Smashing the Scale
I officially broke up with my scale.
For years, my bathroom scale dictated my mood, my confidence, and even how I approached my day. But as of today, our relationship is officially over.
Back in the fall, I decided to make a radical change in my health. I wanted to get stronger, lose weight, and most importantly not postpone this goal until January. Instead of letting it become a New Year's resolution—and then allowing myself to go off the rails over the holidays—I aimed to begin the new year feeling fit.
On September 1st, I hired “Coach Susan”—a trainer and nutritionist uniquely skilled in understanding physiology, psychology, and fitness. I didn't want to only drop a few pounds (which I'd done successfully several times, only to gain it all back). Nope.
This time, I wanted to change things for good.
During our first meeting, Coach Susan interviewed me for 90 minutes. She delved into understanding my habits—the good and the bad. She asked where I felt strong and where I faltered when it came to my health and wellness. I was candid, admitting to many bad habits I knew I needed to change.
One was nighttime snacking. Another was adding cheese to just about everything I ate. And then there was my unhealthy obsession with weighing myself on my bathroom scale too frequently.
My scale and I have had a dysfunctional relationship for decades. If I weighed in and the number was bad, I'd rein it in and cut back the snacks for a while. And if the number was good, I'd take it as a sign to splurge. It's no surprise that my weight hasn't varied much over 20 years. I was stuck.
Susan insisted I break the scale habit. She actually requested I throw the scale away. That seemed radical, so I hid it in my bathroom closet instead.
And there it stayed—until a month ago. I had been following my program, eating well, and cutting out almost all nighttime snacks. My clothes were fitting better—even my watch was looser. But I felt compelled to “quantify” my progress. Early one morning before hopping in the shower, I decided to pull the scale out of the closet. Just this once. Simply to check in. Not that the number on the scale mattered, but...
I opened the closet door and spotted the scale on the shelf. Susan's words echoed in my mind: "The scale is not a measurement of success. Trust yourself. You'll know the program is working; you don't need a scale to tell you." But I reached for it anyway.
As my fingers gripped the scale and pulled it off the shelf, fate intervened. It slipped from my hands and crashed onto the bathroom tile floor. I stood amidst a million pieces of glass. In that moment, I laughed out loud.
In an instant, I had officially broken up with my scale. My bad habit was shattered into a million little shards on the floor.
It's been almost a month and I haven't replaced it. It hasn’t been easy, but I am learning to trust myself and my decisions. I'm working out more because I love how I feel afterward—not because of what a number on my scale might say.
Even though I didn't plan for the scale to disappear, I feel like a breakthrough has been made. Obsessively weighing myself is a habit that I am leaving behind in 2024. The scale is not coming into the New Year.
Today is January 1st. Happy New Year!
Ask yourself: What habits from last year are you leaving behind? What isn't being invited into 2025? I recently posed this question to some people I coach, and here are a few of their answers:
"I'm leaving Diet Coke behind. I need to kick this habit."
"I'm leaving the snooze button behind. From now on, I'm getting up with my alarm. Period."
"I'm leaving procrastination behind."
"I'm leaving my unhappy marriage behind. I'm only taking loving relationships into the new year."
"I'm leaving alcohol behind. It no longer contributes to the person I want to be. January 1st marks the end of my drinking for good."
What about you? What habit(s) would you like to leave behind today to start this new year healthier, happier, and more disciplined?
Better yet, what good habits are you bringing into 2025? Are you going to keep closing your Apple Rings daily? Get in 10,000 steps a day? Not check work emails after 6 p.m. to focus on family instead?
Take this moment to make a list. Write down what are you leaving behind in 2024, and what are you bringing powerfully into 2025. Post the list where you can see it. Allow it to be a constant reminder that you're starting this year in a stronger and more intentional place. Together, let’s commit to making 2025 our proudest year yet.
This Month’s Resources to Save Time & Money
Want to make your New Years Resolutions stick?
Check out this article about the importance of writing down a specific goal, breaking it into smaller increments, and rewarding your good behavior. This is a proven method to approach New Year’s Resolutions and have them stick!
Ready to Organize Your Finances for 2025?
Let Rocket Money analyze your subscriptions, remind you of which ones you’re paying for— and which ones you might want to cancel for 2025. This app can get you organized and feeling like a grown-up! You might be shocked at the insights you learn and the money you save.
Cut Back on Social Media and Get Healthier!
Download the app ClearSpace. It’s a very simple concept: once you sign up, the app will intercept you before you excessively scroll through social media. Instead of clicking on Instagram or Facebook first, the app prompts you to either do some deep breathing, do 15 pushups, or squat for 60 seconds before you have access to it. It will really make you think twice— and maybe even increase your heart rate— before scrolling aimlessly. Let 2025 be the year you get some wasted time back!
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