4 reasons why you should ditch using the scales

Are you critical of yourself when your weight fluctuates?
Do you measure your worth based off the number you see on the scales?
Do you use your weight to determine how much you should eat or exercise each day? 
Do you find the act of weighing yourself stressful? 

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then I think it is safe to say that tracking your weight is currently not serving as useful measure in defining what being at a healthy body weight really means for you.  

Contrary to what dieting culture may have led you to believe, I have learnt that the bathroom scales actually have no place in your life when it comes to adopting a more intuitive and sustainable approach to your diet, exercise and lifestyle. Here's why:

1. It is natural for your body weight to fluctuate. 

If you are always hard on yourself when you notice minor changes in your weight on a day-to-day basis, I cannot stress this enough: weight fluctuations are a completely normal and natural sign of healthy body function and regulation. To help put your mind at ease, here are a few things that can naturally cause temporary weight fluctuations: 

Whether or not your body has digested food (whether it's fries or a salad - all food weighs something, and eating it will mean that your body temporarily weighs a little more while it is being digested, stored or used as energy, and converted into waste products for excretion)

The amount of water you drink (again, all drinks weigh something)

Eating lots of salty foods (as salt causes water retention in your body)

Alcohol intake (alcohol is a diuretic - meaning it makes you pee more. So you may notice an immediate reduction in weight upon drinking. Although as alcohol can often give you the munchies for salty snacks - it is possible that this, again, could result in water retention and a temporary increase in weight following a big night out)

If it's that time of the month (it is normal to experience a higher weight on the first day of your period due to water retention)

If you have exercised a lot (this can cause your weight to drop from water loss via sweat, although this will soon be compensated for when you rehydrate post-workout)

Whether or not you have pooped (nuff said)

My advice? Don't sweat the small stuff! In the bigger picture of your overall health these minor fluctuations are irrelevant, and tracking them will do nothing other than unnecessarily stress you out. 

2. The scales cannot distinguish between muscle and fat. 

Muscle weighs more than fat, and having a higher percentage of lean body mass (muscle) vs fat mass is part of what makes up a healthy body composition. So lets say you are setting out on a mission to eat better and exercise more. While these behaviours may result in burning body fat (which will result in weight loss), it is also likely that engaging in more exercise will result in building more muscle mass as well (therefore, potentially maintaining or even slightly increasing your weight). 

In understanding this, it soon becomes clear that relying on a lower number on the scales to define your 'success' in adopting healthy lifestyle habits is no longer an accurate measure. Direct your focus towards eating and moving your body in a way that makes you feel energised and strong - and worry less about the number on the scales that adopting these healthy habits creates. 

3. Its a numbers game that you can never win.  

Whether it be tracking your weight, monitoring your daily caloric intake or calculating the number of calories you have burnt during a workout - I personally find that whenever numbers get involved with diet and exercise, it becomes stressful. Relying on numbers to define your health in this context can border on obsessive, and potentially encourage disordered behaviours around eating and exercise to ensure that daily weight and/or calorie goals are being maintained. Not only this, but because there is always the potential to push for lower, you may find that you are never truly satisfied even when you do finally reach that 'goal' weight you have been aiming for. 

4. Scales don't measure sexy. 

Ok, so this one is pretty self-explanatory. But in all seriousness, ditching the scales can help you to better tune in to your body and recognise what intuitively feels and looks like a healthy (and attractive) weight for you. For example, if reaching your idea of a 'goal' body weight results in your body looking borderline skeletal, then perhaps it is worth reconsidering what your definition of a 'healthy' body weight really is. Shift your focus towards creating sustainable diet and exercise behaviours (e.g. allowing yourself to indulge with friends and giving yourself permission to have rest days), and be open to the reality of the weight that your body will naturally stabilise at as a result of adopting this more gentle approach. 

Lastly...

Believe me when I say that letting go of the need to measure your weight (and the sense of control that comes along with this) is not an easy habit to break; and will likely feel a little scary at first. But stick with it, and you will soon find that making this small adjustment to your daily routine can have a big impact on improving the relationship you have with your body. 

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