Weight loss is a terrible goal.
Since this is a website/blog dedicated to helping women lose excess weight, you might be just a titch confused by that statement. I have commented on this previously, in the tyranny of the bathroom scale and most recently in commitments and self-care.
“Hanging your self-worth on failing to achieve some random number set by some ever changing poorly articulated stupid societal norm documented on an inaccurate and cheap bathroom scale, is just silly.”
I wholeheartedly believe that statement. But still I was delighted, when my cheap bathroom scale dipped below the 150 mark for the first time this century! What is going on? Am I a hypocrite – saying one thing, believing another? Perhaps, but I prefer to think of myself as a fallible human woman. Such a better interpretation of the same circumstance!
In the past year (after I changed tactics away from the Eat Less, Move More weight loss fallacy), I have been quite successful in my weight loss journey. My very good friend and stretch therapist (whom I hold responsible for getting my frozen shoulder moving – she is amazing!) often comments about my loss of muscle tone/muscle mass since I abandoned strength training (almost 2 years ago now.) Each week she lovingly prods me to start up again… “Just a little,” she implores. It’s true. I have lost muscle mass. But not because I lost weight. Because I stopped strength training.
My goal is no longer weight loss. It is the mental clarity that this new way of eating has unveiled for me. A brain fog, that I was not even aware of, lifted.
Mental clarity is a nebulous, fuzzy sort of thing, I find difficult to articulate. With this new way of eating, my overall mood is much improved but also difficult to articulate. My inner critic has been silenced, which is unbelievable, utterly unexpected and difficult to articulate. Nebulous fuzziness. My cheap bathroom scale is a simple, convenient and impartial way to measure this nebulous fuzziness.
The trick is to use it – the cheap bathroom scale – as a tool to measure nebulous fuzziness, NOT self-worth. Self-worth, is utterly independent of your weight. Read that again. Self-worth, is utterly independent of your weight. There is nothing you can do to make yourself more worthy or less worthy.
You are worthy, exactly as you are right now! Full stop. No further discussion required.
If you are not convinced about your worthiness, please purchase and read, every single book by Brene Brown – they are a must read!
In her book Daring Greatly, she writes:
“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, ‘no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.’ It’s going to bed at night thinking, ‘yes I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.”
“I am brave and worthy of love and belonging.” Such a great thought. Definitely a bathroom mirror worthy post – it note!
So, yeah, I was delighted the cheap bathroom scale dipped below 150. It’s a reflection of my nebulously fuzzy mental clarity, way better mood and silent inner critic!
Buff it up my friends!
Dr Karen
Are you ready to Buff Up Your Brain? Ready to, lose weight and the brain fog? Upgrade your thoughts. Let’s chat.
Email: DrKaren@karenbackwaymd.com
