That time I finally realized the number on the scale doesn’t matter. And why you should too.
A few weeks ago I had a realization. I’d been weighing myself every day. I never weight myself. Like maybe once a month or so. Because the number on the scale has never mattered much to me. But I realized that I was subconsciously wanting the number to go down.
Very rarely have I felt like this in the last 5 years. I usually have a +/- 5 pound range I sit in, and that’s been totally fine with me. But I found myself being caught up in what the number said and figuring out what I needed to do to get it to go down. And when the number wasn’t going down, I got frustrated.
And then one day I looked in the mirror, and I thought, “Damn! I look really good!” I have gained a significant amount of muscle in my arms and legs (and lost fat from my inner thighs). My back is shaping up nicely (and my booty). I feel great and I can see my body responding to my new way of eating and gym routine. And in that moment, I said it.
F*ck the scale.
I’m in some of the best shape of my life. I have goals of growing more muscle and with more muscle comes more weight (muscle weighs more than fat, in case you didn’t know). And I’m totally okay with that.
See here’s the thing. Society has us (mostly women) completely obsessed with the scale. We compare ourselves to models on the covers of magazines, celebrities who’s job it is to look a certain way and be a certain weight (and who have personal chefs and get paid to workout), and we get sold the latest diet craze that is “guaranteed to help you lose weight!” We feel like we have to fit this mold, and if we don’t we aren’t worthy.
I say f that! I weight about 5-8 pounds more now than I did at my lowest weight post baby (both babies), I feel great, and I’m happy when I look in the mirror (and I’m 2 sizes down from my normal size, even being the same weight).
If you have goals, and they do in fact include losing weight, or gaining muscle, or whatever they may be, I highly recommend you take pictures. Photos are one of the easiest ways to see changes in your body and track your progress. Take before photos, and take them ever few weeks as you work toward your goals. Even if you have weight to lose, sometimes the scale doesn’t move, but your body is changing. You’re gaining muscle, losing fat and slimming down.
I want to empower you to say f the scale! Focus on what you see in the mirror. Take those progress photos and use them as a tool to track your progress. Yes, I have goals still, changes I want to make and areas I want to work on, but I’m basing it purely on what I see and how I feel. If you feel good, your diet is good and are seeing changes, then you’re on the right track!
My physical fitness will no longer be based on a number. And neither should yours.
Looove this! You look AMAZING, mama!
You are rocking your goals, girl!
And yeah – the scale will lie to you. There are just too many factors!
So I definitely read the title as F the Sale — thinking you were talking about the Nordstrom sale.. LOL. Anyway, loved this post & you’re so right, so many things are more important or can be better indicators of the number on the scale.
Yesss this is so true. I’m far away from my after picture, but I’m glad my sister made me take mortifying before pics because I know they will help me down the line. My sister is 7 pounds up from her goal weight (her wedding weight from 8 years ago) but thank goodness she has pictures! She looks WAYYYYY thinner, fitter, and better NOW 7 pounds heavier.
YASSS! I said that at St. Andrews. I was quite overweight when I started (think working 20 hour days and stress eating) and then at St. Andrews I felt like I had all this freedom. I started working out regularly and joined the rowing team… 6 months later people on Instagram were saying how slim and fit I looked. I went to weigh myself and I weighed the same. Then realized. Muscle weight and I look amazing!
YES! We don’t even own a scale. I know what weight range I’m in and that’s about all I need to know. Do my clothes fit? Do I feel good in a swimsuit? Yes, ok, great, that’s all I need! Totally with you on this *high five emoji*
I agree! Who cares what the number says if you feel great about your body! And girl, you look AMAZING!!!!