Who rules selfesteem: The scale or The mirror???

i_love_vinegar
i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
edited September 28 in Motivation and Support
(Hypothetically) What if the mirror said you are thin, but the scale said you are overweight?

What if the mirror said you are overweight, but the scale said you are thin?

Do you think even if someone has the perfect body, the obsession over numbers on the scale (or clothing sizes on tags) can distort a person's viewpoint?

How about the opposite scenario where someone is overweight, but when they step on the scale or shop for clothing, the numbers on the scale are low, and the tags on the clothing read: size 0.

I'm just curious what your thoughts are on this? Thank you!

Replies

  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
    Neither one... the only one that rules self esteem is you. Nobody else can provide it to you. It comes from within. Everything else is external... and if you have high self-esteem nothing anybody says about you or does to you can change that.
  • michelnie
    michelnie Posts: 30
    I think both have value but ultimately it is the mirror and your own sense of self-worth that really matters. I think you can cut alot of weight but if you don't feel satisfaction from it, you will never truly be happy. I think the scale is a good starting point but the mirror should be your guide towards the latter stages. What's the point of cutting all that weight if you're never gonna be happy with yourself? Just my thoughts.
  • Bellyroll
    Bellyroll Posts: 316
    The mirror for me But I have not lost much because I sorta just started so the scale tells me I am skinny :)
  • bigmamma3
    bigmamma3 Posts: 134
    I find that the scales say I'm a lot smaller than I was but when I look in the mirror for more than a second I can see myself getting bigger if that makes any sence. It's like my brain just wont accept the new me my clothes have only gone down one size but looking at pictures there is a massive difference from before I had children its just now my hips are wider but I don't think I can change my bones lol. I just hope that one day I will look in the mirror and see what is really there if not I will just have to settle for knowing I'm healthier
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    My mirror (and all of my friends and family) says I"m thin.. the scale says "overweight". I don't listen to the scale much at all. I am a muscular woman, much stronger and stouter than the average female, and at times, much stronger than the average male. My self esteem isn't affected by either of them. I am a happy person because I choose to be happy. My self esteem comes from my worth as a person, not my weight or measurements. I am valuable because my children are healthy, happy and well mannered. I make my husband happy and I go to sleep every night with a clear conscience. All the rest is icing on the cake.
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    Neither one for me. No matter how big or small I have been I have always had pretty high self esteem.

    Numbers on the scale really don't matter. Even in high school, I ran all the time, I played soccer and volleyball and trained for one or the other year round. I had an athletic build including a lot of muscle and yet was still considered 'over weight'. I have no desire to be 'skinny' anyway I would rather be muscular and athletic.

    The mirror lies. I have lost 43+ pounds and don't see any difference in the mirror, I can only tell when I look at before/current pictures.

    Sizes don't matter either. Depending on the brand I can wear 3 different sizes and have them all fit the same.
  • nascent
    nascent Posts: 28
    I definitely think the mirror... I mean everybody can look in the mirror and see something they want to change (sometimes that doesn't need changing!) but numbers on the scale are just numbers, and not always a great representation of who you want to be one way or another.
  • LaughingStraightToDaBank
    LaughingStraightToDaBank Posts: 126
    For me it's half half. If the number on the scale is larger but in the mirror I'm thin, I'd go with the scale. If the mirror says I'm larger but the scale says I'm thin, I'd go with the mirror. I guess I have a low self esteem.
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