In the throes of my eating disorder, I was attached to my scale like a ball and chain.  I was obsessed with the numbers that flashed back at me, often determining the course of my day and how I would feed my body, depending on the day’s number reading.  

The Battle With the Scale

At the height of my sickness, I often weighed myself multiple times of day, futile attempts to decipher what foods had caused the slightest increase or change, or what patterns were successful in seeing any noticeable decline.

Much to my dismay, there was never a number that was quite low enough for my satisfaction, which is where the slippery slope snowballed to my rapid deterioration.  No matter how many miles I ran or how little I ate that day, the scale always blinked back at me in the most dissatisfactory way.  So I became a slave to it, subjected to the cage of my own making that was defined by how much I weighed.  

The Complexity of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, are severe psychiatric illnesses, not merely diseases of “vanity”, as they are often misinterpreted.  While being defined by the number on the scale appears to be incredibly shallow on the surface, there is often much more beneath it all.  

The reality is that countless individuals, some who have eating disorders and others who do not, are subjected to slavery with their scale.  There is a harsh retribution that is often enacted when the number does not meet expectation.  

This can take the form of severe restricting, extreme exercising, poor body image, low self-esteem, chronic dieting, dieting fads and crashes, binging, purging, compulsive eating, and more. 

Reclaiming Your Life

Sadly, too many of us have wasted precious moments of our lives based on the reading of a scale. But guess what?  You can choose to end that all TODAY.  No more weighing yourself, no more punishing your body based on what the scale says, no more keeping your life on hold until the scale gives you permission to do otherwise.  

Just. Say. No.

You know what the scale tells you?  

A simple measurement of your body in relation to gravity.  Just like your blood pressure or your temperature, your weight is just a number.  

THAT. IS. IT.  

It cannot tell you the overall health of your body or measure any depth about your character or personality. It cannot capture priceless memories that will stay with you for a lifetime or hold the depth of love you experience in a relationship.

Weight cannot define what you can or cannot achieve, your intellect, your emotion, your capabilities, potential, aspirations. Basically, it is a WORTHLESS number that literally means nothing, and if your weight has negatively defined your life thus far, it’s time to rethink your relationship with that scale.  

Saying Goodbye to the Scale

As I entered my eating disorder recovery, I broke up with my scale forever, never to return to this vile object or reengage in the negativity in brought to my life.  So I smashed it to bits and liberated myself from ever weighing myself again.  I didn’t need a scale to tell me what to eat or how much to exercise.  

As I learned how to trust my body again, I came to understand the innate wisdom inside me to live my life intuitively and let my weight simply be in whatever range it was intended to be.  As I continue on this path of eating disorder recovery, intuitive eating, and honoring the health and size of my body, I will never look back.  

Especially as I see my kids growing, I know I absolutely want the same thing for them.  They are perfect as they are, and there is no need for a scale to question their self-worth or value.  

Connecting to Help and Support

If you have struggled with your own self-worth, poor body image, an eating disorder, disordered eating, or have constantly subjected yourself to the number on your scale, take a small step toward freedom and smash your own scale goodbye.  

Liberate yourself from diet culture and say good riddance to a object that has no positive meaning in your life. Everything you need to live the life you have always wanted is already residing in you.  

If you are ready to take this step forward but are needing more support, connect with me today! If you are struggling with an eating disorder but unsure where to get help, consider calling the toll-free helpline at the National Eating Disorder Association at 1-800-931-2237.