By Janetha Gallegos
The scale is a funny thing. Many of us fall victim to letting a number dictate our mood. A single, solitary number can control our whole life. I was a victim to the scale. A few years ago, I’d step on the scale multiple times a day. That number flashing back at me could make or break my day. Looking back, I realize how ridiculous that was. It was a joke!
These days, I truly think the number on the scale is a joke. Let me explain why.
A couple years ago I broke up with the scale. I’d realized my unhealthy addiction to weighing myself and so I gave it up—cold turkey. It had been over two years since I weighed myself when my husband asked if I would go get my body fat checked with him. He didn’t want to go alone—not because he was scared, but simply because he wanted some company. But me? I was terrified. I didn’t know how much I weighed and I did not want to know. But I also wanted to support him and not make him think I am a crazy person who is deathly afraid of weighing herself. (Dramatic much?)
I sucked it up and went with him to get tested. I saw my body fat percentage before I saw my overall weight. I was 21.9% body fat. I was thrilled! This was in the “lean” category for a woman. The first time I’d ever had my fat checked I was around 26% and weighed 124 lbs, meaning I had 32 lbs of fat on my body and the rest (92 pounds) was muscle and other stuff (like bones.) So when I saw that I was 21.9% without really even trying to be lean, I was happy with that. I have been slacking in the past year or two and actually expected it to be higher. Talk about a pleasant surprise.
And then it was time to see my overall weight, which was 127. My eyes looked at the 127 and I did not care a single bit. Not even a minuscule amount! I know that if I had weighed myself and seen the 127 on the scale without knowing how much of that was fat, I would have crumbled. I would have been absolutely devastated since 127 is more than 124–which is what I weighed when I had the higher amount of body fat (and looked very chubby, mind you.)
But now? 127? No big deal. I have increased my non-fat body weight by 8 pounds. I haven’t gotten taller and my bones weigh the same as they did the first time around (I assume), so that means I have gained 8 pounds of hard-earned muscle.
Plus, I may be heavier now, but I look better, my clothes fit better (smaller sizes too) and, most importantly, I feel better! I am healthier, happier, and more physically fit! I hope this encourages you to not worry about that pesky number on the scale. Because in the end – that’s all it is. Just a number. It does not determine your worth, so don’t let it dictate your mood.
Janetha Gallegos is a food and fitness enthusiast. She is passionate about eating right and exercising regularly. Janetha blogs daily at Meals & Moves where she shares her passions. She enjoys creating healthy recipes, participating in fitness challenges, dining out in her home town of Salt Lake City, and staying in with her husband and two dogs.
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