Why You Should Stop Weighing Yourself Right Now (The Scale Might Be Ruining Your Health)

My Long and Painful History With The Scale: 

If you read my first blog post, you may recall me mentioning my former obsession with my bathroom scale. Using it was a morning ritual: wake up, use the restroom, remove my clothing to be as light as possible, step on the scale, and anxiously wait for a number to appear. I did this without fail, every day. Since I found my self worth in how much I weighed, I panicked when I was traveling and didn’t have access to my scale. This habit extended far past my weight restoration and “recovery” from anorexia. Although my relationship with food and my body was, by comparison, much healthier at this point, it was nowhere near where it should have been. I still relied on numbers to dictate how much I could eat and how far I needed to run. Doesn’t sound quite “recovered”, does it?

The scale, in fact, was one of the big players in what sparked my eating disorder in the first place. If you were in school before 2012, you probably remember something called the Presidential Fitness Test. This sadistic test was introduced in the 60’s by President Lyndon Johnson, who thought that testing children’s physical aptness in P.E. classes around the U.S. would inspire them to “get fit”. This test measured a students ability to perform certain physical tasks such as sit ups, pushups, pull ups, flexibility, running, etc. In my sophomore year of high school this test included weighing yourself, calculating your own BMI with the given equation, and using a handheld body fat scanner. To top off this traumatizing experience, awards were given out to students who performed in the top 85th percentile. As I’m sitting here typing this 10 years later, I’m still in awe that this was allowed in schools across America, but that’s not what this post is about. After weighing myself and assessing my body fat in a classroom full of my peers (one of which was my boyfriend), I decided I didn’t like the numbers I saw (even though they were completely healthy and nothing to worry about whatsoever). Many of the girls in my class were comparing results, which really, really bothered me. From that moment on I made it my goal to reach a number that I would feel comfortable sharing with the class. Thus, my unhealthy obsession with the scale began (as did my full blown eating disorder). Thanks, Lyndon 👍🏼. 

My regular weigh ins didn’t come to an end until Christmas Day of 2016. I remember waking up that morning and mindlessly weighing myself as if it were no different than brushing my teeth or putting my contacts in. But for whatever reason, something felt wrong about it on that day. I thought to myself, “If I look down and don’t like the number I see, will it have a negative effect on how this day, my favorite day of the year, turns out? Will it put me in a place where I can’t enjoy Christmas brunch with my family? If I don’t like the number it’ll certainly mean I have to skip out on those mimosas I love so much while we open gifts. That would suck… I love those things.” It was then and there I decided to set myself free from this addiction, this square piece of plastic technology that ruled my life for so long. I stepped down from the scale, backed away without looking, picked it up and tossed it in the trash. I’m aware of how dramatic this sounds, but the feeling was invigorating, thrilling even. My husband saw the chunky, awkward piece of plastic in the trash can and gave me a hug. He knew I was internally struggling still, and I think this signified the beginning of the end of an era for us.  

Okay, so what?

Now that you have a better understanding of my personal history with the scale, I want to touch on why this piece of technology really isn’t that useful anyway. Something I have always known deep down but didn’t really believe until a few years ago, is that weight is just a number. I know, it sounds cliche, but here is the technical definition of “weight”: the force of gravity exerted downward on an object towards the Earth. No mention of the words fat, beauty, worth, health, fitness, or value anywhere. Yet many of us continue to solely use this measurement to evaluate each of those things. Does weight play a role in health? Of course. I realize that there are healthy weight ranges for each of us, but it doesn’t seem like we give a whole lot of credit to other factors: muscle mass, bone density, hydration levels, bowel movements, etc. In the media it appears that weight is the be-all end-all of health. Not so. 

Not a Clear Picture: 

Another reason the scale can be deceiving is the fact that an individuals weight often fluctuates up to 5 pounds from day to day. The tricky part is that most people see this, immediately assume it’s fat gain, have a mini freakout session, and make plans to starve themselves until they return to “normal”. Because it’s physically impossible to gain 5 pounds of fat in a single day, it’s a safe bet to assume it’s water retention. A person needs to consume an additional 3,500 calories on top of their normal caloric intake to gain a single pound. So if you’re worried about those couple of pounds you “gained” over the weekend, don’t. Because it probably doesn’t reflect your actual body composition. Glycogen (which is the stored form of carbohydrates in our muscle and liver), is stored with water. So on days you eat more than usual, you’re probably also consuming a higher proportion of carbs. This excess of carbohydrates requires more water be retained (temporarily), which will reflect on the scale as weight gain. In reality, this water weight will shed in a few days as long as you return back to your normal, healthful diet and exercise routine.

The same goes for the other way around. If you’ve suddenly lost a few pounds in just a day or two, it’s probably due to dehydration rather than actual fat loss. Once you’ve rehydrated and reached normal fluid levels again, your weight will return to where it was. What’s my point? Weighing yourself everyday, or even multiple times per week, probably isn’t reflective of your progress. It could even be hindering your efforts and is certainly negatively effecting your mental health. Instead, try focusing on your energy levels, your concentration and focus at work or school, how colorful and balanced your meals are, how your clothes feel, how you’re sleeping, etc.

Weighing Yourself in Recovery:

Using the scale as a marker for success can be a total killjoy. Picture someone who is in recovery from an ED: they’re listening to their body, eating what makes them feel good, are experiencing life again. Maybe they’re even becoming comfortable with the way they look in the mirror and are feeling confident in their own skin. This person has no real reason to step on a scale. This persons recovery is going really well, they’re emotionally freed, and they’re experiencing so many health benefits of adequate nutrition. But then, they step on the scale and the number isn’t what they expected to see. Does that mean that all of those positive aspects of recovery that were just mentioned are wiped out? Do they not count now because this persons force of gravity exerted downward towards the Earth is different than when they were ill? The alternative to freedom from the scale is, unfortunately, going back to old disordered ways. By saying no to the scale you’re taking one step closer to recovery. Exert your power over the scale and stop letting it have power over you. 

Moving Forward: 

Whether or not you’re ready to throw out your scale is a very personal choice. If you aren’t truly prepared to go cold turkey, then maybe explore other options first. Consider checking in on your weight less frequently than you currently do, and continue to reduce the habit from there. Try focusing on other measurements of health, such as those mentioned above (they’re worth mentioning again here): physical endurance, adequate energy levels, getting quality sleep, mental clarity, and emotional stability. Whatever it is, I want you to leave this page knowing this: your weight is not your worth. A number does not define you. 

If you’re interested in finding food freedom and ditching diet culture forever, check out my 10-week, self-paced, online intuitive eating course by clicking here.