Scaling back on the scales…

If your life was a batman movie.

Your scales would be Bane. (He’s the bad guy by the way)

And you'd be Batman.

But Bane gives batman a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Just like the scales do for most people.

The scales make you want to start losing weight.

But do we really need the scales to tell us how well we’re doing?

When we're progressing, enjoying the process or getting stronger?

And if we do why is that a problem?

Most people who define themselves by a number on the scales always end up demotivated.

You can’t directly control the number on the scales, they fluctuate, and they don’t tell you if you’ve lost fat only weight which could actually be muscle…

Is the solution don’t look at the scales?

Maybe not, but if we push the scales into the background.

They won’t completely control us!

Let’s go back to batman.

Bane is the bad guy (that you Batman) are fighting.

But it’s exhausting constantly focusing on the bad guy because he’s a negative guy.

And if you don’t have a reason to be exercising that's bigger than the bad guy, you end up liking having him around and arguing with him (the scales).

Because like we said he gives you purpose, something to focus on.

What if Batman had a social life?

What if he also enjoyed Yoga and Sudoku?

Then he wouldn’t get so bogged down by Bane.

Batman would have purpose and meaning in his life beyond Bane.

He’d actually have more energy to combat Bane in creative and different ways.

If your goals were something bigger than just the scales, the scales wouldn’t bog you down.

You’d like the benefits of eating better anyway.

You’d like the workouts you are doing with me anyway.

You’d have other markers to see your progress.

Getting in new clothing sizes, how fast you can run 5k, doing your first push up.

All of these are things you want to move toward, and you get excited by the thought of doing.

Which is motivation.

And like we said, constantly moving away from fear gets tiring.

The game of the scales never ends.

We can’t directly control them.

And when we focus on what we can’t control it makes us anxious.

And anxiety drains energy, so now you are tired and lack control. This isn’t good!

Solution -

Stop seeing your fitness as a finish line that will one day be completed. This process is never ending chapters that lead to the next. The chapter is defined by what you focus on!

Instead ask yourself – How can I do what I’m doing with my health, in a way that makes me want to do it forever?

Create goals that you want to move towards not away from. Excitement and nervousness feel very similar, so get comfortable with setting goals you’ve never given yourself permission to believe before.

Get used to using that excitement as fuel for action.

Become more scared of being defined by the scales than the number on the scales.

Fear is a part of life.

Don’t fear what can happen if you try and fail, fear who you could become if you shy away from fear?

This doesn’t mean throw yourself in the deep end.

It means take 1 step in the right direction.

I love the saying,

“2 Steps in the right direction, will get you much further than 10 steps in many directions…”

Do you want my help in making your fitness bigger than the scales?

Send me a message by clicking here.