HOW TO HEAL YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCALE

Let's chat about that dang scale. 

How many times have you felt really good about yourself and your fitness progress and then you hop on the scale and all those positive feelings turn to frustration? 

Do you feel like all of your hard work was for nothing? Do you sometimes want to give up? Have you even had thoughts like, "Why am I trying so hard if this isn't working?" 

I'm here to help you heal your relationship with the scale so it never has the power to make you feel like a failure ever again.  

WHY WOMEN STRUGGLE WITH THE SCALE

We have so much pressure to put our worth on that silly little number on the scale. 

As a woman, you may have a deep-rooted emotional connection to whatever that number says, and feel pressured to react. If that number is higher than expected, do you consider not eating as much the next day or deciding to add more cardio?

What about when you have been feeling really good about yourself and your healthy habits and then you hop on the scale and that number hasn't moved? Do you instantly start feeling bad about yourself, and discouraged all because of that little number?

Usually, when we get on the scale, we give way too much power to whatever it says. It's so important to know that that number on the scale is not actually the best indicator for if you're making progress.

MORE RELIABLE WAYS TO TRACK PROGRESS

There are way better ways to focus on your progress and success. These measurements account for the muscle you build, and other factors that are better indicators than the scale.

How to Measure Success

• Track your daily habits
• Track your measurements
• Notice how you fit in your clothes
• Celebrate strength gains
• Pat yourself on the back for improved cardio

 Related: Best Ways to Define Success 

GET RID OF YOUR "GOAL" WEIGHT

If you’re like a lot of women, you may have an idealistic number for weight in their head. For example, a client will come to me and say, "I want to weigh 125 pounds." 

When asked why that specific number is so important to them, it’s usually because they felt confident at that number, or that’s what they weighed in high school or pre-baby.I immediately tell them to throw that goal number out the window and focus on how you want to look and feel. 

Think about your goal body fat percentage. It’s possible that you'll look better at 130 pounds than you did at 125. If you are so set on a specific number, you might not ever be able to achieve that dream body because you are so scared of weighing five pounds more. No one knows how much you weigh, so it shouldn't matter, right?

WEIGHT FLUCTUATION

Does your weight fluctuate day to day? Some days you may wake up and weigh three pounds more than you did the day before. You might think, "Oh my gosh, I gained three pounds overweight." 

Don’t worry because it’s impossible for you to gain three pounds of fat overnight. One pound is 3,500 calories. Unless you're eating 3,500 calories three times over, there is no way that you gained three pounds of fat overnight. 

Those extra pounds are most likely water weight. Water weight can happen for a few different reasons:

• If you recently had a cheat meal, then your body has extra glucose. Every cell that has extra glucose is going to retain more water. You can just go back to eating the healthy, normal way that you eat, and that water weight should fall off in a day or two. 
• You may notice that you’ve gained a few pounds on your period. This is a hormonal shift. Some people gain up to four pounds on their period while eating healthily. Your hormones are shifting. Your body is retaining a lot more water than it normally does, and that's where the weight is coming from. 
• Heavy lifting can also cause that scale to jump up a few pounds. When you do a really heavy workout, you actually make small tears in your muscle fibers which causes your body to recruit and retain water in the cells to build and repair more quickly. If you lift heavy, expect to have one or two pounds of water weight the next day. It will fall off. Your body's amazing and it's doing what it's meant to do.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL

Anytime you have anxiety around a situation, it's because you're trying to control something that you can't always control. You can't always control the number on the scale. You have to let that go. 

Instead, I want you to focus on the things that you can control:

• Daily habits
• Nutrition
• Workouts
• Mentality around food
• How you see your body
• Mental health: meditating, focusing on your daily mental wins. 

If you ever feel like you are failing or if you feel like your progress isn't quick enough, remember that if you are hitting all of your daily goals and mental wins, then you are being successful. Keeping this in mind is so important - it will totally change your energy.

Another thing that you do have control over that you can focus on is your relationship with your food. That's everything. Focus on the input instead of the output, and that will help your relationship with the scale.

Related: Finding Success in Progress

KNOW YOUR WORTH

If you have a solid foundation of your worth and who you are, then the scale starts losing its power. If you know that you are more than that little number, you'll start to see yourself as this powerful creator of your life. You can focus on all the things you love about yourself instead of the scale number. 

Need help transforming from the inside out? BodyByBree programs provide education, plans, and accountability to help you reach your goals.

I'm a mom of 4 and have been a certified personal trainer with specialties in pre- and postnatal fitness for 13 years. I'm also a certified nutrition specialist and certified meditation and mindfulness coach.

I am passionate about helping women change their lifestyles to be the healthiest, happiest versions of themselves and I've seen it happen for thousands of women.

I'm glad you're here!

SIGN ME UP

Community. We are a team and community of women committed to the creating the best in each other and ourselves. We lift, encourage, invite, and educate.

Movement. We know that moving your body makes your feel good and function better! Let use help you gain confidence and strength in your body.

Nutrition. Health starts from the inside out. We believe that balance and sustainability are best practices for achieving success in a healthy relationship with food.

Mindset. In focusing on your holistic health, we know the powerful effect mindset has your health and wellness. Learn techniques and practices to that ground you in habits for overall well-being.

LISTEN UP

GET THE GOOD STUFF

Want to learn how to make new habits stick?

Spend a month with certified Behavioral Change Specialist BreeAnna Cox and Life Coach Jaime Gordon learning how to create lasting change in your life. Includes a FREE interactive PDF with a month of exercises, resources, and guidance.

Looking for a holistic approach to wellness?

Our 8 Week Programs were developed over years to make sure you are getting the best trainning physically and mentally to ensure your success now and in the future!

Need support healing your gut as well?

The BodyByBree Digestive Enzymes and Probiotic were designed to work together in creating and supporting a healthy gut.