I weigh myself at least 4x’s per week. This may not be normal or even “approved of” in the ‘Healthy Living ‘blogworld, but it works for me.
Let me preface by saying, I do understand why many of you shun the scale. So much so that you’ve ceremoniously dumped yours in the trash. I get it.
I also get that the scale can have unnecessary power of your mental state. If you are down a few pounds, elation fills you; if you’re up a few pounds, you may chastise yourself and feel like crap the entire day.
I can also appreciate that the scale is not the best measure of health, fitness, or physical appearance. Other metrics should be considered, light measurement tapes, body fat percentages, how your clothes fit, your ability to exercise.
But for me, the scale is what keeps me in check. You see, I like to eat. A lot. And while I do also track my calories (another no-no in some people’s eyes), the scale provides me instant feedback as to how my body is reacting to my food intake combined with workouts.
The first 2-3 years of undergrad, I did not own a scale. And I gained weight. A lot – for me, anyway. You can read more about that here. Of course I had those other metrics telling me I was gaining weight – like having to buy larger and larger sizes of my clothes. But this wasn’t enough apparently. I was in denial that I could be gaining that much.
I also was well aware that clothing sizes are not uniform. It was easier to go to a store where I could still fit in their size 4 versus another where I was now a size 8. The scale would have told me that I was up 15-20lbs though.
It wasn’t until my Senior year of undergrad that I started weighing myself regularly. Seeing the drop in pounds was motivation and proof that my healthier eating and more active lifestyle was working.
The scale is my guide. It doesn’t control me. It doesn’t make or break my day. It provides just one metric in the cacophony of feedback of my health status.
When I am up a pound or two, I can often pinpoint that it was the extra slice of deep dish pizza or that giant burrito I annihilated. It reminds me to eat slightly less indulgently that day and maybe do an extra 10 minutes of cardio. If I’m down a pound, I’ll add that extra scoop of ice cream or go to town on some chips and salsa with my hubby. It all balances out.
So, for me, the scale is my friend not foe. And I’m good with that.
What are your thoughts on the scale?
If you don’t use one, what metrics do you use to gauge your health/fitness, etc?
