I’ve seen too many people posting about the weight they are gaining in quarantine. They are calling it their “Covid-15” and sliding into a shame spiral because of a new number on a scale. Friend, now is not the time to put more pressure on yourself. Throw out your scale and celebrate making it through another day. (Bonus points if you actually put on pants.)
This post is not for people like my husband. Penn can step on the scale, see a number he isn’t used to and shrug it off. He doesn’t obsess, feel shame, or any disappointment. He reaches back into the closet for a comfy pair of sweatpants and moves on. If you operate the same way, congratulations. You’re winning at life. You can keep scrolling.
Don’t Let a Number Tell You How to Feel
If you’re like me, and at one point in life had an unhealthy obsession with the number on the scale, pull up a chair. Let’s talk. I’m about to say something that may shock you– but I don’t weigh myself anymore. Seriously. There was a time if I spiked by a few pounds there was a shadow on my day. Can you believe that? I was working a full-time job and keeping children alive, but I was gutted by a number on a weird machine. Right now, at this moment in our history, we shouldn’t be fueling this anxiety.
In case you forgot, you’re living through a freaking PANDEMIC — don’t let a metal square on your bathroom floor tell you how to feel. One day, our bathroom scale ran out of batteries and I never replaced them. Here’s how ditching the scale changed me:
I trust my hunger. Back when I weighed myself every morning, if by chance the scale dipped down below the number I was expecting, I would “treat myself” that day. I would suddenly think, “I’m one of those people who can eat whatever I want without consequences.” (Please laugh at my naive self with me.) On days when the scale would trend higher, I would try to cut calories during the day and only end up hungrier at night. I would lose all determination by 4pm and do a belly flop into a bag of chips. Now on most days I practice Intermittent Fasting, but if I wake up hungry– I eat!
If my jeans feel tight, I adjust but take my time. I’m a human woman in my 40s. So yeah, there’s a monthly swing to how my jeans fit. I also know that if I want to change how my jeans fit, it’s going to take time. In the past, it would be so discouraging to do all the work to feel better in my clothes and not see a big change in the numbers between my feet every morning. At my age, it can take months to drop a few pounds but I know it only takes a few days of eating well to FEEL better. And that’s what matters most.
I create non-scale goals. I helped my doctor create an online course we call The Well Body Reset. It teaches the foundations of intermittent fasting, how our food choices affect our body, and benefits of functional movements. We use assessments as measuring tools through the 28 Reset program. We ask that you consider things like how you sleep, skin condition, and even your emotional resilience. I know when I’m eating better, all those things improve. Yes, most people on the program lose weight but that isn’t the goal. The goal is to feel well.
If you’re struggling, take small steps in the right direction. Eat food that helps you feel good the next day, drink lots of water, and release yourself from the guilt of gaining a few pounds. No one is wearing real pants right anyways.
Click here to learn more about the Well Body Reset program.
