It is JUST a NUMBER!

As I go to step on the scale, I take a step back.  Why am I doing this?  Why does it matter what it says?  Why do people put so much emphasis on what the scale says?  It is not a reflection of your heart, it is not a reflection of your likes and dislikes.  It is just a number that I put way to much stock in.

Recently, I had to write 3 goals down for myself.  Two of them had to do with running, and the third was I wanted to weigh 125!  Why?  Really?  What a stupid goal I set for myself.  Sure, I could easily get down to 125, but will prove me to be healthy and happy?  Absolutely NOT! It is just a number, a number that will not define me, a number that will have no control of me as a person, and a number that will never have control over me.

I feel this way about age also.  I recently turned 38!  I know!! I have to put a little hair die in my hair occasionally, and I noticed around my mouth getting a little saggy! But other than that...I feel like I am in my twenties.  I could get down on myself really fast thinking that I am closer to 40 than 30...but I refuse to do that.  I remember thinking when I was younger, that 40 was so far away...and now that it is getting closer, I am ready to embrace it.  With all the new changes I have made in my life...my goal for 40 is to be even healthier than I am today.

I understand that the number on the scale can benefit many...I mean, you set goals according to that number.  But, I think the emphasis should be the amount you lost...not how much you still need to go.  I recently was talking with a friend.  She has started her journey to getting healthy.  As we were talking, she was so excited about her weight loss.  I said "how much have you lost?" she said "ONLY 17lbs." as if it was not that much.  I said  ONLY 17LBS??? that is fantastic!!! I said "NEVER cut down your accomplishment...I am so proud of you"...but what I loved about our conversation, was she has dropped 3 or 4 pants sizes and the excitement in her voice was worth so much more than how far she still has to go.  Which by the way, I saw her and she looks wonderful!  And she can hold her own running against a girl that has been training for months to run a half marathon.  I think that counts for so much! Her weight on the scale means nothing...if you really think about it :)

I wish I could take back those goals I wrote for myself for the New Year.  I would not have down that I wish to weigh 125.  I would put down, that I want to be strong, I want to be fast, and I want to be healthy.  I am at the point that I don't care what it says...I actually do not even own a scale, I am guilty of stepping on my fitness instructors scale at least once a week!  I notice  that I feel depressed when I am up a pound or two, and I just need to STOP!  I could be up from my training for the half, I could be up because I am a girl, and lets face it...we fluctuate in our weight at least once a month!  I could be up from gaining muscle.  There are SO many factors as to what that scale reads, but it is amazing how down on ourselves we can be.  I am also done thinking about me getting "old" lets face it, there is nothing we can do about that number either.  We are only as old as we feel, and I feel way younger than 38!

NO MORE!  It will kill me, but I am here to say, I am done with the scale and worrying about getting old.  As long as I am eating right, working out, and running, that scale and my age can say/be whatever it wants.  It will NOT define me...It will NOT control my life...after all...IT IS JUST A NUMBER.

Till next time...

Shelby