Friday, October 14, 2016

How To Answer Your Bathroom Scale


My brother is three years younger than I am. When we were kids we fought like brothers and sisters do. I remember more than one occasion when we would say to each other, "You're not the boss of me."

As the older sister, of course I thought I was the boss of him! Where my older sisters at? Am I right?

As a health coach I know better than to be a slave to my scale, yet I weigh myself (and my self-worth) every morning. When I'm down 2/10 of a pound I rejoice. If I'm up 2/10 of a pound I beat myself up, analyze everything I had put in my mouth the day before and leave the bathroom feeling defeated, or at least frustrated.

I also know what the scale says doesn't mean a whole lot. It taunts. It lies. It is NOT my BFF.

I'm 51-years-old. Not yet older than dirt, but not so young anymore. My body is starting to do funky things. I have to try harder just to maintain, not to mention any improving I'd like to do. Muscle, hormones, fat - it's all a battle now.

The foods I choose to eat make a big difference in how my body handles things. So I'm very conscious of what I eat, making sure to get enough vegetables, drink enough water and get some decent exercise. Even when I do it "wrong", I'm still at least conscious of what I'm doing. Very conscious of that latte with 43 grams of sugar! Oy.

So when I step on the scale, I will not allow it to control me. It will not taunt me. It will not mock me. It will not lie to me. It will not determine my self-worth. It will not define my health. Because I know the healthy choices I'm making, and the scale cannot measure health - or self-worth; it's only one small tool in a large toolbox to measure where I am in the journey.

Making smart choices (healthy food, exercise) and journaling my habits (slowing down, making memories, getting rest) is helping me see the overall picture of my health. And I'm really doing pretty good!

A three-digit number alone is not at all a measure of health.

So when you step on the scale and it starts to lie to you, just tell it, "I don't care what you say. You're not the boss of me!"