When Weight Matters Blog
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(561 words)
Losing Weight Is Not Just About The Numbers
Having worked in the field of weight management for nearly ten years I have observed that many people when wanting to lose weight have a number in their mind of how many kilos they would like to lose or what number of kilos they would like to be, or they feel they ought to be. They start out with some major expectation of what they are going to do and what they are going to achieve. Sometimes it is connected to the weight they used to be when they were a teenager. Sometimes someone has said to him or her "you need to lose X number of kilos". Sometimes it seems almost random. The trouble is, losing weight is complicated. Keeping weight off is even more complicated. Scales are helpful in certain cases and I get that we need some arbitrary measuring system but I have seen them destroy moods, and play havoc with self -esteem.
People stand on the scales each day awaiting the verdict with dread or jubilation. The number stares back at them and seems to shout "clever you" or "bad you". It's like they become a person's harshest critic and taskmaster.
And when they do say "clever you " what does that say about handing over our power and sense of self to a number that is totally connected to our body weight ? How about all the other amazing things that you may have done that day? Perhaps you were kind? Caring? Learnt something new? Had a lovely time with a family member or friend? These things do not register on the scales.
My concerns are that when we approach weight loss with these expectations we miss so many other important factors. A kilo here or there does not specify if this kilo is muscle or body fat. If you are kilo less than your goal weight according to the scales it can make people feel like they are failing. It makes people feel like they just need to try harder. They get locked in a battle of self-imposed frustration. What happens when they lose that kilo? Now they have to keep it off. This becomes another battle tending to have the potential to send people into the deprivation/ binge cycle. It also runs the risk of making us feel like nothing is ever quite good enough. All the focus goes on to how much weight you still want to lose rather than feeling good about how much you have already lost. And the weight loss industry LOVES us thinking this way because as long as we feel like a failure they can sell us yet another solution.
If we focused on how our blood pressure is, how strong we are feeling, if our blood sugars are stable, if we are sleeping well, if we know if we are hungry, if we are full, if we are content, if we are coping, if we are fitter, these too are great indicators of our wellbeing. Just 5% to 10% of body fat loss can bring about substantial and beneficial health changes regardless of your starting weight and is far less overwhelming process to contemplate.
If I had my way I would urge people to have a break from standing on the scales. Hide them, throw them away, use them to measure cooking ingredients but try not to stand on them.
Now I have great expectations………………
People stand on the scales each day awaiting the verdict with dread or jubilation. The number stares back at them and seems to shout "clever you" or "bad you". It's like they become a person's harshest critic and taskmaster.
And when they do say "clever you " what does that say about handing over our power and sense of self to a number that is totally connected to our body weight ? How about all the other amazing things that you may have done that day? Perhaps you were kind? Caring? Learnt something new? Had a lovely time with a family member or friend? These things do not register on the scales.
My concerns are that when we approach weight loss with these expectations we miss so many other important factors. A kilo here or there does not specify if this kilo is muscle or body fat. If you are kilo less than your goal weight according to the scales it can make people feel like they are failing. It makes people feel like they just need to try harder. They get locked in a battle of self-imposed frustration. What happens when they lose that kilo? Now they have to keep it off. This becomes another battle tending to have the potential to send people into the deprivation/ binge cycle. It also runs the risk of making us feel like nothing is ever quite good enough. All the focus goes on to how much weight you still want to lose rather than feeling good about how much you have already lost. And the weight loss industry LOVES us thinking this way because as long as we feel like a failure they can sell us yet another solution.
If we focused on how our blood pressure is, how strong we are feeling, if our blood sugars are stable, if we are sleeping well, if we know if we are hungry, if we are full, if we are content, if we are coping, if we are fitter, these too are great indicators of our wellbeing. Just 5% to 10% of body fat loss can bring about substantial and beneficial health changes regardless of your starting weight and is far less overwhelming process to contemplate.
If I had my way I would urge people to have a break from standing on the scales. Hide them, throw them away, use them to measure cooking ingredients but try not to stand on them.
Now I have great expectations………………
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