Do you weigh yourself multiple times per week? Perhaps you have more than one scale in the house? Do you own a set of “fat clothes” that you used to wear or “skinny clothes” you hope to get back into? Red alert!
While we often think these things are helpful, they are just some of the ways we needlessly torture ourselves. Why do we do it? The scale is not your friend. Be kind to yourself instead. Here’s how:
If you have more than one scale in the house, that’s too many. Keep one scale only and donate the others. Is the scale the first thing you see when you enter the bathroom? Consider moving it to less prominent place: you know where it is but it’s not glaring at you several times per day.
If you absolutely must get on the scale, do it AT MOST once per week. For best results, weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you eat, drink or put on clothes. Your weight can fluctuate a good 4-5 pounds from one day to the next depending on how much water you drink, how much salt you intake and a number of other factors. That’s why weekly weigh-ins are more accurate than daily ones.
Unclutter your mind and your closet by donating or selling clothes that no longer fit you. If they are too big, congratulations! No need to keep them. If they are too small, no big deal. While we often think keeping clothes that are too small is an incentive to drop the pounds, for most of us it is counterproductive. Instead, it’s really a daily reminder that you are too big for them. Best to get rid of them now, and then celebrate your weight loss when it happens by buying new clothes.
How else might you be kind to yourself today?
