The Scale is an Asshole

Don’t ignore the scale — but never trust it, either.

Don’t be too reliant on this asshole! Photo by the author.

Weight loss tends to be noticeable in several ways, both by you and people around you.

· You feel lighter and better

· Your clothes fit better

· You move with greater ease

· Your face thins out

· Belts need to be worn a notch or two tighter

· Overtaxed joints have less pain

Yet even with all these indicators — we tend to still pay attention to one more. Often, it’s the one we give the most energy and attention to.

The scale.

When any or all of the above are true, and both you and people around you are noticing it — it feels like the time to step onto the scale for that measure and numerical equivalency has come.

So, you do it. You step on the scale.

I’ll bet I’ve lost ten pounds! Feels like I’m down at least a few pounds from last time! This is gonna rock!

Then you look at the numbers.

What the fuck? How could I possibly have put on 2 pounds since last time?!?

You feel better, your clothes fit better, the belt must be tightened more, and all these other things…