To The Girl That Has Tied Her Self-Love To A Scale

*Originally written for thereignxy. 

To the girl that has tied her self-love to a scale,
It’s time to accept yourself, sis.

You see, the scale defines your mood for the day. It determines if the day will be a good one. If the scale is happy with your progress, you might wear something nice to work. Go all out with your hair or even draw in your eyebrows. But if the numbers are not what you expected, it’s guaranteed to be one of those days filled with mean girl comments. It’ll be a day where you’ll opt for the loose fitted t-shirt, vs the maxi dress. It will be one of those days where you question taking your anti-anxiety medication because the bottle says, “may cause weight gain” and you’re so sure this is the reason for the sudden pounds increase. It’ll be another day where you endure the hot flashes and vertigo that comes with abruptly stopping your medication because you’d rather do that than see the number on the scale increase.

If the scale reads a number you are not comfortable with, the ragged threads loosely holding your sanity together are in danger. Because when you step on the scale, the number that displays becomes the ultimate deciding factor.

The deciding factor of if you are going to love yourself that day.

2011 was the year of your weight-loss journey. The healthy one filled with intuitive eating, a cheat meal every so often, and a reasonable workout schedule that resulted in a 30-pound weight-loss. 2013 and 2014 were the years of the obsession. The obsession with seeing 128 pounds on a scale mixed with the macro counting, the juicing, and the ridiculous 2-hour gym sessions, five days a week. In 2015, anti-anxiety medications were introduced along with 15+ pounds you couldn’t shake. And now here we are in 2017, questioning this unhealthy relationship with food and avoiding life’s offerings because of thick thighs and insecurities.

Sis, it’s time to get it together.

The good news is your healing has been ordered and rushed delivered.  The bad news is, you’re going to need to work hard for it, and abide by a few ground rules before the Universe accepts your signature.

1. You need to divorce the scale and all of its limitations.
2. Embrace the mirror because you’re beautiful. Always.
3. Purchase your size 10, and stop swiping your card for the 6. A size 6 comes with restrictions. It comes with severe self-deprecation. It comes with hunger and overworked limbs. And most of all, it comes with severe guilt and unhappiness because you placed your weight-loss on an unrealistic timeframe.
4. Speaking of unrealistic timeframes, allow your body to move at its own pace whether it be 2 to 3 pounds a month, or simply a few inches. Let your body do it on its own time, and let your body do it in a healthy fashion.
5. And lastly, the most important rule here is to accept where are you are right now, at this very moment. To completely love yourself means loving yourself through all of your phases. It means being kind to yourself always, and routing for yourself always. Loving yourself is never an option. Baby girl, self-love is a mandate.

It’s time you understand that the numbers on the scale are insignificant when it comes to whether you deserve your love today or any other day. You deserve your love every moment you spend on this earth, and a scale has absolutely nothing to do with it.

It’s time to sign.
It’s time to accept yourself, sis.

Love always,
The same girl flourishing in self-love and self-care on the other side.