I have lost 65 pounds on keto. How do I know that? Because every Saturday morning, I get up and weigh myself before I eat. For months, I followed this routine, I saw results, and it kept me going on keto, along with the other benefits I was feeling. Then, one day, it stopped going down. It seemed to be stuck on about 167. I’d go up a pound one week, then down a pound the next week. I was at a plateau. The scale is de-motivational?
The Scale and My Mental Health
This was devastating to my mental health journey. Was I doing something wrong? Was I off track with my eating? Maybe I needed to try something different. I tried intermittent fasting, and I was still at the same weight. Then lowering my calories, and I was still at the same weight. I tried taking in more fat, and I was still at the same weight. I was at my wit’s end. And then I asked myself, what weight should I be?
When I looked into it a little bit, I realized that weight is very subjective. Firstly, health professionals give a range, not one particular weight. Secondly, that range is based on a number of factors, including your bone structure, your age, your gender, your height, your ethnicity, and the ratio of fat to muscle. That’s a lot of factors. I’m a 49 year old white woman. I’m entering into the menopause era. I have a heavy bone structure. I’m never going to reach the social ideal of being 120 pounds.
Weightloss when the Scale is De-Motivational
That led me to the question, “Am I done losing weight?” It seems inconceivable that I would ever be done losing weight. I’ve been trying to lose weight my entire life! If I am at a reasonable weight, what does that mean? Will I slide backwards into weight gain again? Will I learn to be confident in myself the way I am? How do I do that???
I continued to weigh myself every Saturday morning and the results were the same. I’d gain a pound or two and then I’d lose it again. It was becoming frustrating. More than that, it was becoming something I dreaded. The weeks when I gained, I would be hard on myself. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that keto-friendly treat. Should I have watched my calories more carefully. Maybe I took in more carbs than I thought. Maybe I was out of ketosis.
It started to become an obsession. I woke up Saturdays feeling anxious. I wanted to know where I was, but I knew if it wasn’t what I wanted, I would spend the rest of the day feeling down. Saturdays should be about doing what you want to do and get done on the weekend, not feeling depressed because you gained a pound. It was starting to take over my keto journey.
There Is No Need to Freak Out
I knew I was in trouble when my weight and Bill’s weight were in the same range and I freaked out. I’m so proud of his weight loss, but the thought that he might actually end up weighing less than I did made me feel like all this work was for nothing. I started comparing our journeys, and that’s never a good idea. Our keto journeys are our own and when you start comparing, it starts making it a competition rather than a way to health.
So, I decided to stop stepping on the scale. Every Saturday, I wake up and decide if I will weigh myself. I ask myself why I want to know my weight. Well, usually, I want to know if I’m still on track. Then I ask myself how I feel. I feel good, with a good amount of energy. Then I ask myself how my clothes are fitting. They fit well and I feel comfortable in them. So, does it matter what the scale says? For the last couple of months, the decision has been no, I don’t need to know the number.
The Scale is De-Motivational to Everything
Bill and I always say that we do keto because of the way it makes us feel, physically, mentally, and with our self-confidence. What role does a number play in that? None. I feel good. I just had blood work done and my numbers were all great. The new clothes I love buying are fitting just as they did when I got them. My anxiety is much more under control than it used to be. Most importantly, I have more energy than I ever had even as I venture into mid-life.
So, for now, the scale is a paperweight in our bathroom. Maybe someday I’ll want to step on it again. For now, it is doing more harm than good. You have the power to just say no to a number. I’ve found that power and I’m using it!
Wendy
