Ditching the Scales
This blog is here to offer a new perspective for you all, which some of you may not necessarily agree with and that is completely fine, but I think the conversation is important, necessary and overdue.
Our view of health and how many seem to talk about health & well-being, is still saturated with focussing on weight, terms like ‘weight loss’, ‘summer bodies’, ‘lose weight and feel great’ are everywhere. We are C.O.N.S.T.A.N.T.L.Y hearing, reading and talking about weight and the appearance of our bodies - I strongly believe this needs to change. We need to start focussing more on all the other amazing aspects and indicators of health. Taking our focus away from this constant desire and pressure to be (for whatever crazy reason) smaller, to weigh less/lose weight, to change ‘X’ body part and so on. Our true health and well-being is not written in our kilos and I want you to be able to see that. I think, especially for women, this weight talk sounds very familiar… I think you ladies know exactly what I am talking about. Let me say this again…
There is SO. MUCH. MORE to your life and your HEALTH than that number on the scales, or what size clothes you are and so on.
We are all different and unique amazing individuals and we all function as individuals at our own personalised, natural, healthy weight, whatever that is for you. What actually matters is that you are functioning at your physical and mental best, and there are so many ways to measure this and achieve this. If you are nourishing yourself every way possible – physically, chemically and emotionally, your healthy weight, where you function at your best, should just slot in to that.
Ladies (and men), we are living in 2021…it is time to take a stand to all this weight loss/ weight obsessed talk that has been around for decades (too long) and start changing that channel for all our beautiful little future humans. It is this weight obsessed society that I developed my eating disorder in, and something I believe needs to change for future generations.
So how do we do this? Step numero uno - ditch those damn scales. I do not have scales in my home or office, and I never will. In fact, the day we got rid of the scales in my house, was a momentous day. After many years, I have come to realise that the scales serve me no purpose. Thus, due to my past experiences, as a health practitioner, I don’t have scales and I most certainly do not advocate 'weight loss'. For SO many reasons, but mainly, I strongly believe it is not a helpful or healthy wellness goal. The amount of negative energy that surrounds those two little powerful words, is endless, and I see jumping on the scales x amount of times/day/week or month....to be in the same category. So let’s look at it differently - Weight restoration? Sure, I certainly promote that, helping individuals get to where they function at their best. To be honest, I mainly help glorious individuals gain what they have lost to get them back to their best again.
Why do we obsess and care SO much about this number on the scales? Seriously, why?
I think a lot of you know the feeling of jumping on the scales, and that number determining your happiness and self-worth to an extent. How crazy is that!? I certainly know that it became an obsession for me, I would jump on the scales multiple times a day and it would literally determine my mood and what food I ate and exercise I then did. Trust me when I say this, I was not in a good place. You are so much more than that number on the scales. Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware that there are cases where weight goals are important, and I am certainly not saying that number is completely irrelevant. Yet, there are so many other factors that can signal and help you determine your health, and help you achieve better health and well-being, other than just weight. We have blood tests, a thousand other signs from your body, your sleep health, stress levels, exercise/movement, nutrition, sunshine, mood & mental health and what you do for happiness and enjoyment, hormonal health, immune health, and the list goes on and on and ON. We need to put more focus on all these other factors of health, and less on that number on the scales.
If your nodding your head right now, pick up those scales and chuck them out. Honestly, just do it. If you know those scales are not serving you, delete them from your life. I bet it will feel GREAT. I give you permission.
Nutmeg xxx