Written by: Admin_SheEvo
We’ve all been there. Somehow somewhere you find yourself in a bathroom standing on a scale feeling like your world is imploding. Despite what you may actually look and feel like. Standing on a scale and measuring your weight is one of those things many of us (especially us women) have come to dread. Because no matter how good we feel, or how “good” we have been. A little number on a scale can turn our world upside down.
Growing up we had a scale in our bathroom. Which looking back today was strange as my mother was not a weight obsessed person, or at least not with me. In our house, eating was good. And as long as you felt good you were in the clear. All this despite the fact that in my school and even in my classroom, I was always one of the more curvier kids. But because my mother never made a big deal of it, I didn’t either. This was not until I moved out of home and I met new friends in a new city at University where weight was EVERYTHING.
I was obsessed not only with how I looked, but also how much I weighed. Irrespective of where you live. you probably have heard of the “first year spread” or “freshman fifteen”. Or some other term used to describe the weight many students gain when entering university.
It is like a pandemic that you just cant get away from no matter how good your self image is or was. For me this meant that the scale which I had used on occasion at home as a sort of rough guide. Now became my bible. The thing that dictated how much I ate, drank or even worked out. The scale came to represent a place of fear for me. And a place where I judged myself the most.
It wasn’t until I left university and I grew up that weight and scales started to lose their hold on me. No longer was I obsessively weighing myself or on some sort of diet. Instead I started to focus on how I felt. How my mind body and clothes felt on me. All with the clear understanding that when ever and if ever I felt out of sorts. Only I had the power to change that in what ever way I saw fit. For me this has meant working out, going for walks and adopting a fairly healthy lifestyle. I use the term fairly as what I eat is largely dictated by my mood.
As a foodie, I am often in search for new foods and flavors to inspire and excite me. Which is why dieting has never really felt like an option for me. What I have learnt over the years however is that with some research, trial and error. Healthy food can also be tasty and delicious. And whilst my 16 year old self would never believe it today. Eating lots of fruit and vegetables nowadays is an integral part of staying the kind of healthy that I like and am proud of. I no longer obsess about some number on a scale, or look to others to tell me what I should look like. And whilst it has taken me MANY MANY years to get to this point. It is a point and place I feel passionate about. Not only for myself but also all my friends and family.
Because at the end of the day, the only thing that truly matters is how YOU feel. Which is why I implore you to ditch the scale and focus your energy inwards. It may take some time but you will know when you feel good and when you don’t. And if ever you feel like your weight is a cause for concern find a doctor, therapist or specialist to help guide you down a path you are comfortable with.
