We are all very focused on weighing ourselves on a regular basis…..it is almost as if we are looking for the scale to tell us whether we should feel good about ourselves or not! I find it fascinating that meanwhile there are all these methods, machines and gadgets measuring anything from body weight, to body fat and muscle mass! Why are we so focused on all these numbers? Can we just not listen to our bodies to know whether we feel good about ourselves or not? After all, is all these measuring and controlling healthy for us? How does is affect us mentally?

A lot of people I talk to complain about their weight, and how they wish the number on the scale they see will be a few kilos less. When I ask them why they actually bother to weigh themselves, they look at me in disbelieve! What we don’t realize is that the moment we focus on that scale number, that can fluctuate at any given time, we are bound to start an emotional rollercoaster. What do I mean by this? When we are so focused on such a number, then we simply forget to listen to our body and what it is trying to tell us. By focusing on a number, we are depended on an external factor to tell us whether we should feel good about ourselves or not! And since the majority measure themselves in the morning, this results in the day already starting in a negative way because we are not happy with the number we see on the scale! Think about how this affects our mental state and the rest of the day!

I have said in many of my previous blogs, I am a huge believer in listening to my body – whether it is about nutrition, workout, sleep or weighing myself. I probably weigh myself twice a year, and I am really not interested in the number. Why? Simply because my weight depends on so many different things each day – the type of workout I am doing, the frequency of my workouts, the amount of water intake on daily basis, what I eat the night before, and the list goes on and on. I want to feel fit and healthy in my own body, regardless of the number on the scale. This I can achieve only by listening to my body, and figuring out when do I feel at my best. The only time I was monitoring my weight on a weekly basis was during my two pregnancies.

Interestingly enough, recently I came across a study talking about the fact that frequent weighing by young women is linked to depression, lower self-esteem, eating disorders and increased body dissatisfaction. Which it really shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone. In another article, Marsha Hudnall, President and co-owner of Green Mountain at Fox Run in Vermont, goes as far as suggesting that we should never weigh ourselves, unless it is to determine the dosage of a medicine (for the complete interview, click here).

So, next time you are about to step on the scale, think about the effect that this might have on you and your overall well being the rest of the day! Start listening to your body, and the signs that it sends you – figure out what nutrition is best for you, how many hours of sleep is best for you, and the type and frequency of your workout and you will see that soon enough you will feel at your best regardless of the number on the scale.

Stay healthy,

Anna

Photo source: © Cécile Gall / cecile-gall-photography.com