Why Weight?

If there is one thing I wish that my patients would cease tracking it would be weighing themselves as a measure of their progress or success. Hear me out. Obviously as a medical provider, I am required to know your weight to dose medication‘s appropriately, give a diagnosis code, or track if you are losing weight to rapidly or underweight. However, for my very most common patient and myself included if we are using the number on the scale alone as THE pinnacle goal and therefore the determining factor on whether or not what we are doing is working, you will be woefully disappointed and disillusioned, and you’ll falter and fail way too early. Or worse: Binge and give up the exercise altogether because “it’s not working anyways”.

First of all, where did we learn that the number on the scale determines our value, success, perseverance or self-discipline? I’m serious, take a hard look at that. Obviously body image comparison of supermodels and social media is rampant, but even more than that I believe was the unseen impact of our peers and even well meaning teachers or coaches who may have criticized our weight or complimented us for looking thin. Our mass in pounds does not tell you anything about body composition- muscle vs fat vs water retention.

Should we not eat healthy and move our body and take supplements to FEEL amazing and BE healthy? That would be a lifestyle - not a “I’ll try this for 30 days” test.

Now, if you do want an objective marker of progress consider using waist circumference (but not helpful if you suffer from bloating), a body fat % device, or simply how you fit in your clothes. IF you HAVE to weigh yourself, may I suggest doing it only ONCE a month, right after your period when you should be retaining the least amount of fluid, and only if the number will not affect your mood positively or negatively.

Challenge: consider a New Year’s resolution of not weighing yourself all 2025- but continuing undaunted healthy habits every day.

Disclaimer: if you are someone who is in denial of the gravity of your health condition and fat gain, disregard everything I just said.