What’s the one thing in your house that causes the most anxiety? For many it’s the bathroom scale. I mean who knew that a hunk of metal and plastic could have this sort of power over a person? Who needs that sort of negativity in their life? We’ve got enough to deal with!
I’m here to tell you why ditching that scale is the starting point of improving your overall mind and body wellness.
Diet culture runs rampant through our everyday life. The media perpetuates this idea that there is only one ideal body type that is worthy of love, beauty, and celebration, while profiting off of those who feel that their body is inadequate given the “standards.”
One way to target these insecurities is by getting you all worked up about the number on your bathroom scale. For those who regularly weigh themselves, the ritual may seem like no big deal. Either the scale goes down and you’re happy, or the scale goes up and you jump on board with the hottest new diet trend. Because the only way you can be healthy and successful is to be thin right?
WRONG! The problem with basing our worth on the scale is not only that the diet industry makes more money, but that it’s all a big lie! You don’t have to lose weight to improve your health or your body confidence. Plus, dieting harms health and well-being.
The constant cycle of dieting, the stress of waiting the three seconds for the scale to register, and the guilt felt when your body doesn’t quite look like the testimonials, can all add up and wreak havoc on your mental health. Plus, studies show that people who diet lose weight at first but actually gain more weight in the end.
Our bodies are meant to be celebrated! They are meant to be DIFFERENT SIZES!! And we all deserve love at every size and through every stage of life. Saying “goodbye” to your scale can allow you to give up the power that society has held over you for so long. You can become more “in tune” with your body, less stressed overall, and you can start to show your body the love that it deserves.
We are all worth it! And by loving your body, listening to what it needs, and turning off your comparative eyes, you can instead focus on taking care of yourself – however you see fit. If you want to make small steps to improve your health and well-being, focus on self-care, not weight.
Try the small things like eating regularly throughout the day, adding more fruits and vegetables, moving your body in fun and enjoyable ways, taking naps, deep breathing, stretching – you know, all those things that make you feel your best. Let the scale part go.
This all sounds great in theory, but the actual act of body appreciation, and self love can seem like a daunting task, especially when the media still holds an iron grip on what it means to be a human. Changing your thoughts about your body takes time and intention.
Your insurrection and rebellion against the diet industry can start with something as simple as the bathroom scale. Make a small tweak to your morning routine like placing your scale out of sight, out of reach, or outside (right next to the dumpster!). By starting with the small task of ditching the scale, you can reclaim your mood in the morning and focus instead on loving yourself unconditionally, because you’re great just the way you are.