What if...

What if... you *never* saw the number on the scale budge? Regardless of all the hard work you put into tracking your meals, watching what you eat, and regularly busting your butt exercising daily.

Would you keep doing what you are doing (eating healthy and working-out) if you DID NOT see that number on the scale going down?

I've been thinking about this for the past few days. My answer was a whole-hearted "Yes." And because of this, it's helped me make a decision that at first I found difficult to even consider. NEVER weighing myself on a scale -- or at least, not regularly -- and going solely on measurements and body fat readings.

So I'm taking the plunge and getting rid of my scale... for good. Seriously. I'm getting hubby to take it to work with him, and that's that. My only weigh-ins will happen when I visit the doctor's office - which is once in a blue moon. Or at hubby's office, but I'm not inclined to weigh myself publicly...so that won't be happening either. ;-)

I am not doing this rashly. I have given it a lot of thought.

Why am I doing this? It's not that I feel weighing ones self is wrong. But I do believe that too many of us - myself included - can easily start to focus on that number as being the tell-all of our health and fitness. And the scary thing is, is that we actually look to it for motivation. For instance, when we are doing all we can to eat healthy and workout, and then the 'results' don't show on the scale, we can easily become discouraged. I really hate how that makes me feel, and I hate how it makes my dear friends feel, who are working so hard toward their goals, and at times not seeing any 'joy' on the scale.

Also, it's not that I'm not losing pounds and am resentful at the scale because of it. I am, actually, losing pounds. But I've taken something away from this -- it's taught me that as long as I am consistent in doing what is good for my body (such as eating well and working out), my body will improve, whether that be in inches lost or weight. It will take time, but it WILL happen. That is guaranteed.

So why step on the scale? The number on the scale doesn't tell me anything I really need to know. Of course, I do believe that it is helpful to know ones’ starting weight and goal weight. But I feel that it's the 'in-between' weigh-ins that are counter-productive...for me, anyhow. That number on the scale doesn't tell me how much I busted my butt in the past 20 work-outs; it doesn't tell me how healthy I've been eating. It doesn't tell me that entire dress-size that I've lost, in inches. It doesn't tell me ANY of that. So why oh why do I 'punish' myself by stepping on that scale and letting such an untrustworthy measurement "let me" feel good or bad. Why do I look to it as the main gauge for my success or "failure"? NO MORE!

Some find that weighing themselves daily or weekly, and seeing results from their hard work on the scale is what keeps them motivated. That is wonderful if it works for you. But for me? I guess my fear is, I don't WANT the scale to be my motivator. It's almost like trusting a friend to motivate you and having that friend turn around and betray you the very next day. It's just too unreliable for me to be a motivator. Again, I'm not saying this is the way it is for everyone. But what I'm saying is that it was a Eureka moment for me, and I'm acting on it. It's got to happen when you feel *right* about it and ready to do it. I did a lot of thinking about it these past few days. And even my hubby, who is a health care professional asked me: "WHY are you weighing yourself? What is it telling you that you really need to know?" It got me thinking. For me, this is the right time.

I have committed myself to exercising and eating better...*daily*. So why step on a scale to try to 'measure' that? My aim to become healthier and slim down will not be changing regardless of what the scale says, and by cutting out the scale completely, it will allow me focus on how my body looks and feels. It will aid me in putting my healthy goals in clear focus and not become distracted or discouraged by a meaningless number. It will remind me WHY I'm doing this. Because exercise makes me feel GOOD…I feel stronger, more energetic, and I know it is good for my insides and outsides. Am I eating healthy and working out to see results on the scale. NO! So why track my weight like my success depends on it.

I love what a recent poster here on the message boards said when he disparagingly labeled the scale as "the greasy car salesman of the weight loss world". Because it is! It lies through its teeth. It's deceiving. The measuring tape has become my new friend, and I am also thinking of investing in a scale that can be set to measure body fat (instead of weight) in the near future.

After pondering all of this, I can let go of the scale most willingly! Good riddance, I say. I find it can too easily become a hindrance and not a help in reaching my goals. I know I personally will be better off without it. So it’s goodbye, scale…

Goodbye. :-)