Over the past four days alone, I’ve had four different women all make comments to me about how they were disappointed when they stepped on the scale.

“I haven’t dropped a pound!”

“It’s gone up 4 pounds.”

“The scale isn’t moving as fast as I’d like it to, though.”

Ok. Seriously. I can understand this obsession with needing the numbers to move down, because I’ve been there, but aren’t you just ready to be done with the scale?

The irony of it all, is that most of the time when women tell me the scale isn’t moving fast enough, or maybe at all (which is completely fine, BTW) they’ve usually just finished telling me with big smiles that their energy is up, they’re feeling strong, their pants are fitting better, people in their life have asked them if they’ve lost weight, etc.

COME ON! These are the things that can actually help you to gauge progress. This is what matters. You’re feeling better? Yep! You’re lifting heavier weights? Yep! Your aches and pains are gone? Yep!

Sooo, remind me what the problem is, again? 🙂

I told one of my coaching gals this the other day, and now I’m going to tell you. The scale is a mind-f*ck. If you let it, it will mess you up. And, it’s so easy to let that happen. For some reason, the scale has this ridiculous control over our sense of pride, value, and well-being.

How many times have you gone through this scenario before? You’re feeling great, you’ve been moving your bod, and eating in moderation. You decide it’s time to jump back on the scale because you MUST be down at least 5 pounds by now. With great expectation, you step on. So proud of all your new habits….and then, BAM!

HOLY SH*T. Up 3 pounds?! What? How could this happen? You’ve stuck to the plan, done your exercise, been eating your veggies, sleeping well – you’ve done everything! You start to question everything. What could you have done differently?

I’ll tell you the one thing you could have done differently. Want to hear it? Not. Step. On. The. Freakin’. Scale. I’m serious. Just stop it.

If you never knew how much you weighed for the rest of life, what would happen? Seriously. What in your life would change? Only positive things, I would guess.

The number on the scale business is such a waste of headspace. Who actually has time to worry about that? Not this girl! And, neither do you. You have way more important things to think about than whatever number happens to pop up, I’m certain.

Your task: hide your scale, donate your scale, throw your scale directly in the garbage. I don’t care what you do with it, but get it out of your sight. You may step back on it if you choose in time, but really, you probably won’t even care at that point 🙂 You’re moving on!

One more thing – there’s a catch! You can ONLY step back on the scale again (in your lifetime) if you truly have no expectation of what the number will say. You have no care in the world if the scale says 10 pounds less, or 10 pounds more.

Please, please, please start bringing your awareness to other ways of measuring your progress, your maintenance, your body, and your worth.

JMG