After having several conversations with my friend Cayce (who also happens to be a clinical psychologist) about this topic, I invited her to write a "guest blog" post about the psychology behind why were are so attached to the number on the scale. Enjoy!
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One of the guidelines of the Whole30 is to TOSS THAT SCALE! This may not make sense to a lot of people, because we are so used to measuring progress through any health program based on the numbers on the scale. The authors of the Whole30 program and website give several reasons to ditch your scale right here.
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One of the guidelines of the Whole30 is to TOSS THAT SCALE! This may not make sense to a lot of people, because we are so used to measuring progress through any health program based on the numbers on the scale. The authors of the Whole30 program and website give several reasons to ditch your scale right here.
For many, many people this is one of the most difficult parts of the process. In fact, most people I've spoken to who have gone through a Whole30 admit to stepping on the scale at least once during those 30 days. But WHY? Why is it so difficult for us to move away from relying on what the scale tells us to measure progress/results/change and why are our emotions so dependent on what the number on that scale says? I wanted to take some time to talk about the psychology of WHY this might be so difficult, and how we can work to make it a little easier. Take a look at the following diagram:
All of us come into any situation with our own set of CORE BELIEFS regarding ourselves, others around us, the world, the future, etc.
CORE BELIEFS typically fall into 4 different categories:
1. Approval - "I must be approved by certain others to feel good about myself"
2. Performance - "I must meet certain standards to feel good about myself"
3. Blame - "Those who fail are unworthy and deserve bad things to happen to them"
4. Shame - "I am what I am. I cannot change."
These core beliefs influence how we perceive/interpret any situation
through our AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS - the things we tell ourselves without
even realizing. These thoughts are very important
because they impact our REACTION (emotional, behavioral and
physiological).
Stay with me here, and let's walk through an example using the scale. When we step on that scale, we have an emotional and behavioral reaction based on what that number says, or what the number is compared to what it was the last time. But why? We have this reaction due to the AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS we have about what the number should be, or what we BELIEVE about ourselves when it comes to weight.
Whether we realize it or not, many of us believe that we must meet certain standards in order for our value as a person to go up, and to feel good about ourselves (see #2 above). When it comes to the scale, we are allowing our own self-worth to be determined by a number! Where is the evidence this is true? What is the evidence that we are more valuable or worthwhile as a person when we weigh less?
What we can do instead is work hard to remind ourselves over and over about the truth when it comes to these things, rather than the lies that the world would have us believe. If you are a Christian, remind yourself of all the scriptural truths that you know, and what Christ says about your value. It can be very, very difficult - I know! I've been there and I continue to struggle with this; however, I haven't had a scale in my house for almost 2 years and I have not missed it.
I encourage you to take some time and get honest with yourself about what that number on the scale means to you and why you've been placing so much importance on what it says. The good news is, whatever your core beliefs and automatic thoughts are - they can be changed!
Stay with me here, and let's walk through an example using the scale. When we step on that scale, we have an emotional and behavioral reaction based on what that number says, or what the number is compared to what it was the last time. But why? We have this reaction due to the AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS we have about what the number should be, or what we BELIEVE about ourselves when it comes to weight.
Whether we realize it or not, many of us believe that we must meet certain standards in order for our value as a person to go up, and to feel good about ourselves (see #2 above). When it comes to the scale, we are allowing our own self-worth to be determined by a number! Where is the evidence this is true? What is the evidence that we are more valuable or worthwhile as a person when we weigh less?
What we can do instead is work hard to remind ourselves over and over about the truth when it comes to these things, rather than the lies that the world would have us believe. If you are a Christian, remind yourself of all the scriptural truths that you know, and what Christ says about your value. It can be very, very difficult - I know! I've been there and I continue to struggle with this; however, I haven't had a scale in my house for almost 2 years and I have not missed it.
I encourage you to take some time and get honest with yourself about what that number on the scale means to you and why you've been placing so much importance on what it says. The good news is, whatever your core beliefs and automatic thoughts are - they can be changed!
Day 8 Food Log:
Wake up/"pre camp" - shredded turkey meat
Meal 1 - "sweet potato hash" - chopped sweet potatoes, chopped bell peppers, jalapenos, chicken apple sausage (Aidells brand), topped with avocado and 2 fried eggs. Side of bacon (US Wellness Meats)
Pre-workout - shredded turkey meat, beef jerky stick
Post-workout - hard boiled egg
Meal 2 - green chili pork, roasted green beans and carrots
Meal 3 - grilled pork tenderloin, butternut squash puree, kale with a kick, broccoli
WATER ALL DAY!
Great job Cayce. My scale has been without a battery and packed away in a closet for 4 years! This can't be more true. See the results in how you feel, how your clothes fit and look in the mirror! TOSS THE SCALE (or dont replace the battery.) :)
ReplyDeleteI need to toss my scale! I am one who needs to see the number in order to feel good or bad. Therefore, I am working on changing my way of thinking.
ReplyDelete