Obsession With The Scale

Hello all! :)

For the first week on Medifast, I started weighing every day. During that first week, you lose so much water weight so quickly (I lost 8.2 pounds in 7 days), that stepping on the scale is REALLY encouraging. The first week is the toughest (especially the first 3 days), so when you're ill, have the shakes, and generally feel like doo doo, hopping on the scale to see another few pounds gone helps those symptoms to be worth while.

That being said...my scale number hasn't moved in several days. I've been on plan, drinking my water, feeling lighter, feeling healthier, more energized...but every morning, I step on that scale, and it doesn't "reflect" my feelings of accomplishments. First of all, it doesn't stop on a number...so I'm thinking I may need to put it in a more level location. But, I find myself each morning stepping on it 18 times hoping that THIS time it will stop and it'll be on a number that reflects how I feel. So, I start with "maybe I need to move it", "maybe I'm eating too much", "maybe...". In the middle of all of that, I was like...wait. Whoa. Scale obsessed much?

I'm doing all of my "healthy checks" such as eating my medifast meals, eating my lean and green, drinking my water, and as a result, I know that I'm feeling like a million bucks. But I'm seriously obsessing over that scale, and it's got to stop. If I don't stop, I know me. I know that I'll go "well I'm not losing weight, so screw it." It's ridiculous. Living and dying by that number is driving me nuts.

One of my very good friends and I were discussing this today (as we both struggle with it) and we decided to set "weigh days" once a month. We made a pact that unless it's "weigh day"...you keep your rump off that scale. The reason I weigh daily is that I'm constantly looking for that concrete affirmation that "yes, what you did yesterday worked." I want to be able to say "by having a hot tea with splenda instead of a sugary coffee drink at Journey group last night and by watching my portions, and by drinking my water yesterday...I'm down a pound." But...sometimes it just doesn't show up that quickly!

I feel like this carries over in other areas of my life. I want to see some sort of "proof" that the work I'm doing is going to pay out. But, sometimes it isn't there. Sometimes I simply have to follow God and trust that if I'm following Him and I'm doing what He has for me, He will reward me with a blessing. Matthew 6:33 tells me that If I seek the kingdom of God first and HIS righteousness, all of "these things" will be added unto me. I know that God's will for my life right now is to eat healthy foods to fuel my body, drink water to hydrate and cleanse my body, and exercise my body to burn off some of the fat that I've stored through my lifelong struggle with gluttony. He wants me to take the steps necessary to rid myself of the consequences of sin. He wants these things because they concatonate themselves in my repentance from gluttony. So...I've got to believe that if I seek these things first because they're what God's called me to..."all these things"...will be added unto me. Scale numbers will drop. Pants will get loose. People will start to notice and compliment me on my progress. My physical stamina will increase. I will reach my lofty weight loss goals.

Monitoring that scale day in and day out is like micromanaging God. Every morning..."What about now, God? I was good yesterday, God. How about now? What about today?" I know that when I'm micromanaged...it really irritates me. It makes me feel like someone doesn't trust me to do what I said I'd do and do it right. So, today, I'm stopping that. I will not be stepping on the scale until Wednesday, November 14th. That is mine and J's first "Weigh Day." After that, we won't weigh again until December 15th (30 days from the last one). In that time, I'm going to have to obtain my daily assurance from the following questions:

1. Did I stick to my MediFast plan today?
2. Did I drink half my weight in ounces of water today?
3. Did I get at least 30 minutes of cardio in today?
4. Did I spend my quality time with God today?

Those are the things right now that I feel God has called me to in order to reach my goal of health. So, as long as I'm seeking those things and His presence...I believe that He will reward me with the numbers. Of course, my goals will be slightly modified for Thanksgiving week and Christmas/Birthday week. I do plan on setting goals for those weeks so that while I do splurge, I will be doing a controlled splurge...not just free wheeling. But, more to come on that when we get closer to it.

I've got my daily checklist on my phone and I'm checking accomplishments off! Here's to freedom from the scale for a few days!