it
didn’t serve me in any way. At this time I would be on the scale
at least once a day to experience the fleeting sense of pride that
accompanied a declining weight. So I chose to attempt to live a life
not dictated by calorie-restriction and exercise, so there was
literally no benefit I could gain from weighing myself. If I wanted
to live fully, it was inevitable that number was going to increase,
and I wanted nothing to do with the distress that came along with
that. I decided that, if I become so obese that the number should be
of concern, I would notice before needing a doctor’s confirmation
via scale.
So
here’s what I propose: Rather than viewing the number on the scale
as a measure of self-worth, or control, or goal, or being OK, see it as a reflection of your
lifestyle. If you believe you are living a good life, you are
probably at the right weight. That number will change through
transitions and experiences. If your pants fit more tightly after a
vacation, it’s probably a sign of a good vacation.
If
you’re focusing on achieving an arbitrary number on the scale, ask
yourself where that number comes from. A chart? A forum? A past
weight? Acknowledge that a "thinner, fitter, more jacked"
you was the outcome of living a different lifestyle from what you are
living now. Were you happy living that life? For some people, the
answer might be yes. If so, focus on getting back to that way of
being. For others, there may have been many anxiety and pain-filled
times that accompanied living in this way. Of course, looking at past
pictures might make you feel otherwise, but consider how you felt
outside of those times. Focus on living the life you want to live,
not the number on the scale. In fact, toss the scale out entirely.
Or use it to weigh your luggage before you take off somewhere to live
fully.
