You’ve started a diet and hop on the scale every day hoping to see the pounds drop off…
If you’ve decided to take better care of yourself, eat healthier and get more exercise, good for you! But are you letting numbers on a scale make or break your day? Some people fanatically weigh themselves only to be disappointed if it does not show them the numbers they are hoping to see.
Weight can fluctuate quite a bit each day as our fluid balance shifts, so the scale is not a good indicator of our true weight on a daily basis. It can be very discouraging to hop on a scale and see it go up a pound from the day before when you know you ate so well the previous day.
This can set off negative thinking such as: “Why bother! I’m not losing anyway, so I might as well eat that donut.” Or, ” If I’m only going to lose 1 pound after all that, I might as well eat what ever I want.” You become so focused on the goal of weight loss rather than becoming healthier and eating nourishing foods that make you feel energized, that you lose sight of anything other than numbers on a scale.
A much better judge of how you’re doing is how your clothes are fitting anyway. The scale may be hardly budging but you notice that your clothes fit better. And as you swap out the processed, sugary foods for fresh fruits and veggies and more whole natural foods, you’ll notice more energy and stamina. Pay attention to those non-number benefits because they really improve the quality of your life.
The weight eventually comes off. Slowly is better anyway and stays off when you do it by changing the way you eat over time. Don’t be a slave to numbers on a scale. They will actually sabotage your efforts. I suggest not weighing yourself more than once a month. There is no need. Your body talks loudly and clearly. Look at it. And celebrate how it responds to the nutritious food you’re giving it and the exercise you provide it.