A man and his scale

The dreaded scale. It’s a source of anxiety for many, and for good reason. Society has taught us all kinds of things about what the number on that scale means about us as individuals.

Consciously, we know it’s bullshit. We know our value and our worth extend far beyond the number on that scale. That number means jack about how amazing we are as people. Duh.

But the thing is -society’s message about what our weight stretches far beyond what we are conscious of. Yes, we know that a number couldn’t possibly reflect who we are as individuals. But subconsciously and unconsciously…well, that’s another story.

Pioneer psychologist Carl Jung in A Man and His Symbols first described how our subconscious and unconscious mind communicates. Consciously through the frontal cortex, we have words to describe how we understand objects.

But our subconscious (limbic system) and unconscious (brainstem) minds communicate in symbols and sensations. In short, words don’t matter when we are talking about the scale because that’s not how our brains process things when it comes to deep-rooted conditioning.

See, it’s not the actual scale that is harmful to us. But rather, it is what we have learned the scale symbolizes that causes harm to our human psyche. The scale is just a damn scale. You don’t have to be a human to use a scale. You stick something on it, and it spits out a number.

Picture this: you go to the doctor’s and your blood pressure is higher than you like. Do you think, “What a useless blood pressure cuff. Worthless! Might as well throw them out!”

Sounds ridiculous, right? That’s because the blood pressure cuff doesn’t symbolize anything to us. It’s just a blood pressure cuff.

The damage done by society’s demands about our weight extends deep into our subconscious and unconscious minds. Consciously, we know that our weight is not an indicator of our value or our worth.

But we still feel that dreaded sinking in our stomach when we are forced to step on the scale at the doctor’s office. We still experience anxiety as our heart races before a weigh-in. Our body still physically reacts to the scale because of this deep level of conditioning.

So what do we do? We avoid it. We throw it out. We take to the internet and rant about how useless it is. What a hunk of junk.

But here’s the thing, the scale can actually be quite a useful tool. In the healthcare field, we pay close attention to the number on the scale, and most importantly, how much it fluctuates in any given time.

Why? Because weight is an indicator of health. It is not a stand-alone indicator. By definition, indicators are just clues, so therefore weight is just one clue about our overall health functioning.

But weight does give us insight into an individual’s health status. The actual number doesn’t matter so much as the fluctuation does. If someone is rapidly gaining or losing weight, it can indicate all kinds of health issues, from hormone imbalances, to bowel issues, to heart concerns, to cancer.

And if you’re trying to shed weight — because sometimes, but not always, shedding weight is beneficial for your health — it is also a really useful tool to figure out what works for you. Every body is different, so meal plans are not a one-size-fits-all. When you learn to use a scale as a tool, it can provide you with regular feedback that can really aid you in your weight loss journey.

Listen, losing weight should never be the goal. The goal should be to feel better, to move better, to lower cholesterol, to gain energy, or whatever it is that you’re really seeking. Weight loss is just a side effect that happens for many along that journey.

To reach these goals, we need lots of tools in our toolbox, and I personally have found the scale to be an incredibly useful tool for me. Using it regularly helped me find my ideal weight — a number that for me, is about 20 pounds over what google tells me is “ideal.” But I side with Deepak Chopra on this one: we all have an ideal weight hiding inside of us.

What if you could approach the scale with curiosity? What if you could use it as a tool to help you discover what works best for your body? What if your heart didn’t race every time you go to the doctors and step on the scale? What if the scale could become your ally to aid you in your wellness journey?

To really be able to do this, we have to dive deep into these conscious and unconscious minds. How? We have to talk to these parts of our minds using the languages that they speak in: symbols and sensations. Things like orientation practice, guided meditation, and ritualization are incredibly effective ways of talking to these parts of our brain.

You don’t have to throw the scale out. You don’t have to live in fear of it either. You don’t have to avoid doctor’s appointments. You simply need to re-condition your mind to view the scale in a new light. Only then you can use the scale as a tool to help you reach your goals.

Originally published at https://www.courtneykcoaching.com on October 1, 2020.