I weigh myself most mornings, which is a good or bad practice, depending on whose advice you listen to. It’s generally helpful for me. Over the last couple years, as I’ve lost lots of weight, I’ve recorded it whenever I reached a lower number. Of course with the daily fluctuations that we all have it might not stay at that lower number, but I just didn’t record the increase. It might go up for a few days…it might go down. Over time the trend was always down. If seeing these daily fluctuations cause stress, then a daily weigh-in is not for you.
Last week my body seemed to be melting away the pounds.
Monday: 169.4
Tuesday: 168.2
Thursday: 167.4
Friday: 166.6
Saturday: 166
That’s a weight loss of 3.4 pounds! Wow! And totally unrealistic! But part of me was whoohoo…at this rate I’ll get down to my best racing weight in no time at all.
Then Sunday came. Sunday with Father’s Day. Sunday with a family BBQ and appetizers and margaritas and dessert. I sat away from the appetizer table which means I ate less than years past. I filled my margarita glass with water between drinks…and didn’t have that much. I took less food than I have at previous family gatherings. I only sampled the dessert. At the end of the BBQ I was full…but not stuffed and that felt good.
I got on the scale this morning and seemed to erase all of last week, checking in at 169.6 – a weight gain of .2 for the week. Hmmm. I would certainly not have recorded this weight except that I chose to make myself accountable on this blog. My % body fat went down a very small fraction, so there’s that!
Here is where wisdom gained through experience is so helpful (and hopefully is helpful for you too).

  • I know that I didn’t gain 3+ pounds in one day! Nor did I really lose that much over the course of last week. It is somewhere in the middle and will eventually be reflected on the scale. If you are trying to lose weight, don’t be discouraged by “a bad day,” just continue on in your healthy choices.
  • Self worth is not reflected in a number on the scale. Don’t allow your weight (whatever it is) to be anything other than a measurement. Your true worth is reflected in the truth that you are a beloved child of God and are worthy.
  • Participating in life is a good thing…and that means family parties. It’s ok to not deprive yourself of “celebration food and drink.” You have the freedom to indulge, just as you have the freedom to resume your healthy eating and exercising habits as soon as the party is over.

And my last thought… I went to a strength training class this morning, followed by a nice little run along the beach. Both were easy…both felt great and both remind me that the ability to move is so much more important than a number on a scale.