I can't tell you how many times a week members respond, "That depends" or "I'll tell you in a minute" when I greet them and ask them how they are.
Are you one of those people? There was a time when I DEFINITELY was.
That's a lot of power to give over to a number, but I can totally relate, because there was a time when I was thinking the same thing, even if I didn't say it out loud.
Have you ever had the experience of enthusiastically embarking on a new diet or healthy eating plan where you're eating all the "right" foods and working out faithfully?
You are a few weeks into the routine and one morning you wake up feeling really good about yourself and all you've accomplished so far. You are feeling lighter and your clothes are fitting better. You check yourself out in the mirror and think, "I look pretty good today."
You step on the scale and it's down 5 pounds. Fantastic. You're walking on air and totally energized to keep up with all the great things you are doing to take better care of yourself and lose more weight.
But what happens if the scale is the same or only shows a slight loss? What happens then?
It's like all your good feelings evaporate as the negativity comes crashing in on you. Just a few seconds ago you were feeling fine and now you're mad. Frustrated. Angry. Defeated. You are back to beating yourself up and thinking, "Why bother." "All that hard work for nothing." "This isn't working." "What a waste of time."
Because of a number. A number! (Yep. Been there, done that.)
But, how crazy is it to give away your power like that? Are we really going to let a number set the mood and actions for our day....or week....or month... or year....or entire life (if we're not careful)? How did we ever get to the point where we let a number on a scale determine our sense of self-worth?
To be successful on this plan or any plan, we need to adjust our attitudes and beliefs. We need to see the scale as a way of measuring our progress on the plan, not our worth as human beings.
Repeat after me, "I am a happy, healthy, capable, and worthy human being who uses a scale to measure my weight loss progress."
And if getting on the scale is going to diminish your sense of self-worth, make you feel like crap, or cause you to backslide in any way, for Pete's sake, stay OFF it. Take a pass at your next Weigh-In and find another way to track your progress. (A tape measure or tight pair of pants, perhaps?)
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