HELP! What do I do if the scale is up this morning?
Do you fear the scale?
If you still feel a wave of anxiety when you weigh yourself, here are the FIVE things I recommend to clients when they’re struggling with seeing a number they didn’t expect or was higher than yesterday.
1. Validate yourself!
There’s nothing wrong with feeling emotion. We can’t always control our feelings. But we can examine our feelings and choose new thoughts. It’s normal to have a sense of frustration if we want the scale to validate our efforts, but with time, hopefully that emotion lessons as we learn that the scale came tell us the whole story. We have been taught that our scale weight matters so much by society, but that’s not necessarily true. I challenge you to ask yourself “What’s the story I’m telling myself when I step on the scale and see a certain number?” Is it true? Feelings aren’t facts…
2. Find the facts!
Why might the scale have jumped up? A hard workout the day before? A lot of sodium? Eating out? Alcohol? Bad sleep? High stress? There are so many reasons for the scale to move that aren’t fat loss. The average woman has 40-60 pounds (yes pounds!!) of water in her body at any given time. Help yourself observe what facts may be at play. Remember that averages matter more on a fat loss journey that single weigh-ins so zoom out if you can to the bigger picture!
3. Zoom out
Are you letting one weigh-in dictate everything? What does your weekly average say? What about monthly? If you’re on a weight loss journey, it likely will be a slow long road, but when we see losses in weekly averages over time, that is how we know we’re on the right track and it’s working. One higher weigh-in never tells the whole story. You likely cannot gain 3 lbs in a day, just like you can’t lose 3 lbs in a day!! If you’re not taking weekly averages, start now!
4. Consider what else your body does for you.
What does your body do for you that has nothing to do with the scale? Maybe it let’s you hike with friends? Or hug your husband? Or walk onto a plane and travel to Paris to meet a friend for a long weekend? As my favorite podcaster Liz Moody says, “bodies are for living not for looking”
5. Get distracted.
Your body weight doesn’t need to dictate your day!! No one else can even tell that your scale was 1 lb higher today - I promise. Go do something that helps you take your mind of your body. Read a book, make some tea, start work, take a walk, I promise within minutes if you let yourself move on, you’ll feel better!
