Over quarantine I was stuck at my family’s home with little to do. I ended up getting into working out; however, along with this came a constant checking of my weight. It wasn’t that I particularly wanted to lose weight at first, but I found it addicting to continuously track my weight. Once I moved into my apartment, I made the choice to not buy a scale. Although it can be useful, if you find yourself in the position I was in, it might be time to ditch your scale.
- Unhealthy Fixation
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Weighing yourself can quickly turn into an unhealthy addiction. If you find yourself checking your weight almost daily and feeling negative afterwards. It may be time to get rid of your scale. Weight is not supposed to be something that controls your life. Fixating on it can be dangerous, especially if you find yourself heavily restricting your natural food habits or working out past your limits often to change the number on the scale.
- Weight Does Not Equal Healthiness
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It can be easy to forget that low weight does not correlate with being healthier. Results from working out and eating healthier do not necessarily show through weight loss. You can be getting healthier, for instance, by gaining muscle, and see the number on the scale rise rather than fall. Overall, it is just a small component of your health story.
- General Happiness
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Once I did not have a scale to track my weight very closely, I felt a lot more free. I started working out to feel good rather than to see a specific number on the scale. Listening to your body and its needs is much more important than hitting a certain weight goal. If your happiness is being jeopardized due to constant weight-checking, it might be time to stop weighing yourself.
Although getting rid of your scale may not be the best path for everyone, I believe it is something a lot of people should consider doing. If you go to doctors appointments regularly enough and do not need to be on top of your weight for medical reasons, you should consider the impact your scale is having on your mental health and relationship with your body.