I have a love/hate relationship with my bathroom scale. Okay, let’s be completely honest – I have a resignation/hate relationship with my scale. I have gained back eleven of the pounds I lost a few months ago, and there are days when I’d just as soon throw my scale out the window than step on it. Although, depending on my self-esteem on any given day, I admit that standing on the scale is pretty good punishment for it. Take that, you scale!
However, despite the fact that the numbers are higher than I would like, several people over the last couple of weeks have told me that I’m looking thinner. These are people who do not owe me money, who are not trying to get something from me, and have no vested interest in my weight loss. I smile and thank them, all the while saying in my mind, “But I’ve gained eleven pounds back! Are you blind?”
The thing is, they’re not blind. Our bodies reapportion themselves and while we may see higher numbers on the scale, our bodies can appear thinner. What does this tell us? We should end our endless obsessions with the bathroom scale. It can only give us a vague idea of how we’re doing. The real test is, how do we look? And other people are the best judges of that. We see ourselves every day. The changes are gradual and we can’t see them. But friends who haven’t seen us for several days can look at us and see the differences we can’t.
I’m willing to accept the compliments. I’m even willing to admit that I have days where I look totally cute. Most of all, I’m willing to end my dependency on my scale for my self worth. After all, it doesn’t know everything.
Tristi Pinkston is a full-time blogger in LDS, Media and Movies. Click here to read more of her blogs.
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