Summer is in full effect, y’all, and my advice is – wear the swimsuit! Confidence is sexy and invigorating, and so is reclaiming your power over that sometimes annoying thing we call a scale.
Often people let the scale dominate their head, but let’s make it clear: A number does not define you or translate into your worth.
The scale serves as only one measure of progress and it is hardly reliable. Some days your weight will be up, some days it will be down, and undeniably this element can drive people bonkers. Like anything else, it just takes time and intentionality to change your habits and mindset towards the scale.
Most experts agree we should not weigh ourselves daily. Our weight fluctuates every day based on what we eat and drink, how we sleep, how we move – there are so many factors to the change. The scale is just one of many barometers of progress, and it can become dangerous and lead to obsession if individuals are not careful. Allowing it to have power over us, drastically altering our mood, producing unnecessary stress or anxiety, or negatively impacting our day can prove detrimental to our mental health.
So let’s ditch it!
Here are some tips about incorporating other ways to measure progress:
1. Weight Loss is a Journey
Give yourself some grace and remind yourself that your body may not change overnight, but it will change if you are dialing in on your fitness and nutrition. When you think about weight loss as a journey, and not a sprint, it can alleviate some of the pressure you might feel. Release yourself from the need to gain any validation from the scale. If you are consistently kind to your body—and your mind—great things can happen!
2. Baby Steps are the Best Steps
A journey for better health does not have to be a complete overhaul of Every. Single. Thing. When you approach your health journey with the perspective that you are undertaking a series of small things that add up over time, you might find you are more invigorated and less depleted; more empowered and less overwhelmed. Are you drinking more water each day, which is keeping you hydrated? GREAT! Or, maybe you meal-prepped breakfast for the next day, so you didn’t go to work on an empty stomach. Perhaps you added another day of exercise. Movement is medicine, right? Celebrate ALL the victories, big and small, and maintain power over your mindset.
3. Pay Attention to the Small Things
Move over, scale! We have other ways to define our progress. Like if we are sleeping better, how our clothes are fitting, our mood and energy levels (being happier and less stressed), our performance levels (way to get more steps each day) and even through progress pictures. These can be for your eyes only, but I recommend every few weeks taking a picture from the front, the side, and the back perspective. It can be truly motivating visually seeing your body’s changes from week to week which is another method that takes focus and power away from the scale.
4. Plateaus are Not Necessarily Bad
If you feel you are experiencing a temporary standstill within your health journey, that does not mean your efforts were for nothing or that you are destined to never reach your goals. Our bodies are constantly adjusting to the changes we make with our fitness, nutrition, hydration and sleep habits. Trust that these plateaus can prove positive and lead to changes that are more sustainable and permanent.
5. Be Consistent
Staying consistent is always key, so celebrate when you recognize you are staying committed to your overall health journey. When you incorporate new positive habits and maintain them, you are setting yourself up for more success. Being mindful of eating nutrient-dense foods, exercising regularly or making time to meal prep to have healthy options available. Don’t forget to prioritize your sleep, practice self-care and just invest in YOU in general. It all matters.
Shift the focus from weight loss to the bigger picture of being healthy.
Ditch the extra stress and pressure to fix numbers on the scale. Remember that stress is also something we should always be proud and excited to drop. You are SO much more than a number on the scale. This summer we are breaking up with the scale and instead we are gaining confidence and rocking that swimsuit!
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