My Yearly Date With the Scale
I couldn’t wait to write to you this week. You see - once a year, I weigh myself. I have had such a negative relationship with the scale based on childhood experiences that I have a tendency to avoid.
Yes, I have done the thought work that I preach. Make it neutral. It is data. But, those thoughts never seemed to work for me. And then my client helped me. Yes - I learn tons from my clients, too. I recently worked with a fabulous doc who weighed herself to find that she lost 2 lbs. Guess what she said, “Oh, I hope I didn’t lose muscle.” My coach brain was very happy.
We are conditioned to believe that our weight has power.
Weight is simply gravitational pull on the earth. But, to break it down further… most of us have fixated on a number that we think we should weigh. And if we don’t weigh that number, we often think we have failed. Or, our body has failed.
Let’s just try something on. What if a higher number on the scale was a great thing?? I can think of many reasons why it may be. More muscle, dense bones, proper hydration, adequate nutrition to name a few.
Ok… getting back to weighing myself this week.
In my mind, I have a high number: the number that I weighed in college while playing softball, eating junk, overtraining, not sleeping, and being under a lot of stress. Then I have my low number, the number I weighed a year after my first baby where I was high on life, sleeping, eating well, walking in nature, and enjoying my daughter and husband.
How interesting!!!!!
I weighed my highest when I was stressed and unhappy and my lowest weight when I was happy and content.
Now - I wasn’t stressed because I weighed more in college; feeling stressed caused me to take actions that pushed me higher on the scale. I wasn’t happy because I was a lower weight on the scale… my happiness and contentment allowed me to take actions that promoted a lower weight on the scale. You see - it is not about the weight.
This week right before I got on the scale, I took a guess at my weight. And then I decided how I wanted to feel before I hopped on. I also said, "So what if I am my heaviest weight… is that a problem?" I now know better. And, it is just data - data that will allow me to change things if I want.
I jumped on the scale after not having weighed in a year to find that I am exactly the same weight as I was last year. And, 3 lbs less than I guessed. I had so many powerful thoughts. Including, "Well, Ali, you do practice what you preach for sustainable results. You have a good piece of data that you can do what you want with. Carbs are serving you well. You can still have wine. Getting 10K steps per day is a big deal."
This might have been my most positive experience that I ever had with a scale.
Now… I am not telling you exact numbers for a reason. They just don’t matter. But what I can tell you is that I am not my highest, and I am not my lowest. In fact, I am right at my set-point. So, what do I want you to know? If you are going to use the scale, know your set-point. It is super important when you are considering weight loss. Studies show that we can only lose and maintain about 10-15% from our set-point without surgery and/or medication.
Now to the finale. What will I do with the info from my yearly weigh in???
I am going to keep doing exactly what I have been. I am going to love myself even more knowing that I have the ability to accept myself as-is. I also can change anything I want. I think this year, I am going to optimize my genetic potential and fuel my body the way I need to in order to gain some muscle. I am not afraid of the numbers anymore. I will not let them hold me back.