You step on the scale daily or weekly and stress about a pound up or celebrate a pound down. If your bathroom scale holds the power to change your mood or behavior, then it might be time to evaluate if the habit of weighing yourself is healthy or not. Read the post below to decide for yourself if it’s time to stop weighing yourself for your own good.
What is the purpose of stepping on the scale?
There is always a purpose or a reason behind getting on the scale. A number you are hoping to see (or not see) and some goal you are trying to reach or maintain.
Looking beyond that number, it is important to really understand why you desire a certain result. What is the reason behind the desired number. Is it because you want to be healthy? Be able to move around more or feel better? To have more energy? To be able to play with your kids?
Once you have your real reason the number on the scale means so much to you, it’s time to figure out other ways to measure your health or happiness. Weight is one tool of many to measure health and does not have to be an indicator of quality of life for you..
Stop Weighing Yourself and Make Healthy Habits Stick
When we associate our weight with the success of our habits, it might just backfire on us. In the all or nothing culture we live in, it is so easy to fall into the “it’s not working, I might as well give up” way of thinking..
You are adding more movement to your day, including more vegetables, and trying to eat breakfast every morning. These things help you to feel better, give you more energy, and set positive tones for your days. You step on the scale and see that the number has went up 3 pounds since the last time you weighed yourself. What’s your next move?
If you allow the scale to be the deciding factor of whether or not your behaviors are “working” for you, these healthy actions will come and go long before they become the life changing healthy habits they could potentially be.
Focus on Behaviors Not the Numbers
The number on the scale is not a behavior and it’s not often the direct result of any one or few behaviors. One of the best ways to make real, life improving, sustainable and positive changes in your life is to focus on your actions.
Like we talked about earlier, what is your real intent beyond the number on the scale. What is a behavior or an action you can work on incorporating into your day that connects to that purpose.
If you want to have more energy, your behaviors could include things like: eat a balanced breakfast, start your morning with stretching, taking the dog for a walk instead of just letting him out the door in the morning, creating and sticking to a sleep routine, or any number of other actions that work for your life.
We do not have direct control over the number on the scale, but we do have direct control over the actions we do each day. Focus on what you can do to further you to your health or wellbeing intentions.
Want to STOP Weighing Yourself? Here’s How
It’s not always an easy habit to break. If stepping on the scale is part of your routine, but you know that it is not actually helping you make real, sustainable changes in your life, then give this a try.
Let yourself get on the scale with no bad feelings associated. No talking yourself out of it. No shame included. BEFORE you step on the scale, ask yourself these questions:
- What feelings do I have anticipating my weight?
- How will I feel when I see the number?
- How will this impact how I take care of myself?
Do this each time you step on the scale. You will be surprised how the answers you give yourself can make the process of not weighing that much easier. The constant reminder that seeing the number on the scale is not serving your bigger purpose turns an order to stop weighing yourself into an easy and automatic decision.
You get to decide if you step on the scale and you get to decide how you let that number impact your feelings and your behaviors.
If you enjoyed this article, make sure to read 7 Tips to Eat Mindfully, Even on Your Busiest Days and How to Put the Hunger and Fullness Scale into Practice.
