Day 27 and Im starting to get really scared about weighing in!

[MelanieR]

Ok, so here is my story in brief. Im a trainer, a runner and I love lifting. I use to workout 5 days a week, ive been gluten free for about 2 yrs and I LOVE to exercise. Last January, I tore a muscle in the medial head of my gastrocnemius which wasnt discovered with tests until July ( In Canada, the health care system may be free but it takes a LONG time to get results, LOL) and I have basically been rendered useless in terms of exercising since January. I cant run , I cant do any type of Olympic Lifts, I cant squat ect..... On top of all that, I had to be tested for Celiac disease over the summer, which meant I had to reintroduce grains/wheat into my diet, a minimum of 4 slices of bread a day. Yikes, that was hard. Anyhow, with the cumulation of the lack of exercise and the added wheat, I gained 10 pds ( Im a size 2-4 so 10 pds is a lot on my frame). This is one of the reasons I started the whole30. To be honest, the two main reasons were weight loss and to fix my unhealthy relationship with food. Now that my whole30 is ending, I am so scared to step on that scale and take my measurements. Im telling myself that the changes and how I am feeling are awesome but I feel that if I get on that scale, and its not what I expected, that all my talking will come to nothing. BTW, not weighing myself is not an option, as this was a little experiment for me and many of my clients and I want to document the changes, in all its forms.

Ive already decided that I will have a Martini and some chocolate covered almonds ( minimal amounts) on halloween and then I am starting another whole30 on November 1st with 6 of my clients.

Does anyone else go through this? Is my relationship with food THAT unhealthy that I would be that scared? This is the first time that my body image doesnt consume my every thought, should I be continuing this until thats all gone? Is that even possible?

[befabdaily]

If your body is changing and feels awesome now, then you have already won, right?

It's really hard to get your ego disentangled from the scale in our weight-obsessed culture. And if your body image was consuming your every thought, that's no good. You could just be honest with your clients -- tell them you're feeling awesome and what the changes have been, maybe measure and share changes in measurements, but tell them you realized that you have an unhealthy relationship with that number and you need to not weigh in. Who knows, maybe it will be an eye-opener for some of them and help them get past the same problem.

[Flynn]

Congratulations on the wonderful work you have done and the successes you feel. I know you said that avoiding the scale is not an option, but based on what you've written it sounds like it is your only option. You are doing great work, keep it up!!

[CaseyD]

To be honest, the two main reasons were weight loss and to fix my unhealthy relationship with food. Now that my whole30 is ending, I am so scared to step on that scale and take my measurements. Im telling myself that the changes and how I am feeling are awesome but I feel that if I get on that scale, and its not what I expected, that all my talking will come to nothing. BTW, not weighing myself is not an option, as this was a little experiment for me and many of my clients and I want to document the changes, in all its forms.

Does anyone else go through this? Is my relationship with food THAT unhealthy that I would be that scared? This is the first time that my body image doesnt consume my every thought, should I be continuing this until thats all gone? Is that even possible?

You may need to define what you mean by your unhealthy relationship with food. Is it actually an unhealthy relationship with body image? Because that is what it sounds like based on your post.

You're a trainer, so I would think you already know the scale does not tell the whole story. That number doesn't tell you how hard you worked, how fit you are, or how healthy you are. There is no one making you take measurements or get on the scale. It is an option. You have an option to teach your clients better body image through example. You say your body image isn't consuming every thought and that this is progress, well then teach that. Is your job only to help people lose weight? Or, is your job to help people get healthier? If you focus on health with your clients, then maybe it's time to start thinking outside the box. If stepping on the scale isn't working for your health and happiness (and it sounds like it isn't), then why would you teach this? Perhaps there is more to be learned by the experiment than you're realizing.

[MelanieR]

^{I actually do teach this and counsel them to put the scale away but sometimes knowing something in your head isnt the same as ACTUALLY really getting it. I think thats why its an issue in the first place. I definitely have an unhealthy relationship with food and body image. Ive worked on it for a long time and am WAY ahead of the game then ever before. I guess I came on here and maybe opened up a little too much about me and now feel slightly judged.}

^{Im a good trainer, really help my clients deal with many issues, usually related to food and I think what gives me the abolity to do that is having struggled with it myself. This whole30 was taking that a step further, thats all.}

^{Thanks everyone for your ideas. Maybe I wont step on that scale., who knows?}

[Emily]

What if you were to put off stepping on the scale longer... you said you are planning another Whole30, so maybe just put it off until after that one?

I know you said that you feel judged and I'm trying to come up with a non-judgemental way to say this.

What would you say to a client who told you that she felt really good, but absolutely had to weigh herself and was concerned the sense of feeling good might go away after weighing herself?

Bummer on the injury, btw! I hope it is healing up!

[befabdaily]

Sorry, I didn't mean what I said as negative judgment on you. I was just trying to think of a way where you could do what you seem like you want/need to do (not weigh in) while still keeping your clients feeling like you are giving them information you promised. I was not trying to imply you're doing a bad job!

[CaseyD]

I think you might have read negativity in my post when none was meant. My questions were legit in that I do know a personal trainer who is only focused on getting her clients results - not better health. It's not unheard of, unfortunately. And, it is a valid question because it absolutely shapes how you can handle this situation.

If all you cared to teach your clients is to lose weight/get fit - basically only focus on vanity - then I can see why stepping on the scale may not seem like an option. But, if you teach your clients the broader goal of good health (and it sounds like you do), this is an opportunity. You get the opportunity to tell them that look, you have a personal battle going on (that many, many people can relate to) and that you've learned that getting on the scale may not be the right thing for you to do. Instead, you want to share all the other positive changes you've gained during this experience. And, taking measurements may not be the right thing for some of your clients to do either, and they may realize this from your example. That's what I mean by thinking outside the box.

I was in no way trying to pass judgment on you, but your story is common and sounds like a struggle I've had in my past. I had some serious body image issues, but through the years I've finally managed to get on the other side of that. Sounds like you're doing the good work to get there, too. I'm just saying that maybe there's an opportunity here that you're not seeing to do something big for yourself - and possibly for some of your clients in the same struggle. It is hard but powerful to truly lose the scale and to actually practice not placing importance on measurements.

[Laura B]

I was in the same boat (mentally) as you during my first W30. I weighed myself before and was quite nervous to do it afterwards, even though I felt awesome and had made serious strides in my relationship with food. Body image was still a work in progress that has thankfully come a LONG way. I am actually starting to see myself differently. I have not weighed myself since my first W30 ended in August. I would suggest getting on that scale in the name of science and then breaking up with it for good. You said you were trying to make a point, and I think you understand that the W30 isn't about weight loss, it's about health. I think regardless of what the scale says, you can paint a much better picture of how your life has improved or not.