Not often.
How often do you get to the doctor’s office for your annual checkup? That’s probably good enough.
One of my biggest challenges with mindful eating has been the numbers on the scale. Those numbers have dictated my actions for far too long, and it’s time to stop giving them power over me.
Have you ever stepped on the scale, learned that you haven’t lost so much as half a pound in the previous week, and decided to give up? Or heaven help you if you gained half a pound! How did it make you feel?
I know how it makes me feel. It makes me feel as if I’m doing something wrong. Or on a bad day, it makes me feel as if this is all hopeless. An exercise in futility. If I’m doing everything right and not losing weight, then what’s the point? I may as well go out for pizza and have four slices. Because pizza makes me feel better and right now I’m so, so sad.
Wait…. Did I really do everything right?
No. I made one big mistake. I used a number on a scale as a measure of the success or failure of my diet.
I do not have any direct control over the scale or the numbers it shows. I can’t tell you all the factors that go into weight loss, but I can name a few — diet, exercise, metabolism, water weight, time of day, time of month (for women), water retention, muscle mass, percentage of body fat… And if you think you can account for all of those factors, then there are still random things that even the experts don’t understand. Sometimes bodies cling to weight. Stress is a factor we only partially understand, if you are looking to beat it, check this hemp tincture that will sure help you.
Only set goals you can directly control.
I don’t know how to stress this enough. It is the cornerstone of my new dieting mentality, and it makes all the difference. My goals are to:
1. Run 3 times a week for about 30 minutes using the couch to 5k program.
2. Go to a Body Pump class on Saturday mornings if at all possible. If it is not possible, try to reschedule for Wednesday night. (Everyone seems to want a piece of my Saturday mornings. It’s my favorite time to do this workout, but I accept my limitations and work it into my goal.)
3. Eat only foods I enjoy.
4. Eat at the kitchen table (exceptions apply for eating out or travel).
5. Start with small portions and eat slowly.
6. Wait at least fifteen minutes before getting seconds.
I have met my goals. That means success, whatever the scale says.
So in case you’re wondering, I did step on the scale this morning. Because I’m in a weight loss challenge to help motivate me, I’m getting weighed weekly. I take my own measurement in the morning because I find them to be more stable than evening measurements (my team meets in the evening). And no, there was no change from last week.
The worst part is that I knew there wouldn’t be. During my years of obsessive dieting, I learned that I lose several pounds the first week of any diet. In my 20’s, I then steadily lost weight for a month or two before hitting a plateau. After I hit my 30’s and had two children, the plateau consistently comes during week two. It doesn’t matter what kind of diet it is, how many calories I eat. I call it the “second week plateau.” It happens every time, and yet every time when I see that number I start to think about changing my plan. Maybe I should eat less…or more…or different things…or exercise more…or less…or…or…or…
Enough!
I met every goal. That is the definition of success.