Without A Scale by Ope Linda Akinyemi
There’s not a scale at our house! I have decided to take a break from it since moving. I mean, I don’t even know how much I weigh anymore, and for now….I simply don’t care to know much. So my older sister was stunned when I told her. Apparently, that’s kind of weird. But maybe I want to be weird, so go figure. Anyway, I guess that’s not something a lot of people do. But I did…and here’s why.
A few years ago, I lost 25 pounds. I learned to count calories, eat healthier and get my portions under control since that’s where I really struggled. Then I also started getting a lot more active. I mean, I could walk from downtown Toronto to Mississauga. You get the point.
Then I jumped the broom and got pregnant. Even though I had some funny cravings, I somehow managed to keep my weight in check. However a few months after giving birth, the scale started moving downward and I was entranced by what I saw. I mean, I sure wasn’t exercising as much as I’d like to in Lagos because who would like, walk from Satellite Town to Ikeja, right? And in that scorching sun and all kinds of air pollution….it wasn’t going to happen. Thankfully, we lived in a clean, quiet and gated neighborhood, so I managed to throw in some exercise outside after work.
But then, it soon became tedious and I just stopped jogging but made sure I ate really healthy. The scale would sometimes show a rise, and eventually started decreasing little by little again. So I threw it out because I figured it was getting old or something. Then I attended a friend’s wedding where guests where given a few souvenirs including a SCALE! I thought great…here we go! Again, I started to track my weight. There were days my jeans would feel loose, yet the scale would show me something entirely different. I mean, it just went back and forth like that for a while.
Finally, I said that’s it and stopped getting on the scale! Needless to say, I’ve gained back some pounds, but it’s not horrible. I want to lose the weight without actually stepping on a scale. And since I’ve only weigh myself twice at the doctor’s office…I figured that’s good enough. What I do care about now is my HEALTH. It’s called self-discovery, and there’s absolutely no shame in that. So since I’ve decided to do the five-day sugar detox, which is kind of terrifying and exhilarating.
The goal is to address my relationship with sugar and work out how to live my life with complete control over my food choices. I presently don’t have a scale because I believe my body is much better at telling me what it needs, how it feels and if it’s healthy. A scale just won’t do that….not in the slightest. Now, I’m not saying you should get rid of your scale too because everyone is different. Your own path to a healthy life may find benefit in having a scale by your side. I am challenging myself. I’d like to see how I’ll feel when I’m not a slave to the scale.
Sign Up to Our Newsletter
Get notified about exclusive offers every week!