http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/09/20/why-you-shouldnt-weigh-yourself
This article published in US News shed light on a very real and important issue when it comes to women and fitness. This article discusses how women become obsessed with their weight as it appears on the scale that it actually causes a negative mental state. The author compares the scale to a store window. A woman can be walking down the street in a great mood then suddenly catch a candid glimpse of her reflection in the store window and suddenly her mood is drastically brought down. The scale can have the same effect on a woman's fitness efforts. You can go from feeling on top of the world after a day of successful cardio and calorie watching, to eating a whole box of cookies in despair because the scale did not show a number that made her feel validated.
As a woman I CRINGE at the sight of a scale! It has been so deeply rooted in me that the three digit number that appears somehow equates to my self worth. But...why? Is a 125 pound serial killer a better person than a 190 pound elementary teacher? No. That's nonsense. Not only is that number not a priority, it can be misleading! If you are eating a sensible diet and working out regularly, you can be loosing fat but gaining muscle. Even though your body is shrinking in inches the number on the scale may not move at all.
Being healthy involves so much more than just the physical. Yes it is important to eat healthy and yes it is important to exercise, but your mental/emotional health is just as important! Make choices that make you feel good about yourself day in and day out, and don't look for a number on the scale or anything else to validate you. Hide your scale in the closet and pull it out maybe once a month if even that. Instead, let your body and your mood be a deciding factor in whether or not you are being successful on your journey to better health. I personally gave up weighing myself. I make healthy choices everyday, and some days I make unhealthy choices, but that's why it's considered a fitness journey. I've learned to fall in love with the journey, even on the days where I know I haven't done my best I still acknowledge the fact that I am so far from where I started and that tomorrow is a new day with new opportunities. Instead of relying on the scale to determine my success, I started taking progress pictures and trying on clothes that use to not fit. A number on the scale could never feel as good as finally getting back into a pair of jeans that have hung in your closet for months!
Ditch the scale and let yourself be happy with who you are right now as you continue to work on who you want to be!
I really liked this post! I think it was very motivating and can help a lot of people especially women that don't like their body type. I personally sometimes feel indifferent about my body and I know a lot of people that do too. Being healthy and loving yourself is so important. Good job! and looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this post! I think it was very motivating and can help a lot of people especially women that don't like their body type. I personally sometimes feel indifferent about my body and I know a lot of people that do too. Being healthy and loving yourself is so important. Good job! and looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteGreat information to boost a woman's self esteem. As women, we all worry about what people thing of us and our body shape. God made us just the way we are for a reason and a number on a scale should not define who we are as a person. We are equal and beautiful, not matter what anyone else says. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWeight can be very difficult subject for many people. I think many girls are obsessed with their weight because what they see in the media. Yet, body appreciation for all weights is getting better. I liked how you included in your post how people can still gain weight by muscle, because many people don't realize that.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. I enjoyed reading it because many women girls suffer from low self-esteem with their weight.I like how you related to it people thinking that their weight is their self worth. I like how you said you should continue to value yourself.
ReplyDeleteWeight is a very sensitive subject! I think when society changes its standards on not looking at the number but on what you are actually putting into your body is when you will start to see self esteem issues go down.
ReplyDeleteI love the entire idea of this post. Self esteem issues especially in this society when it comes to weight is a big problem. Women let the scale dictate their lives not understanding that weight is not just how much you weigh, but your height and other factors included. I think you hit the nail on the head when speaking on not letting the scale and your weight make u sad or be a focal point in your life, yes you should be healthy but you dont have to be 100 pounds to be healthy. Good post.
ReplyDeleteTo talk about this topic is really challenging. A lot of people are very insecure about their weight and it is usually hard to talk about this topic. Your post is very motivational and I think you should share this. You don't have to be skinny to be healthy, and a lot of people need to read this, I'm pretty sure it would make them feel much better.
ReplyDeleteI like this topic alot and to speak on it is very risky becasue there are alot of people who are sensitive about their weight. I like how you stated your personal issues with your weight also.
ReplyDeleteI like this post because as a woman, I can definitely relate to the pressures of feeling like you have to be a certain weight. Not using a scale everyday can be scary but also freeing. I think it is important to keep reinforcing that fact that weight is just a number. A number that is supposed to be different for every person. There are so many different factors like height, genetics, and exercise. I think it is important for people to accept their weight and just focus on being healthy.
ReplyDelete