One of the most empowering things I’ve ever done…

For several years of my life, I let a machine (for under $20 at your local Wal-Mart) dictate my self worth.

Back when I was in junior high, I couldn’t even go near this machine. I was petrified of it. When I knew teachers at school were going to try and make me use it, I’d fake being sick and miss school. If I *had* to use it, I’d use all sorts of tricks to manipulate it. Heck, sometimes I’d be so scared of it that I’d close my eyes when I had to use it.

As I got older, our relationship changed. I got a bit more brazen. Not only did I not avoid the machine, but every morning I’d allow it to tell me my future. This thing was INCREDIBLE – it told me exactly how my day was going to go!

If the machine gave me good news, I’d be in an excellent mood. There’d be a little more skip to my step.  My smile would be extra friendly.

On the other hand, if the machine gave me bad news, my day would be tinged with a bit of annoyance and frustration. I’d feel less worthy… less confident… less attractive.

What a powerful machine this was.

This went on and on for several years, until one day recently.

I realized how there are so many other things that dictate my self worth – like… my SELF. How I treat other people. How much I contribute to the world. How I spend my time. What I’m learning. How I’m able to empower myself and others, and a SLEW of other criteria.

And that is why I threw my scale in the dumpster and will never look back.

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I know for a fact that a lot of women (and men) feel the way I used to. Several of my female friends have confided in me that they go through the same thing I did.

If you are one of those people that could relate, I invite you to try on a few new thoughts:

1. I know someone who went down several jean sizes without the scale moving at all. She was literally shrinking by the day but feeling like she was a failure because the scale didn’t do anything. That scale is NOT an accurate measure of fat loss.

2. Even if the scale WAS a measure of fat loss, who cares? You don’t need it. Eat the foods your body asks for and get some movement in. If you listen to your body, it’ll tell you exactly what it wants. It’s the best ally you could possibly ask for. Once you truly get in tune with what it wants, you’ll be the healthiest you’ve ever been.

(Just use your intuition to know the difference between if your body is ASKING for something or if you’re CRAVING it – ie a Snicker’s bar.)

I bet you’ll save a lot of money on weight loss stuff, too.

3. Consider throwing the damn thing out – or at least giving it to someone to hold for a while. I know some people will say it’s a good barometer of where you are with your weight, it’s important to keep track, what is not measured is not managed, blah blah blah… but odds are, you’ve been measuring for a long time, and it’s only making you miserable.

I talked to an awesome guy on the phone today who gave me a great question to ask yourself. “If I would have known what I know now, would I have done it?”

His philosophy is if the answer is no, then why still do it?

If you could go back to the past with the knowledge that you would spend years making yourself miserable by giving your power to a scale, would you have done it?

If the answer is no, then stop. :)