Blame the Bathroom Scale

If you ask most slim and trim people how much they weigh, 9 out of 10 probably couldn't tell you. They're not lying to spare your feelings, it's just that they're not obsessed with their weight. If you really want to monitor your weightloss progress, throw away your scale and invest in a more economical device - a measuring tape. A measuring tape is a far better indicator of body mass than a fluctuating scale, and it doesn't give the false readings that its electronic counterpart is so notorious for.

Why am I so against stepping on the scales? Well, ten years ago, I was a much heavier person and I had a very different concept of what being fit is. Like many people, I was desperate to lose weight at the expense of my health. I tried every diet imaginable, and devastated my metabolism in the process. I was so obsessed with my weight and what the scale read each time I stepped on it, that it actually affected what I ate, how much I ate, and my activities for the day.

So How Did This All Play Out?

Instead of being rewarded for my diligence, I continued to gain weight. If the scale showed I had lost a few pounds, I'd be elated; I'd give myself a well-deserved treat, take a day off from exercise, but then the next day, the scale would show that I had gained it all back - plus a pound. Conversely, if the scale showed a higher number than I expected, I'd end up exercising for hours on end and starving myself, which of course only slowed down my metabolism. It was a vicious cycle that could have been avoided if I would have just simply stuck with a steady healthy regimen of staying moderately active and eating only when I was hungry.

One day, after years of abuse, the scale finally gave out. But instead of buying a new one, with the advice of a slim and trim friend, I decided to buy a measuring tape. Not only did I become less obsessed with a magic number, I no longer confused muscle and water weight with the weight of actual fat. Because there was very little fluctuation in my measurements, I ceased the detrimental yo-yo behavior, and the weight slowly fell off with very little effort.

Because I spent less time seesaw dieting, within a year my metabolism had re-established itself and I felt like a normal person again. Today, I only have an estimation of how much I weigh because I refuse to own a scale. I can judge if I've gained or lost weight simply by the fit of my clothes, and I've learned that the body is always changing, and sometimes adjustments have to be made to accompany those changes.

Go With Your Gut Feeling...

Pay attention to what your body is saying, not what a number is telling you. The trick to being slim and trim is to use common sense. Remember, you only have one body, so treat it right. Eat healthy foods when you're hungry, and up the activity level when you feel sluggish, and you'll be losing that extra weight in no time!