What Scale?

What is your relationship with the scale?  

It’s been over 8 months since I threw away my scale….for the last time!  (I’ve maybe thrown away or had my husband hide my scale before and then bought a new scale or threatened him with his life if he didn’t tell me where the scale were!  lol!)  

I’ve spent so much of my life defining myself by that number and allowing that number to determine my day.  And for what?  Who even sees it?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve never seen anyone walking around with a sign on their foreheads telling me how much they weigh!?!?  Have you???

Last week I talked about how we label ourselves as “good” if we eat all the right things (whatever those things are!) or “bad” if we eat “bad” foods (again, whatever those are!).  The same goes with the scale.  If we reach a number that we feel we should, then we are “good”, we have a good day, and all is well in life.  If we weigh in, and we don’t see what we thought we would or should, then our day is ruined, and we are now “bad” because we certainly did something wrong, because the number didn’t budge.  

Can I share this terrible truth?  A few years ago I discovered a lump in my breast and therefore had to go and get it checked out and eventually biopsied.  (Thankfully it turned out fine.)  But here is what I was stressed about during those doctor visits…..STEPPING ON THE SCALE!  Really?!?! I have a lump in my breast.  I could have easily been told it was cancer, and my concern was with the scale???  I imagine some of you reading this know exactly what I’m talking about.  Any visit to a doctor creates an anxiety around the scale.  

As I’ve shared before, things started really changing for me last year.  And it so happened that I was going through a 21 day devotion series by Michelle Myers and on a particular day the devotion made me take the step to throw away the scale.  Here is what I wrote in a post back in June last year:  

If conviction doesn’t lead us to action, then what?

Today’s #crosstrainingdevos inspired some conviction, so I’m taking action. I wish I could just re-type the entire devo, but here are some highlights & why my scale is now in the trash😳 “Why would we ever base our worth on a number that no one knows but us? It’s just a number, and it shouldn’t consume us the way it does all too often.” Then here comes the clincher: “what is your definition of fitspiration? If it doesn’t point you to a healthy mindset, it’s not inspiring.” So I was #madetomove & this was my move….so long scale! What move do you need to make? Today’s #quickprayer “God fix my gaze on you”. If it takes your gaze away, maybe it’s time for a big change. It takes courage (believe me, this makes me feel a little nauseous & yet free at the same time!!!).

 

So I ask you again, what is your relationship with the scale?  Maybe you can handle them.  I’m not here to judge you if you have them or if you step on them everyday or never.  I’m just here to tell you that the number you see on there has nothing to do with you or your worth….good or bad.  It just is.  And therefore, if that number causes you heartbreak and struggle and stress, then maybe it’s time to step away, put them away.  If not forever, then I challenge you for the remainder of lent to put them away?  Could you do that?

 

Let me know…..

Do you have a scale?  If so, how often do you weigh?  

How do you feel about weighing in at the doctor’s office?  (Check out my friend’s post here about not even weighing at the doctor’s office!)