I read this post this morning: Experimenting with Scale Purgatory about taking a break from the scale. Isn’t it funny the relationship some of us have with the scale? It’s crazy if you think about it — it’s not rational. It’s a number that has so much power over us.

And what I find so interesting about this topic is how we all approach it differently and it’s all based on personal history. Did you grow up with a healthy relationship with food and weight? Did you learn balance and moderation?

I do not own a scale, never have.  My trainer forces me to weigh in every week — I purposely do not look at the number. In fact, to ensure that I don’t even accidentally see it — I put my hand over it. Its very frustrating for me knowing that a number has so much power over me that it can affect how I feel about myself for the week.

Last year there was one time where I did look at it after working very hard on modifying my diet and working out super hard all week — and sure enough the scale was UP! UP – how could that be? It was not logical, it was not possible — but there it was in black and gray digital blocks on the wall of my trainer’s facility. And how did I react? Like any normal woman I know — I was frustrated, upset, angry, felt like a failure, felt FAT and it affected not only my workout that morning – but my entire psyche.

The next day my friend Connie B said to me before boot camp — ‘if i see you even beginning to glance up at that scale again, I will take you down’. She recognized that all it took to set me back was to see that number — I have never tried to look at the scale again! Mostly in fear that Connie B will truly take me down. That would hurt more than I could imagine so I will leave it at that.

Do I sometimes want to know what it says? Yes – but I have learned it’s not a healthy way to approach being healthy and fit for me. My trainer will tell me if I am up or down lbs but the overall number – I don’t know. I know that it’s the best way for me to stay on track and positive about my whole journey.  Mikey my trainer doesn’t agree with me on it though. He asks how will I know if I am making progress — I have many other ways to tell.

• I feel better overall – no more random back pain
• I look better than I have ever looked and that’s not just my personal opinion
• I am down 3 sizes — I had worn the same size for years and now I am 3 down from that. That is a sign of progress that you can’t ignore
• Friends & Family notice – an ongoing joke that I hear is ‘you work out? I had no idea’ because everyone knows how much work I put into it.
• People ask me fitness/health advice – they see the change and want to do the same

What’s a number anyway?  I am not saying it’s not a good indicator  of health and progress, but there are many factors that go into being healthy and fit. You can have a body type that is more solid so you will never be in the ideal range that you have in your head — it’s just not reality.  My doctor said to me one time while holding up a pencil — you will never be pencil thin – it’s not how you are built. I remind myself that I have to be the best I can be.  Also – another point is that while I wear a very small size pants — I have no hips. Many of my friends wear a bigger pant size although no one would ever think for a moment that they are overweight or out of shape, simply because they have a different body shape – they have hips.  We can only fight nature so much.

When I do get down on myself — Mel from The Clothes Make the Girl once said to remind yourself that — ‘you are not that number on the scale’ — or another thing that I remind myself about I am not that roll of fat that I see. I am sure we all have things to add to that statement —

I am not that <fill in the blank>….but what I AM is a healthy and fit woman looking to inspire and support others so they can live the best life they can live — which is really what we all are looking to do anyway – right?