Fitness Friday: One Habit that should NOT be Daily

Woohoo, down two pounds since yesterday!

OK, holding steady, that’s good.

 

Man, how could I have gained a pound?  I’m barely eating ANYTHING!

 

OK, lost that one again plus one more, back on track.

 

What, no change?  I’m eating even less now than yesterday!  What’s the use.

Now we’re talking, another pound bites the dust.

 

And another one gone.  Looks like my efforts are paying off…FINALLY!

 

Sound familiar to anyone?  

With each day of loss, gain, or neutral, my emotions and motivation level followed.  On days where the scale showed a loss, I felt highly motivated to continue on with the fast and eat right.  On days where the scale reflected a gain or showed no change, my spirits sagged and I became quickly frustrated.  Didn’t seem to matter that I felt great overall and had more energy, all my focus was on that daily weigh-in.

 

What a roller-coaster of a week!

 

But it didn’t have to be that way.  One habit that should NOT be daily:  stepping on the scale.

 

I know that I know that I know that you should not use a daily weight change as any type of progress measurement.  In fact, I’ve told Don that many times…as he so calmly reminded me after I stormed downstairs one morning grumbling at the one-pound gain.

 

“Honey, don’t you always tell me that I won’t see progress every day?  That the body weight naturally goes up and down for lots of different reasons?”

 

Of course he was right—how could I disagree with my own words coming back at me?  And logically, if we lost weight every day we’d eventually be gone.  Daily weight loss is not even close to a realistic expectation. 

 

Duh.

 

Fact is, I did make great progress.  Not only did I feel so much better as each day passed, but I enjoyed a very pleasing 5-pound loss.  How awesome would it have been to step on the scale this morning and say, “wow, I lost 5 pounds last week!” 

 

Totally awesome.  And highly motivational. 

 

But instead of being amazed and excited, it was only, “OK, another pound, at least I’m going in the right direction.  I should be losing weight with what I’m eating.”  I expected daily evidence that I was making progress.  I demanded it. 

I deserved it.

 

I had my focus in the wrong place, and it was stealing my joy.

 

Hmmm, seems like I read something about focus recently.  Oh, that’s right, it was my own blog.

 

Double duh.

 

Instead of keeping my focus on going about my business each day and enjoying life, I zeroed in on that daily weigh-in and allowed the results to dictate WAY too much of my mood.

 

Instead of being thankful to the Lord for His guidance in directing me to fast and enjoying my improved health and habits, I became greedy to see more evidence on the scale.

 

Will I be tempted to step on the scale tomorrow morning?  Absolutely!

 

Will I resist?  I hope so! 

 

No, wait, I know so!  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I have the mind of Christ, and I choose to focus on what is true, what is good, and what is lovely.  I choose to be thankful for and enjoy each day, and continue on my fast out of obedience…weight loss or not. I choose to take care of my temple—the body God created just for me.

 

So I declare this day, as for me and my house, one habit that will NOT be daily is a weight check.

 

Today’s Challenge:  What little thing do you obsess over that is stealing your joy?