As I mentioned in my other post, the first ranking of the day comes via my scale. So for the 40 days of Lent, I’m not going to get on it. This is a huge deal for me.
I love the blog “Weightless” by Margarita Tartakovsky, MS. She’s a savvy writer and wise beyond her years. In her post, “Are You Shackled to Your Scale?” she offers some tips on how we might break free from the power of the scale over our self-worth. To get to her original blog, click here. I have excerpted below.
To many, the scale is more than a measure of weight. As we step both feet on the scale, a flurry of butterflies enters our bodies. We get seriously anxious. We grimace at the thought of finding a number that’s too high or one that hasn’t changed. These numbers may represent a lifetime of trying to lose weight, of triumphs and letdowns, of good days and bad.
To many, the scale is a symbol of self-worth. It tells us whether we’re competent, attractive, a good parent, friend and employee. If the number approaches our “ideal,” we feel like we’ve got the whole world in our hands.
The scale may drive our mood for the day. It determines whether we’ll feel light on our feet or heavy in our hearts. It tells us whether we’ll be in a great mood, knowing we’re shedding pounds, or whether we’ll be sad and disappointed, because the number isn’t budging.
It may decide how we structure our day, what we eat, whether we work out. It forecasts whether we’ll munch on a piece of chocolate or never eat chocolate again; whether we’ll eat a sandwich or skip lunch altogether; whether we’ll tackle a grueling workout in the evening or enjoy a slow walk.
It may serve as our sense of accomplishment, our barometer for the future, predicting hope or foretelling doom. If the number is low, we’re accomplished superstars, who can do anything. If the number is high (or hasn’t changed), we’re losers, who can’t do anything right and should just stop trying.
It’s amazing that we can give an inanimate object so much power, letting ourselves get bullied. Even if we eat well and exercise, the wrong number can instantly erase our healthy habits, deem them worthless and trigger a flood of frustration (“what’s the point of being healthy, if I can’t even lose weight!”). It can make us punish ourselves by restricting our diet or forcing our bodies to endure backbreaking workouts.
So how can you free yourself from the scale?
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