weighing in

another blogger wrote this morning about how stepping on the scale every day affected her mood. if she found herself weighing even ONE pound over what she considered her "ideal weight," her mood and her self-image were affected ALL DAY.

wow. that's a lot of power to give one little number, but how many of us do the same? i grew up watching my mother weigh herself religiously every morning - and i do mean religiously. i started doing it just because i thought it was something people do. then i fell into the same trap as the blogger i read - if i happened to be even a pound or two over what *I* thought i "should" weigh, i worked out even harder and deprived myself even more. at times, i've ditched the scale and at times, i've found myself inevitably lured by its siren call.

so where do the Angels stand - scale or no scale?

the scale, say the Angels, is simply a tool - like a measuring cup or a serving spoon. you wouldn't banish all the spoons from your kitchen simply because you find yourself dishing out too much. if you realize you've given the scale and its number too much power - as the blogger and i did - then it's time to put it away.

on the other hand, you might find the scale a means to help you gauge your progress. if, for example, you have a medical reason to lose weight, and you find it reassuring to see the weight come off, then by all means use the scale. however, understand that weight loss is not slow and steady. many bodies tend to drop a few pounds, then seek an equilibrium. as a body seeks a new balance, one may see a see-sawing of weight in the other direction.


women are also affected by hormonal shifts. it is perfectly normal for some women to fluctuate between several dress sizes over the course of a month. understanding her own range of normal fluctuation will enable a woman to get on the scale at any time of the month and feel perfectly fine about the number. the Angels also recommend that we stop trying to fit into the same size clothing as our bodies ebb and flow. They suggest that instead of sloppy sweats for days when our bodies are fullest, we dress in clothing that flatters our rounder curves.

our bodies are not machines and they don't respond in mechanistic ways. women's bodies are particularly dynamic. learning to understand, appreciate and accept the natural rhythms of our bodies is paramount to loving and healing ourselves.