The Scale Doesn't Call You Beautiful
80
The evil called average
There once was an average girl. She had an average family and an average life.
One average morning, this average girl woke up from her average night of dreams. She jumped out of her average bed and ran down to the average bathroom. She looked down at the average scale and stepped on. Then she smiled. Her smile was big and not so average.
She ran out of the average bathroom to grab the average phone and call her friend, who was also average. She had news and she couldn’t wait to share. She had lost a pound from the day before.
According to Kalvin C. Chinyere, M.D., who wrote an article called “Fat America,” 17 percent of American children in today’s society are overweight. According to the National Institute of Health, 66 percent of American adults are overweight.
Those are some scary numbers, but what has stemmed from those numbers is a society obsessed with losing weight. Everywhere you turn there is books, magazine articles, and new fitness and diet fads popping up. It is no mystery as to why girls and women, or people in general, become obsessed with the numbers on the scale.
The average girl was in sixth grade. She was obsessed with the numbers on the scale. The sixth grade years are tough times. resulting in the beginning transformation from child to little adults. The are finally growing into their bodies; the baby fat is starting to disappear; they are starting to turn into young women or men.
What once was thought of as baby fat, is now just considered fat. What was once so easy to get dressed in the morning, turns into adding extra underclothes. If you don’t have one, you don’t fit in; if you have one, you are ruthlessly teased.
Self esteem issues start to develop. Maybe you just aren't pretty enough. Maybe the girls are tough on you and call you fat. You don’t have the name brand clothes to be considered popular. This average girl was me, and at that young age, I was obsessed with the scale. I was obsessed and struggled with being good enough to be accepted.
"Being obsessed with the numbers will only hinder your success!"
The Dangers of the Scale
The scale can be dangerous. Whether you are young or old, you can easily fall victim to everything it says. Old school scales are the worst for this. They only told you the numbers; the dreaded number of how much you weighed. Now-a-days, scales have gotten better. They can calculate not only the weight, but the body fat percentage as well. Some may also go as far to tell you the muscle percentage and the hydration levels. However, even with all those numbers, there is only one number that is being focused on - the number of your weight.
The numbers will often fluctuate. That means in a 24 hour period, you can potentially gain (or lose) up to 5 pounds. The problem is, that 5 pounds might not be actual weight gained, but psychologically, that 5 pounds might be the worse thing you have ever seen.
So why does the weight fluctuate so much. If you just ate, the meal itself has a weight to it. That might contribute to a few extra pounds until it is digested and leaves your body. Water is also a culprit. If you drink a few glasses of water you might see an initial gain, but if you don’t drink enough, your body will retain the water. If you eat a lot of high sodium foods, your body will also hold onto the water.
Mostly though, the scale is nothing more than a liar. If you have been exercising, chances are good you are building your muscles. This means you might actually gain weight, which is the exact opposite of what you are trying to do, which is lose weight. The scale will never tell you that, just like it will never tell you that you are beautiful!
How about you...
What do you think of the scale
See results without votingSee the scale for what it is...
The scale can be dangerous. It is easily obsessed over because most people can’t look beyond the numbers. Yet the numbers are concrete. They are black and white. They can not be smudged. It isn’t like a tape measure where you can lose a couple of inches by sucking in your stomach or just pulling a little tighter. (Besides, who is paying attention if you are holding it so tight you are turning blue in the face. As long as the inches go down! Unfortunately that also means you are lying to yourself!)
Some people love the scale. They think it is the perfect device to keep them in check. If they see the weight is on the rise, they automatically scale back their bad eating habits or do a exercise a little more to put them back in check.
Others hate the scale. They hate it because it lowers self esteem, whether it is because of someone they love being obesessed with the scale or them. They hate it because it doesn’t tell them anything they don't already know. They know where they stand based off of what they see in the mirror or how their clothes fit.
But we need to start looking at the scale in a whole different light. We need to see it for what it truly is. It is a tool. Nothing more than that. It shouldn’t be something that improves our mood, or makes our whole day go bad. It shouldn’t effect our self esteem. It is a measuring device - and no different than the measuring cups you hold in your cabinet. You wouldn’t cry because suddenly you had to upgrade from a ½ cup to a 1 cup measuring tool during a recipe, so why should be cry when we see an increase in our weight because of a little extra water or throw a party when we see a decrease?
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 | The tape measure goes hand in hand with the scale. Without it, you will not see true readings. Amazon Price: $4.98 List Price: $9.37 |
 | Be happy with who you are. The numbers on the scale isn't all that matters. Amazon Price: $7.50 List Price: $14.95 |
How to properly use the scale
The scale is a measurement tool, and to use it properly you are going to want to keep track of all the data. As well as using the scale, it is a good idea to also use a tape measure to record the measurements from various aspects of the body. Using both will help you determine whether you are in a healthy range or letting yourself go.
It is important to keep things consistent. You should try to always weigh yourself at the same time each day or week. If you must use the scale, I recommend limiting it to a weekly basis just because the numbers can fluctuate so much throughout the week. Anything more than that can lead to an obsessive behavior.
You should also weigh yourself with the same outfit each time. Obviously if you are weighing yourself in the comfort of your own home you can do it in the buff, however, in the gym people might look poorly at you if you are jumping on the scale in your birthday suit. Just stay consistent so there is never a question as to whether the weight is from you or your clothes.
You should also stay away from weighing yourself after your workout. If you weigh yourself after you workout your muscles will be pumped full of blood. This will adversely affect the number on the scale and could lead to disappointment.
The main idea behind using the scale is to keep things consistent. You want to try to keep any variables out of questionable doubt. If you weigh yourself after breakfast, the obsessed person will only suggest the weight gain was from their food to make themselves feel better. As long as things stay consistent, the scale can be an invaluable resource for marking your successes.
Measuring your successes
If you must using the scale, a journal is vital to recording your results. If your scale has the option, make sure to track body fat percentage and muscle mass as well. If you really want to get all the numbers, you can even look up and measure your Body Mass Index (even though I believe BMI to be a joke - it will always be higher on those more muscular!) Then you are ready to take measurements of your body.
In the perfect world there would always be someone to measure us. However, that is usually not the case, so it is best you just learn to measure yourself. You can choose which areas you want to measure, but for my purposes, I measure these parts each and every week.
- Arms - Both right and left (because they are not the same size on everybody!) Measure the fullest part of your bicep, when not flexed!
- Chest - This is your ribcage area. When people measure the chest area, this is usually what they go for.
- Breast - This is around the fullest part of your breast. This is something majority don’t measure. I do it because these are usually the first to go once you start losing weight.
- Waist - This is the indention part of your waist. For the most part, it will be about 2 inches above your belly button. This is not were jeans sit on everybody so be sure to measure the right part!
- Hips - This is the fullest part of your body. The measurement should come around the middle of your butt and just above the pubic bone area.
- Thighs - Again, measure both right and left. From your inner thigh, this will be about 2 inches down. This is also the fullest part of your thigh.
Note: This is how I measure myself, but there are many other ways to measure. The key is to stay consistent.
You want to be sure you are measuring each part every time and you are in the same spot every time. Moving down even a quarter of an inch can drastically change your results.
When measuring yourself, you should also be aware of the slack (or lack of slack) in the tape measure. The tape measure should never be so tight to cause fat rolls over the top, but it shouldn’t be so loose that it won’t stay in place either. You should also make sure the tape measure is not twisted.
Make sure to keep all your measurements together. I suggest using a notebook just for your measurements. This makes it easy to compare from week to week. You can also keep track of whether or not the measurements have stayed the same, gone down, or increased.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Finally, make sure you take pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words. This is only necessary if you are embarking on a fitness or weight loss journey. If you just track your weight to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand, pictures are not necessary.
When you see yourself on a daily basis, you might not notice the difference in how your body looks. Let’s just say, you get used to what you have been seeing. The only way to really see the difference is to take a before and after picture. You can do this at 30 day increments or whatever you choose. The key is to wear the same outfit each time. Switching your clothes might make it harder to see. You also want to wear something revealing. Wearing baggy clothes will defeat the purpose. I suggest wearing either workout clothes or a bathing suit.
Taking the first picture will be difficult, but when you see results it will be worth the embarrassment. Who knows, the embarrassment might even keep you from reverting back to old ways. The picture will also prove to be an invaluable tool when it comes to your successes.
"Someone out there loves you regardless of your size; regardless of the number on the scale. It truly is what is on the inside that counts. You are beautiful!"
Get ready for more...
Here are some further articles I suggest reading... Enjoy
Bring It: P90X personal journey - This is an ongoing series of my own personal journey to get healthy. This is what was the original inspiration for "The Scale Doesn't Call You Beautiful."
Our Relationship of Weight With Scale - Weight is a big issue around the world. Can you keep your emotions in check when it comes to the numbers on the scale.
Look Good - Feel Great - It doesn't matter the number on the scale. If you take the time to care for yourself, you will not only look good, but increase your self-esteem.
Reality Check - You're Fat - Are you on a weight rollercoaster? Are you blinded by what your really see. Maybe it is time for a reality check.
Open up and say Ahhhh
You are beautiful....
For me, thinking positively about the numbers displayed on the scale is a hard thing to do. As a child I was obsessed with the numbers. As a teenager I also obsessed over the numbers and as an adult… you got it… I still obsess over the numbers. I could tell you at any point during my life about how much I weighed. Yes, I checked in with the scale that often. I have often found if my scale broke, I would immediately rush out to get another one. I had to have it around… I needed to keep an eye on the numbers.
Recently I have been in another health kick. I have been on my own personal journey with P90X. Knowing how difficult of a program P90X was, I expected the weight to just suddenly melt off. After all, it wasn’t as if I didn’t have the fat to lose. After a few weeks I was getting discouraged. The pounds were coming off, but they were taking there sweet time doing it. That is when I realized I was reverting to old habits again. I was starting to get obsessed with the numbers. I needed to take a step back and think of the scale the way it was meant to be… as a tool.
The scale doesn’t tell you everything you need to know. Sure, it will give you your weight, but unless you read further into the information, you will never know how much weight is muscle, water or fat. Even with the best of the digital scales out there, the numbers can be off. If your body is not well hydrated, it will show your body fat percentage higher than it should be. Most normal people will not be able to interpret these numbers properly to see the truth.
Most importantly, the scale does not tell you you’re beautiful. When people start becoming obsessed with the numbers, they start finding their self esteem slipping. If they are in a health kick, this can be the worst thing for them, because suddenly all their hard work just doesn’t feel like it is paying off. Remember, if you are doing something to change yourself for the better, you very well could be blinded.
We have a tendency to look at things with sunglasses on. We don’t see what is truly in front of us. From personal experience, I have lived life with blinders on. When I was a teenager, I always thought I was fat. I look back at pictures now and realize how wrong I was. I was healthy. As an adult, I have been on the rollercoaster of weight. When I put on weight, I never seem to see it. When I finally do, I try to lose it. If I am successful, I don’t see it either.
Getting caught up in the results and the numbers is not good for you. If you become too obsessed, it might actually hinder your success. You need to base your results off how you feel. And regardless, remember someone out there loves you and your size doesn't matter to them or the number on the scale. It is truly what is on the inside that counts. You are beautiful!
If you have lived a good life and have treated others with the respect they deserve, that is what matters. Long after we are all gone, that is what people will be talking about. Chances are high there will be no mention about the numbers on the scale or the size of the clothes. There will only be mention of how great of a person you are.
So next time you are staring at the numbers on the scale, think of it in terms of the big picture. Are you the best person you can be? If you are, maybe a new scale should be invented… one that tells you how beautiful you really are.
You are Beautiful
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Outstanding BBG! Beautifully written and to the point! I used to have a love/hate relationship with my scale but we have finally come to an understanding. It's purpose is to help me maintain my weight and I will no longer curse it out if it gives me the wrong number:))
This was amazing... a bit longer than I expected, but absolutely wonderful. You hit all of the points about the scale and you say them in a very honest and heartfelt way. Very interesting and well written hub. Now I can't say all that I would like to because I have to leave for work, but remember your own advice and don't let the scales be more than they are... just a tool. :-)
Hi, I loved this one and I must admit that I also have a love/hate relationship.
However I have conquered my problem!!!
I don't go near them anymore,not the ideal situation I know but it will do me for now.
Thanks for this one and enjoy your day.
Eddy.
With me the scale can alter my mood. I try to weigh myself once a week but curiosity gets the better of me and I end up getting on the scale more often that I should. But I make it a habit to weigh myself at the same time of day each time.
This hub was fantastic! Now I need to go and catch up on your 90 day challenge hubs.
@Melovy - It definately is an interesting perspective. If you compare it to watching a clock, it makes perfect sense. Time stands still while you watch it, I guess the scale is the same way.
Thanks for the link - I will check it out! :)
@Sunshine - Well said. Coming to a agreement with your scale is important. I too am trying to come to that agreement. Somedays it is nicer than others, but I try to forgive now so it doesn't make my mood bad! :)
@Myth - My disappointment with the scale is purely the inspiration for this hub! So, to honor the fact that I have finally come to that realization, I also featured the scale in this hub. I figured if it hit stardome or something, maybe it would be a lot nicer to me than I have been. But I do understand it's cranky nature. I would be cranky too if someone was always stepping on my back ;)
@Eiddwen - There are too many people out there that have that love hate relationship. As long as you come to terms with it is what is really important. When i am not on a health kick, I hardly ever see my scale. Unfortunatly, because I currently am on one it has been something that I go on a weekly date with. I try to keep it at once a week so I don't start getting obsessed. It is just too easy otherwise.
@Just Ask Susan - Thanks so much. I truly felt this is by far one of my better pieces. There is a lot of truth in it, but I fear there are way too many people that can relate!
Loved it Stacy! I love the photos and the message.
Now you know I don't own one:-) I hate them. I have 3 daughters and weight obsessions are not allowed! Lol. Really, keeping the no scale is my experiment to see if they aren't constantly using that as a measuring stick of how 'good' they are.
It really is one of those things that some need (say a person is sick and you've got to keep the weight up ?) but personally, I found my girl giving it too much credibility. It made her cry so I blew it to smithereens!! Lol
The only thing a scale should be used for is to calculate how much medication a body needs for a therapeutic dose.
It's quite possible to be fit and fat. And you never know if a person has just lost 50 on their way to health. So don't make fun of fat people.
And always remember - Don't feed the fat people! Quit using food as a reward. It's just fuel.
@Real - Our conversations helped stem this article. I know you mentioned how obsessed your kids have become over this and when we are talking children, it is definately a great thing to keep out of the house. My 9 year old jumped on the Wii Fit a couple weeks ago. I love the game but I wish they didn't have the weighing option for kids. Well, since she grew in height and weight, but her height was not changed, it told her she was obese. I thought she was going to have a heart attack. I just hope my kids learn it is better to be healthy, happy and comfortable with yourself then a stick figure. I think they are learning good though. They see me exercising frequently and they have actually started joining in occasionally. That is the way to do it... start moving and the rest will come naturally! :)
@AustinStar - That is some great advice... first off, we want to drug people up correctly - so we definately need the scale for that. Second off, if we don't know there story we should never judge. Who knows if they have already lost 100 pounds and are super conscious of where they stand. And thirdly, food is a trigger food. Feeding the fat people will only cause you to lose a hand. It is like a tiger. It will keep all people safe if we just don't reach our hand out with a chocolate chip cookie! :)
BBG - yeah we have talked about this a lot. I am so sorry that your girl saw that on WII - that is so dumb to have on a game at all! I can just picture the looks she made! Omg! Well at least you're sensitive to her needs and you explained it was nonsense.
Austin - great point! Not giving food as a reward....i don't call it that but when I say "you finished supper yes you can have a cookie" that is a reward really. Food for thought! I may have to restructure on that one:)
Up and everything.
@Real - She understood the reason after I explained it. I just wish there was a setting to turn it off for some profiles... For me - I like it - but I am an adult and coordinated enough to do the moves. After all, I want to see my Wii Fit age. However, I am always younger than the kids because I have years of experience with my coordination! LOL But I am just glad I was hear when she saw it. Abby is going to be the sensitive one anyway. And I think she was equally surprised because of how skinny she knows she is. Man - we can barely find pants that stay on her butt! LOL
Right! I know! So it would have been like me standing on it and it saying I was obese:). I would have stomped it:) haha!
There does seem to be character traits that are exact opposites in my girls - I'm amazed they were raised by the same two people!
Ha ha - that is why it is a 50 - 50 ... it makes it so no one is the same... I probably wouldn't have stomped on it.. The Wii Fit board is a bit pricey. However, I can say that I probably would have cried a little, constructed up a fake board out of cardboard and then stomped it! LOL
I don't even own scales. I know if I've gained or lost by how my jeans fit. You really did a lot of research and work on this Hub. I voted it UP, etc.etc.
@Mary - The way your clothes fit is a great way to tell how you are doing. I have a bad habit of blaming the increase on size in the brand so sometimes I don't pay attention to it. Glad you enjoyed it!
BB girl, thanks for getting into a subject that can hold so much anxiety for so many. It was a good point to mention that the scale has to be carefully used so that it does not effect ones self=esteem. We are obsessed about these things, when most of the models we try to emulate have bodies from PhotoShop. The goals are unattainable, those that promote this stuff know this. It feeds a multi-billion dollar industry feeding on our insecurities, "are we good enough"? While we control our diet and level of activity, there is a lot of it that is genetic and cannot be changed. To a certain extent we have to learn to accept ourselves, although not perfect according to some artificial standard. Great article Cred2
@Cred2 - You are so correct. Weight loss as a whole is such a big money maker. They have different groups to join for a pretty penny, new cook books, fad diets, new gear. Everywhere we turn, there is something we need to get in shape and lose weight - and we all feel we need it! Now I don't think getting healthy is a bad thing - but we do need to learn to accept ourselves and take these tools with a grain of salt. Only then can we truly be successful. I just wish these advertisers that give us these models would use normal people. I think they should be banned from using the anorexic models. It would be a win win for everybody!
Thanks for your great comment!
What a great hub BBG! I didn't know about not weighing yourself after a workout. Interesting.
Good point about weighing yourself during the same time each day and whilke wearing the same clothes (or nothing at all). People tend to be lighter in the mmorning, because we do burn calories at night. This can give a false reading.
Something people often forget is that you can be overweight and happy. My concerns are for health when it comes to weight. You can be healthy and have 30-75 extra pounds and more. Look at linemen in the NFL. They could run circles around most people when it comes to endurance. Being healthy doesn't mean being skinny.
@Daffy Duck - You are absolutely right and I absolutley love that you said that. Being healthy doesn't mean skinny necesarily. I have seen so many "skinny" people that were weak and unhealthy compared to others who have a little extra body weight. It is also important to know that the weight means very little because muscle does weigh more than fat. I remember when I went into the military... I weighed in at 150 pounds.. when I finished basic... I weighed in at 150 pounds. Others completely changed their body composition, changing fat into muscle. It seemed to me... I went in pretty darn healthy. People often times overlook that! :)
Thanks for such a great comment!
Great hub BBG,
Well written, lots of detail and very informative. I don't keep my scale in the bathroom upstairs anymore. It's in the basement, right next to the shower. That way when I do weigh myself, I have nothing on and it's usually a good thing. I have recently lost over 20 lbs. with all the stress in my life. But the cool thing is, which is usually not the case, is that I have kept it off now for almost two months. Whoo hooo! It's much harder as we get older. So I am so excited that it seems my body has at least found a new, lighter plateau.
Sharyn
@Sharyn - Way to go!!! That is awesome that you have been able to keep it off. Since we moved into our new house I have lost almost 20 pounds... 10 of which has been since starting P90X. It truly is a great feeling. It is funny though because I can actually feel myself lighter. So the other day I jumped on the scale to check and I was about a pound lighter. Now granted... it could be water weight, but it still feels good nonetheless!
Glad you enjoyed this. It was kind of an emotional piece to write since I have always found myself so obsessed with the scale. Now, my scale is in the downstairs bathroom. For me to weigh myself I have to leave the comfort of my bedroom and master bathroom to get to the scale. It definately helps me to not overdo it anymore. It is no longer convenient! :)
Barber girl stacy,
You know what? This hub was so touching for me, because I had GF's that even though were,you know, a little big, I accepted them for what they were. Some understood, some came with a load and just wanted to look thinner, but you are right. Society and the media puts in our mind that overweight is not healthy at all. I've seen girls like your sister...they struggle every day, just to fit in those size 4 jeans and I see sadness and it breaks my heart...Thanks for this piece and Happy New Year!
Joseph
Hey Stacy, I swear the more information made available to the public about almost everything is bringing about a more deadly society. I am so sick and tired of hearing about what percentage of the population is what. It has gotten to the point where I detest some of the distortion and misinformation being spread about, just to make people create self esteem issues within themselves.
It's a huge problem in America....media, surveys, the FDA, and whatever else brings out biased information that makes people live in fear or to ruin their self esteem. Thank you for sharing. :)
BBG - this hub was a tough one for me. I grew up in the ballet world, I was the only sister with four picky older brothers and I was VERY self conscious of my weight.
Weight is a constant issue for many and I've had to counsel some of my middle school students on this issue.
This is truly an important and informative hub. Thank you for sharing
@lord - This one was a really difficult one for me to write... because I like so many others have found the scale to be a friend and a foe at the same exact time. However, I think it is important not to obsess over the numbers. That to me is far less healthy than the number on the scale. I truly believe this is the new way to be looking at the scale! :)
I agree my friend! Good night!
@cagsil - The media really has taken control of our lifes... the TV tells us what people should look like, how thin they should be, what fads they should be following. Really - it just gets overwhelming. I once saw an article on this woman who could wear the same clothes as her daughter. I am sorry, but that should have never been praised in any sort of article out there. That mother should be ashamed. Not because she can wear her daughters clothes, but because she feeds her daughter junk because she doesn't want her to turn out with an eating disorder like she has. Instead, she is still teaching her daughter to have an unhealthy relationship with food while she continues to starve herself to wear children's clothes. It is stuff like this that really irritates me. Yet, we let it control our lives. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I hope more people can start changing their perspective to healthy instead of skinny!
@MissOlive - I can only imagine living in a world of ballet how the pressures must have been on. I wasn't very athletic as a kid so I wasn't pushed into the weight issues from that point. Maybe that is a good thing because I have had enough of an issue with the weight roller coasters. However, it is nice to know that I am not the only one out there that feels this way.
Thanks for counseling those children. I think it is important for the adults to get involved so they dont' grow up with the wrong impression of the scale!
This is a very intelligent hub! Like you, I was too obsessed with checking my weight. As I grew older, I began to realise that weight/scale is just a number and what matter is that eat a balanced meal, work out for an half-hour or 45 mins daily and be happy. Congrats on getting the Hub of the Day! Thank u for sharing. Useful. Vote up. Way to go!
What a great hub! I am living with cancer, and the most important thing to me is that my children see me as a good person when I'm gone. Yet, I obsess over the number on the scale because I've lived my whole life being "not good enough." I wish I could get over this.
barbergirl28 - Congratulations on your Hub of the Day Stacy! This is a wonderful tribute for you and your amazing hub. Your message is very important. Bravo!
Well deserved - enjoy your day :)
Congratulations on a well deserved Hub of the Day. Great hub with a lot of valuable points which conveys an important message. I used to obsess with numbers, and as a teenager I was anorexic. After many years and many much needed extra pounds, I am happy with who I am and what I weigh. I probably could do with losing a few extra pounds now, but I am happy and average. Great hub. Voted up useful/interesting.
Congratulations for winning Hub of The Day! Not only is this timely but it's also something that keeps coming up in our society. I think more people need to focus on what makes them unique beyond the scale. Well written, well researched and all around amazing hub!
Good Morning! Congrats on Hub of the Day. I had read and commented on this Hub when you first wrote it, but I just wanted to come back and say, Congrats! My Granddaughter is now doing the P90X thing. Hope she is successful.
Wow. This is a good one. So many of us can relate in one way or an other! Very good hub, barbergirl.
Congratulations BBG on hub of the day. This is a very important topic and I'm glad you have bought a balanced view for us to share. There is too much pressure particularly on young girls to be slim. Your correct that your BMI body mass index is a much better method to look at for your well being. Voted up. well done again.
This is a great hub, motivational and informative. I think just about every woman in America can relate to this hub, and that stupid scale which for some of us (myself included sometimes) defines how we feel about ourselves that day. Women are more than weight and we are all beautiful. Thanks for sharing, and congrats on being hub of the day!!
Headline caught my eye - Great choice of video for Hub.
You have done such an awesome job with the writing, the video selection and your picture selection. It is easy to see why this hub became a HOTD. Congratulatiobs!
Wow! Not sure how I missed this one...but it is TOTALLY deserving of a HOTD! I plan to bookmark this and re-read it when I'm feeling sort of down on myself. You're such a beautiful soul, Stacy, and it's SO nice to know you so that when you share that, I get to take part. :) Great job, girl!
Great hub! I too have dealt with weight issues my whole life. I think it came from watching my mother, grandmother, aunts, and even great-grandmother battle with weight issues and talking about it all the time. I was always 'bigger' than other girls my age, but if I only knew then what I know now... I was all muscle. I was very athletic and toned, but to everyone else, I was fat. The mommy me now, after having two kids, wants to go back and smack some sense into the athletic me back then for even feeling bad about myself. My goal now is to be healthy again, not skinny. I have come to terms with the fact that I was never meant to be the 'skinny' that the world loves.
Congrats on the hub of the day! It's well deserved. :)
Congratulations on the nomination of Hub of the Day! It's a good reminder that fitness and what we are inside is more important than the numbers we see on the scale. Voted up and beautiful!
Congratulations on hub of the day! Definitely well deserved. Excellent points made with lots of good information. While you did focus on the scale I liked the way you started with your "average" girl. The word average should be dropped from usage, no one is average, we are all unique and as you hinted, beautiful inside. Voted up, interesting and useful. Thanks for SHARING.
Thumbs up, I see this as a champions testimony - cool. Hearing the "We are champions" by queen in my mind, thinking of your series on P90X, I am inspired. The song by Cristina A is awesome and poignant. See-Hear, Do, Teach , , , a role model for sure, barbergirl28! I am motivated to read RealHousewife's interview of you now, which is bookmarked. Oddly, I'm thinking of its time for a haircut too - LOL. Thank you for this contribution, Barbergirl28 , , ,
Congratulations! Very nice hub with plenty of dedication and a great message!
Great hub! I know I have been guilty of letting the scale ruin my mood at times while losing weight - especially when hitting plateaus. Like you, I finally realized that it is JUST a number - not a measure of my worth as a human being or as a fail/pass system.
I now use the scale each day, only once, in the morning and I use it only to know that I am staying on track. It can be a good motivator to stick with healthy routines - but should never be used to sabotage ourselves.
Congrats on a much deserved hub of the day :)
Amen! This is a GREAT hub. It's so easy to get discouraged by the scale, but you really put it into perspective here. Thank you for the inspiration. I needed it today!
Wow! Awesome Stacy and doesn't surprise me this was chosen for Hub of the Day!!
Many congrats to you:) great job!!! I thought this was pretty brilliant:)))
Awesome Hub! Congrats! I hate the scale. With my obsessive personality I can become way to attached to external forms of validation. Thanks for sharing this important article.
BBG....congrats on being hub of the day but I'm not surprised. You have a very informative hub but with the media, magazines and movies, showing what girls and women look like its extremely hard for girls not to be obsessed with their weight and the scale.
Stacy...
Congrats on achieving the exalted title...Hub of the Day. It is clear why you got it...this is awesome.
I will not take any back-lip from my scale...I'm the same way with my blender when it gets bitchy.
OK bye.
Thomas
Great hub!!! I refuse to let any scale determine who or what I am as a person. Yes, I could stand to lose a few pounds here and there, but I will not be defined by the numbers on a scale. The inside of me is truly what counts. Our society has put such a big issue as to how a person should look in terms of weight. Having a healthy weight is fine, but for the sake of cosmetic and overall beauty, I say it's a false and conceited way to look at an individual. If a person cannot see me for who I am on the inside, oh well I guess they will be missing out on the total package. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, thin or overweight!!!!!
Super hub! I own a scale, but cannot use it (choose not to) because of too many years allowing it to dictate my self-worth. I exercise daily, run marathons and manage my diabetes well, so no matter what number appears on a scale, I am happy with how I am living in my body.
Important topic, and well presented. Best, Steph
Barbergirl....This is a hub that every female everywhere of all ages needs to READ....more than once!! You have done a good thing here, girl!! It's very true and I do wish we could change the way the wrong..wrong..wrong messages are so out there in our faces! I wish this especially for the youngsters...teens, young women. This hub is a WINNER! Up +++++ !!!
Thank you for sharing your story. My wife is always obsessing about the numbers and I try to remind her that she eats well, exercizes and looks beautiful.
I wanted to ask you how you have been liking P90X, I have been toying with the idea myself.
Congratultions on HUB of the day accolade.
Congrats on being Hub of the Day! As familiar as I thought I was with bathroom scales, I had no idea that they could tell BMI as well. Voted up and beautiful.
Congrats on winning "Hub of the day!" I've seeing your other articles and you write very well - can't say this one is better than your other works, because, they're all really good.
Take care
John
You are so right! It is a disgrace the way we are bombarded with images of anorexic models with cocaine addictions to supress their appetites, Only to be told they have lost it on some diet or another. I hate the way celebrity mothers appear in magazines showing how they got back to their pre-baby weight in a month. No wonder us women feel paranoid! How the hell can we compete with that!
I too feel the pressure to be an ideal weight. I recently went to slimming world. I had been exercising loads and only lost a pound. The consultant told me there was no point in exercising as it didn't make any difference to weight loss. I was outraged and walked out! I'd rather be healthy and strong than gorge myself on diet coke and dried packet foods that are low in slimming world 'syns'. It's far more important being healthy and eating well. I can feel the dress size i've lost and my waist, arms etc feel and look more toned. If that doesn't register on the scales as weight loss then so be it!
@ishwaryaa22 - This is something I am really close to. I have always had the problem of being obsessed with the numbers. That being said - I still kind of have the problem but I am more focused on being healthy and not so much just thin. The scale is nothing more than a tool and it should set us into a bad mindframe! :) Thanks for stopping by!
@braincancersux - Thank you so much for stopping by. I have no doubt in my mind that you are leading the best life possible and being an outstanding role model for your children. Most importantly, showing your children how to live to the best of your ability will live with them forever. I know my kids always see me working out and because of that, they too have become more active and healthy!
@MissOlive - Thank you for stopping by. I was discussing this hub with Real for awhile before I even began working on it. I think it is such an important message, especially to those who feel exactly like I do! :)
Thank-you for this information. There are a couple of things that I didn't know, and I think I'd like to do them now. I've never obsessed over the scale, but I do tend to get a bit frustrated with normal fluctuations ever since I started exercising a bit. This will help me take a step back to help ensure I don't become obsessed. Thank-you for that.
The kids are the BEST! I can always count on my boys for, "Mom, you're not fat. You're skinny." Hopefully they keep that mindset towards women as they get older!!
Such a great hub. I wish I had read this years ago. I'm 38 and 251, and while I'm not nearly as insecure about my weight as I used to be, I still do feel 'not so pretty' about it. I need to read more hubs like this. So again, thank you. I feel like I owe you big.
Amazing hub! and congrats! I totally agree with you about puppy fat, since when did it become just fat? I have put on weight recently and found myself constantly weighing myself! then I thought, what the heck, forget it! now I just try to exercise and weigh myself once a week, I nearly got obssessed with it though, but managed to put it in perspective!
Barbergirl,
This is a touching hub on a sensitive subject. Beauty comes in all sizes. It is sad that society judges our value by our weight. You are beautiful, glowing, and perky. I am glad you don't find your validation in your weight. This is a dangerous trap for anyone, especially women creeping towards middle age. Please promise you will stay true to yourself and never ever buy into the myth! Beautiful hub!!
Congratulations on Hub of the Day!
Well done, and so true. I very rarely get on the scale, and I never did growing up, either. Now, I use it more for subtractive purposes every couple of months...to see how much the cats weigh! I pick up a cat, step on the scale, put the cat down, and get back on. I don't pay any attention at all to the numbers as they relate to me.
Working out is great, but I do have to say that while your blood has weight, its volume and resulting weight doesn't change in relation to where it is more heavily concentrated in your body, whether due to exercise or digestion. As you point out, the main thing is consistency with time of day/day of week/state of dress or undress.
Building muscle mass may indeed increase our weight, (because muscle weighs more than fat, en masse), but that is a healthy increase, and muscle helps burn fat, so in the end, it is those inches that matter, and your own feeling of how your clothes fit, and how you FEEL physically that matter the most.
Good job. Voted up.
Hi barbergirl
Congratulations on a well-written hub with FOOD for thought! Much of what you offered us in this hub weighs heavily on our minds. And congratulations on stimulating so many comments.
I have lost about 25 pounds in the last two years and sometimes I find myself creeping back up, so I use my scale to hold myself accountable and to remind me that I can't get by with overeating on bread and ice cream. But yes, it can become an obsession.
I have learned over the years with going up and down that I must always first LOVE my body JUST THE WAY IT IS or else whatever it is I am trying to do with my body, my body will resist. I also have found if I am living life the way I truly desire to live life, food becomes less a priority and comfort and becomes more as you said, fuel. Exercise for me is a must and recently with eye surgery, I have had to stop exercising and I am looking forward to Wednesday when I hope I get the Okay to exercise regularly again. I walk for exercise. Fast, and at least four miles and five, six, seven miles when I have the time.
Accomplishing your goals with weight and fitness will bring self esteem, which seems to me to be a measure of one's performance. Self worth, on the other hand, is a fact. I am valuable just because of who I am intrinsically and when I stop believing that I have self worth, then, for me, the pounds come on almost as if the pounds are what are giving me value instead of going inside and seeing the value that is always there. When my self worth is free, so to speak, to run rampant, I find myself living healthily in all kinds of ways. Anywho, enuf of my goings on.
THANKS FOR THE INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING HUB
Vern
I was once the girl who was obsessed with her weight. Always on the scale. This is a well written and informative hub to all of those who are in battle with themselves. Thumbs up!
Congrats on Hub of the Day! Interesting! Voted up!
@jacqui2011 - I am glad that you enjoyed this. When I was younger I had a problem with overeating. I don't think I could have ever been anorexic because I just liked food way too much. However, that love of food also caused me as a child to be chubby and overweight. This caused a lot of ridicule for me because even as children, we see that healthy is better than chunky. I did grow out of my "baby fat" eventually but with it came an obsession that has led me to were I am in adulthood. I wish I would have learned this lesson long ago. However I have to agree, today I am healthy and happy with were I am! :)
@Alecia Murphy - Thanks so much for stopping by. YOu are very correct, this really is a timely issue. Not only does it effect us today, but it is something that has effected majority of us in the past and will continue to effect us the rest of our lives. Thanks for stopping by and showing your support. I appreciate it!
@Mary615 - Thanks for stopping by to say Congratulations. I am super excited that your granddaughter decided to do P90X. Let me know how it goes for her. I got some great results and I am still working on it! :) It definately is a hard program but well worth it!
@albertsj - Thanks for stopping by. Glad you were able to relate! :) I hope it helps many other people that have gone through the same struggle as I have!
@Brian - Thanks for stopping by. I am glad you enjoyed this and feel this is a very important issue to get out her. Ironically most people feel this effects women and young teenage girls, but I have read more and more about the effects of weight and looks for boys and men as well. However, regardless of the gender, it is important for everybody to know that the scale is a tool. I have never really cared for BMI because it always seemed to stay the same. But now that I have tracked it I realize it truly is a good tool as well, used in conjunction with everything else! :)
@wonderingwoolley- That is great... women are worth more then their weight. I wish more people would look at it that way. While I do encourage being healthy, I think we are all beautiful regardless of size. As of right now, I am in the best shape of my life. According to the scale, I still need to lose another 20 to 30 pounds. But, like I have been preaching... it is time to look at it like a tool. My body will know if the numbers on the scale are were they need to be to be healthy! :)
@socialmediagura - Glad it caught your eye... the video came naturally as it was the song playing through my head as I wrote this. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! :)
@homesteadbound - Thank you so very much for the beautiful compliment. I feel very honored to have this one choosen as when I first wrote it, it didn't seem to get the attention I was hoping for. I guess important topics like this have a tendency to come back around eventually! :)
@Mo - Thanks you so much for that comment. I have really enjoyed getting to know you through hubpages and through facebook and know that you too are a beautiful soul without ever setting foot in your presence. I hope this is a great motivational tool for you whenever you are feeling down on yourself. I know thinking of this really helps me pull through when I feel like I haven't been doing enough. I think one of the reasons it was missed by so many was because it come out when I was working on my P90X series. That meant a flood of hubs that several people really weren't always interested in (which was fine because it was done more for selfish reasons!) However, I am glad that you found this now! :)
barbergirl another fantastic read sister. God Bless you for caring and sharing hope. Beauty is an inside job.
Our culture can really mess with us. We live in a fallen world. Jesus is the way truth and life and will help light our path in every area of life. There is nothing He can not do. He knows pain. He knows the way.
Keep shining the light Barbergirl. Hugs.
@ThePracticalMommy - I too was the same way. I don't really remember if other adults around me were obsessed with their weight, but I was pretty muscular and bigger framed. But I was always comparing myself to my older sister, who was petite framed. Never mind that she was also inches shorter than me. Yet, because she could always steal my clothes and I couldn't squeeze into hers, I always felt like I was fat. Now I know it is more important to be healthy!
@vespawoolf - I wish more people could remember that. Even though I know better, sometimes I have a hard time remembering that as well. But fitness and healthy is much more important than what the scale tells me any day! :)
@tillsontitan - You are very correct - we are all unique individuals and beautuiful on the inside. I am glad you loved the way that I started this. It actually was rolling through my mind for weeks before I even published this! :)
@tsmog - It is funny that you mentioned the We Are the Champions - every time I finish a workout that song starts playing through my head. I am glad that you enjoyed this - and it truly is something that I learned throughout my P90X journey. But it was better late than never! :)
@michabelle - Thank you so very much. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
@ChristinS - You couldn't be more true. We truly need to realize the scale doesn't measure our worth, yet so often we use it as a means to sabatoge ourselves. It is a great tool, especially when using it the way you do, to make sure you stay on track! :)
@alipuckett - I am glad you found this on a day that you really needed inspiration. Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the support and I am happy you enjoyed the message!
@Real - Thank you so much. You know you are partially responsible for this hub. This is because we were talking about the scale and how you threw yours out to protect your kids from using it wrongly. That thought right there started this creation. And as always - thanks for your support! :)
@kelleyward - I too have a bit of an obsessive quality about me. I guess that might be one of the reasons I have always had this kind of relationship with the scale. It really helps to try and change the thinking. Thanks for stopping by! :)
@marellen - I couldn't agree with you more and it honestly disgusts me how much they play up being skinny more than they play up being healthy. I try to talk to my kids about being healthy so hopefully one day they will be lead in the right direction. :)
@Thomas - Thanks for the interesting visual... I am now picturing my scale as a transformer that gets up and back talks to me about my weight. I hope I don't have nightmares about back talking scales (or blenders - since I use that alot for smoothies)
Thanks for the compliment though. I appreciate the support! :)
@nina64 - I agree completely. If you like me - you like me thin or fat! It doesn't really matter because it is the personality that ultimately attracts the person. The scale and the number shouldn't define anybody and I hate how the media has presented thin as healthy when that isn't always the case. Thanks for stopping by!
@stephhicks68 - Thank you so much for the comment. I can tell that you are a healthy person both inside and out - physically and mentally. Too often the scale is a gray area for most people... and even when they don't have a weight issue, they believe they do because of what the scale says. Keep doing what you are doing. You are inspirational!
@fpherj48 - Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. I agree that this is an important message and I wish people would push this out instead of the worng message that keeps being sent! Thank you again and I am glad you liked the message I was going for! :)
@Tonu - My husband is the same way... although jokingly I tell him he would still tell me the exact same thing whether I am 500 pounds or an ideal weight. He then said he wouldn't - he would tell me to hit the gym if I got too bad. I am glad though that you tell your wife how beautiful and healthy she is. I know us women sometimes will dismiss it but we really need to here it.
As for P90X, I finished the first 90 days and started it again. I am now almost done with the second week of phase 2. I have to count it out to be exact but I am going to do a review of life after P90X. I did not hit goal while I was in the first round and I still have much farther to go... but I will be posting pictures for this hub and then you can see for yourself how much the results have changed me! :)
@Sinea Pies - I don't know if scales tell you the BMI... I looked to see if I said that and I didn't catch were it was so I am going to have to go back through and search again. However, depending on how expensive they are, they can give you a lot of information. for instance, my home scale gives me my weight, my body fat percentage, my muscle mass and my hydration levels (although I honestly don't even know how to use the latter information to put it to good use!) Thank you for stopping by and I am glad you found this hub interesting.
@John Sarkis - Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. I think this one takes the topping just because the message is so important for so many of us out there. Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your support!
@Peanutritious - I know what you mean. It irks me when they claim this diet helped them drop all the weight. Yes - it might have... along with the personal chef and the personal trainer and massage therapist on beck and call as well. Normal people can't live up to those standards and frankly, I don't know if I want to. I like not having the pressure they do. If I gain 5 pounds nobody is going to right a nasty article in a magazine about it.
I also can relate to your story as well. When I first started P90X I was doing these hour long intense workouts 6 days a week (with stretching on the 7th day). I was getting so discouraged because I would weigh myself once a week and within the first 30 days I had only lost roughly 3 pounds. Seriously... all that for 3 pounds. That is when the inspiration for this initially started. At the 30 day mark, I took pictures to track my results. That is when I truly saw it. But, I rather be healhty, tone and have some meat on my bones any day, then be skin and breakable! :)
@Moon Willow Lake - I am glad that you found this hub useful. Another thing to note is that if you are working out, your muscles might be full of blood. That will also show a gain on the scale even though you might not have actually gained. However, once the swelling comes down, it should be more accurate. But it is important to know these things so we don't start getting upset with the number. The scale fluctuates all over the place from an hourly basis. OUt of curiosity I once weighed myself every hour of the day. Not once did I weigh the same! :) Kind of puts things in perspective!
@braincancersux - Sounds like you have some amazing kids. My 9 year old told me the other day she was really proud of how hard I have been working to lose weight. I asked her if I was bikini ready and she said - not yet... but you will get there. Well, at least she is honest! LOL
@Nat Amaral - I wish I would have wrote this years ago, but unfortunately, it took me a long time to get to that realization. At my heaviest adult weight, I was at 225 pounds. I felt miserable. It wasn't that I thought I looked bad - but my skin and my body felt bad. I had a hard time breathing. Yet, at my lowest adult weight I got down to about 145. Because I have been on both sides and middle ground of the spectrum, I know how it feels both weighs. The most important thing is being comfortable with who you are. Only you can gauge that. Thanks for stopping by and I hope this has really been a good form of inspiration for you! :)
@Nell Rose - The hardest thing about this is the obsession sneaks up on you. One day you weigh yourself... and suddenly you find you can't stop. I am glad you caught yourself before it got to bad. It is better to feel good about yourself and how you physically feel then what then what the number on the scale says. Glad you took a step back. That is so important!
@tammyswallow - Thank you so much for the beautiful comment. Often times - particularly women - we are trapped into the numbers on the scale. The same thing holds true for how we feel we look. Both are traps. Thanks again for stopping by. :)
@DzyMsLzzy - Thank you so much for stopping by. I am glad you have never paid much attention to the scale... and I love how you use it just to adress your feline friends. And yes - you are very much correct. A true measurement is in the inches and how you feel inside and out. Thanks for stopping by!
@Vern - What an outstanding comment. Congratulations on your weight loss and your ability to just use the scale to keep yourself accountable. I love how you truly can see the relationship between yourself and food depending on where you are in life. It is true that the better you feel about yourself, the less you depend on food for comfort and use it more for fuel. There are so many wonderful foods out there - and while ice cream and snacks are sometimes a good treat - they really aren't worth it when I know I feel much better without them. I hope you get the ok and get back into your rhythem. Those walks seem incredible! :)
@AEvans - I too was (and sometimes still am) the same way. I figured writing it down would eventually put it strongly in my mind! :) Thanks for stopping by and reading!
@chamilj - Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
@skye2day - Thank you so much for stopping by. Beauty truly is an inside job. Thanks for sharing that with me. Together we can all beat down what is the wrong way of thinking and finally find what is important!
Melovy Level 7 Commenter 6 months ago
This is an interesting hub. I think you are right that obsession with numbers is not helpful and could in fact make people fatter - if you are depressed about not losing enough then it would be easy to reach for a cake.
I have been lucky as though I had a little surplus weight as a teen and a lot of surplus angst, I lost the weight easily when I went to college and was busy with new things so it was obvious to me that obsessing over weight wasnt’ the way to go.
I recently read a very interesting article on losing weight naturally, and this is the link to it:
http://www.beyond-karma.com/awakened-living/losing