STOP Depending On Your Scale!

POSTED ON October 16, 2015 BY Pamela Schwarz

Written by: Pamela Schwarz

Are you someone who constantly measures your progress and worth on a number?

Maybe you wake up and it’s the first thing you do in the morning…

The scale can do more damage to your health than you think. It is a piece of metal that measures weight – NOTHING ELSE. You are SO much more than a number on a scale; you are AMAZING!

The scale doesn’t show all of the healthy changes you are making and accomplishing. It can’t see lean body mass, skin tone, muscle development, etc.

To start stepping away from the scale, try replacing it with progress trackers (like the ideas listed below) that show your success. They will make you feel good about yourself and give you the motivation to keep improving.

Strive For Progress NOT Perfection

Learn to love how you look and feel.
Celebrate your small successes… they lead to long-term success.
Build your confidence with selfies – sounds crazy, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Frequent selfies will show your progress. It took me a long time to use selfies, but as you begin to see progress, it will get easier.

Favorite Jeans Test

This is my favorite measure of progress! We all have that outfit in our closet that “will fit someday.” Pull that outfit out of the closet and put it where you can see it EVERYDAY. Make this your goal instead of a number. Before you know it, you will be rockin’ that outfit again.

Here are some guidelines for the “favorite jeans test” I encourage you to follow:

Are your favorite jeans or outfit…

A little tight?

- Drink more water
- Eat more leafy greens
- Cut back on added sugar and salt
- Get out and move for 15-30 minutes every day

About the same?

- Increase your water to 80-100 ounces daily
- Try juicing fresh veggies
- Cut back on dairy products
- Get out and move for 30 minutes or more every day

Baggy?

- Keep drinking water
- Keep eating well
- Keep moving for 30 or more minutes every day
- You’re right on track!

Listen To YOUR Body

Your body will begin to feel more energized as you get healthier. Listen to what your body is telling you.

Create a daily progress journal with the following items:

How did you feel when you woke up?

Refreshed and Rested

Sluggish

Still Tired

Then evaluate based on how you are feeling:

How much water did you drink?

What did you do for exercise and for how long?

How many pushups can you do?

How many sit-ups can you do?

Review your journal each week and celebrate the successes.

Give yourself a reward when you reach a goal. Be creative and make it useful.

Some things I use as rewards are:

A new workout outfit – when we feel confident, we are more likely to step into the world as such and move towards our goals with pleasure.

A new pair of sneakers

A new journal

Support From Others

Another great tool is finding like-minded people to share your journey with. Remember that everyone is beginning at their own place.

Some tools to find support are:

Social Media is a great place to find support.

- Start an Instagram account and photo document your journey.
- Check Facebook for healthy groups to join.
- Google+ has some great groups to follow and participate in.

Get out and walk around your neighborhood. Not only will you meet your neighbors, but you may make some friends along the way.

Hire a personal trainer to help you get strong… they will motivate you too!

Tracking progress is a confidence builder. As you see results you will become more motivated to keep going. Share in the comments below what works best for you and any other thoughts and tips you may have (remember, you have friends and support here too!).

Have FUN and enjoy this journey!

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Pamela Schwarz

Pamela Schwarz is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and Reiki Practitioner in Upstate New York. Working with clients to achieve wellness that comes from within is the main focus of her work. She believes in the power of positive thoughts and following your dreams to create the life you were meant to live.