I've decided that I'm going to tell you guys how much I weigh. Lately I've been weighing myself more regularly and, like most women, I often get discouraged by the number I see on the scale, which is ridiculous because I am actually happy with how my body currently looks.
Why is it that women put such emphasis on that number?
It's been a long time since I've fixated on weight to determine my happiness with how I feel about my body, but what I remember about those days 10+ years ago was that so much of how I felt about myself that day was dictated by that silly number on the scale and whether it was up or down from what I thought it should be. At some point I realized that number didn't matter at all and I got rid of my scale and only weighed myself once or twice a year when going to the doctor.
And then I had a baby and decided it was time to get a scale again.
For the most part, I'm glad I did! Those first few months after having Alice, it was a big self-esteem boost to see those 40 weeks + 6 days of carrying a baby melt off my body. But then I started CrossFit and my weight loss slowed down, plateaued, and then crept up slightly as I gained more muscle. And I started obsessing all over again about that number on the scale despite the fact that my body was getting leaner and stronger and smaller than it has been in years.
So instead of obsessing over my number, I am going to share it with you in hopes it will inspire you to stop worrying about how much you weigh and start focusing on how you feel in your own skin. By no means am I saying my body is perfect, I just think we could all be a little nicer to ourselves when it comes to how we look. And if you are unhappy with what you see in the mirror, do something about it. You have the power to change how you look and feel about your own body.
And finally, here is what my almost 5'9" and 164.6-pound self looks like... I figured I'd spare you (and my in-laws, who read this daily!) the swimsuit photos.
P.S. Here's what I looked like the day I delivered Alice and then 3 weeks later and 11 months later!
It's just a number... who cares?!
Do you weigh yourself regularly? Does anyone but you (or your doctor) know how much you weigh? I've known Lee for over six years... and I just told him for the first time this morning how much I actually weigh. It was liberating!
Thank you for posting honestly about weight! I weigh myself often- at least once per day. The number doesn't dictate my eating and activity level the way it used to, but I still need to know. I don't think anyone but my doctor knows how much I weigh. For the most part, that's because I'm petite, and I get tired of hearing friends diss the smaller among us. At 5'3.5" and 115 pounds, I am pretty happy with my body and my number.
ReplyDeleteI wish it didnt matter. I said after pregnancy that it didnt matter, as long as I was in a healthy weight range, but it does.
ReplyDeleteI am 5'1", so an extra five or so really makes a difference. I was 118 pre baby, and 20 months later I am 123.
Honestly, the number isn't terrible, but I would love to find a way to exercise (if I was muscle I totally would be ok with that number).
I know, I have to run....I wish I enjoyed it like you do.
So many petite bloggers! I am also on the small side (4'11"). Pre-baby I rarely weighed myself. I mostly used my scale to weigh myself before and after long runs so that I could determine how much water weight I had lost (for the purposes of how much water to drink during/after the runs).
ReplyDeleteThen I got pregnant, and you know, they weigh you every time you visit them. I gained 30 lbs which is alot for a small person like me.
After my son was born, I didn't worry too much about my weight. I found that I was able to fit back into most of my pre-baby clothes which was a relief. And then I stopped nursing my son when he turned one and I BALLOONED. It was frightening. I had to go out and buy new clothes and that was a sign that I needed to get back to exercising.
Since then it's been up and down, up and down with the workouts. Right now I'm on an up. :-)
I should add, congrats on diving right into Crossfit and getting in shape post-baby. I decided to give myself a loooong break. A whole year before I tried getting in shape again.
ReplyDeleteYou look great! I don't think a # can be the ultimate goal. I think the way you feel and look, no matter what the number is, is what you want. Numbers, Smumbers! You look fit, healthy and happy. That's what counts. When I was visiting recently, I noticed the muscles in your arms and legs... you make all the cross fit workouts worth while, with the way you look and feel. Great job. xoxo
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