As I continue on my journey since my surgery of 11/17/14 I find that I have become that person I warn others to not become. I AM A SCALE WHORE! There, I said it out loud, and am fully owning it, and all it means. Every morning since 11/17/14 I get out of bed, use the restroom and then jump on the scale. I then put my sweats back on ‘cause it’s dang cold in my house at 5AM and head downstairs to record my weight, and compare it to yesterday’s weight. THAT is where the problem occurs. Some days it is down from yesterday, some days it is the same, and yes, some days it has even gone up. This gets recorded in the same notebook where I record every bite and sip that goes into my mouth. I have calories, protein and ounces of water recorded for each and every day.
So what’s the problem you ask? If I see the same weight, or if the scale has inched up even 1/10th of a pound and I ate and drank and worked out “perfectly” yesterday I begin to play a head game on myself. I start that negative self talk that is so disempowering….it sounds something like this “Why did you bother to go through the surgery again if you do everything to the letter, and still don’t lose”. Or maybe, “I must be doing something wrong.” If I allowed the negative self talk to continue it would degenerate into “I guess it doesn’t matter what I eat or drink, I am never going to get to my goal”…it also goes to “your 66 years old and maybe you shouldn’t expect so much from yourself.” UGH!! I hate this conversation and started finding myself having it every morning the scale was not my friend.
So how do I change this negative self talk into positive conversation with myself that is motivating and empowering? I bet you say I should stay off the scale and only weigh once a week. That is certainly one way, and for folks who are new to the weight loss surgery journey, or just getting back on track after an “absence” from their journey, that is possibly the best way.
Continue to journal everything that goes in your mouth and pick one day a week to weigh yourself and compare that weight to last week’s to gauge how you are doing, and to see where you might make changes and put those changes into play. THAT is probably the best way for all of us. My day that matters is Monday, the day I had surgery. It’s also a great day to matter because it keeps the “WFG” (Weekend Fat Girl) from coming out to play because the scale will reveal it all on Monday morning. Whatever day you choose is the perfect day for you.
When I go back each and every Monday since surgery I see progress and THAT boys and girls is what matters. The scale is moving in the right direction. Not only is the scale moving, but so are my clothes- they are beginning to be loose where they were tight, my favorite pair of jeans can be worn again and requires a belt, I have more energy and stamina throughout the day, I feel good about myself, the folks at the gym where I show up 5 days a week without fail are coming up to me and telling me I must be doing something right. My skin is clear, I no longer feel bloated, all of these are signs that I am progressing in the right direction.
I have found my answer to that very early morning before coffee negative self talk - I count back 7 days from the day I am recording and look at that weight. Without fail it is lower than the weight I am recording and it is about Progress Not Perfection, right?
Are you a scale whore?