Obsessing over the number on the scale is something that everyone does from time to time, especially when we feel like we’ve gained a few pounds. For a lot of people, their weight is something they can have a little bit of control over by adjusting their diet and exercise regimen. But the reality is, your health is what’s important, not the number on the scale. When you make staying healthy your number one priority, you’ll be surprised how little that number matters.
- A pound of muscle and a pound of fat are not created equally. Although a pound is a pound no matter what, muscle has a higher density and takes up less space than fat. That means you could look a lot slimmer just by having a lower percentage of body fat, but your actual weight might not change at all.
- Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. There’s no single ideal weight that everyone must reach in order to be considered beautiful. We all hold weight differently, and not everyone has the body type of a supermodel, but doesn’t mean you aren’t just as gorgeous.
- It takes time to lose (or gain) weight. Staring at the scale as it changes by one pound a week can be infuriating when it seems like you’ve been working your tail off. But the numbers aren’t what matters — it’s not you look and how you feel that makes the real difference.
- Accepting your shape is more important than having the body of J.Lo. Some people are born to have an hourglass shape. Some are more athletic. You can’t change your basic structure, you can only work with what you’ve got.
- Everyone has their own unique idea of health. Not everyone feels the need to run marathons, and eat vegan, organic, and gluten-free at all times. Your weight doesn’t necessarily always reflect how healthy you are, so it shouldn’t be your #1 concern.
- No one else notices that 10 extra pounds you can’t seem to lose (or gain). That 10 pounds you’re certain is the bane of your existence is a lot less important that you think it is. Forget the number and live your life. It you’re committed to staying healthy, it’ll come off eventually anyway.
- Confidence is sexy at any size. Being comfortable in your own skin is essential to your happiness, and therefore will affect the types of people you attract. You want to give off the vibe that you love yourself, no matter what, because then other people will have no reason not to love you too.
- You shouldn’t compare yourself to the number on someone else’s scale. Having a workout buddy is awesome, but be careful not to compare your weight to theirs. Make the competition about your 5K times instead of how many pounds you’re dropping. Because again, everyone’s different.
- Your happiness shouldn’t be based on how much you weigh. There’s a lot more to life than an arbitrary number on a scale that no one but you even sees. You’re the only one suffering if you let yourself get depressed because of a few unwanted pounds.
- You’ll always find something new to scrutinize. Even if you achieve your goal to go down a dress size, you’ll always find something else that isn’t right. Being happy with yourself is a lifelong thing, not just a goal to meet and then forget about. So stop obsessing over every little detail (like the 5 pounds you still need to lose), and start living a healthy lifestyle instead. The body you want will follow.
- Sometimes food just demands to be eaten. You don’t want to be that person that won’t even have a slice of cake at her own surprise birthday party because it’s too many calories. Food is all about balance, and indulging once in awhile isn’t the end of the world. It’s necessary.
- There’s plenty to worry about without adding your weight to the mix. Life is complicated, and there’s always something to worry about. Freaking out over your weight isn’t going to make life any easier. Do something to change it if that’s what you want, but don’t obsess. You can have the body you want, but let yourself off the hook with the number on the scale, and you’ll be a lot happier and healthier in the long run.
