Mental Moment-The Numbers on the Scale

One of my clients has had quite a journey. We’ve worked through many things together: thoughts, feelings, motivation, black/white thinking, work versus personal life, diet, exercise, etc. When he first came to see me I helped him rid himself of numbers, charts, grids and for awhile, the scale. The dreaded scale. Although his journey to eat healthier has taken a bit of time now that he is eating healthier we are more able to dial him into the other benefits of eat healthy aside from losing weight. Eating healthier has helped him to think more clearly which in and of itself helps but he’s finally able to  feel the benefits: not as lethargic, more balanced, more energy, thinking more clearly, better able to deal with stress and sleeping better. Even after going through the benefits…

Clients: yeah, but, I still haven’t lost any weight.

Me: would you give up all the benefits you listed for weight loss?

C no.

Me: losing weight, gaining muscle mass or looking better takes sometimes a lot longer than all of the many other benefits. The number on the scale is one thing and it’s one thing that you let rule your life. (Lets face it, if we were using the scale of justice or an Eo-scale there are two sides. If you put the numbers on the scale on one side and all of the above benefits on the other, which would be heavier?)

Client: yeah Michelle but you have to understand that I lost 100 pounds once…

Me: yes you did but how long did you feel good about that?

Client: 6 months

Me: we are talking about your life, a lifestyle, not 6 months. Don’t you want to be less lethargic, more balanced, have more energy, be able to think more clearly, be able to handle stress effectively and sleep well for the rest of your life?

Client: yes.

Me: your new eating regime is going to take awhile for your body to adjust to. The more history you have with the ‘feeling’ benefits the more confidence and motivation you’ll have. This is all new. You have never taken a leap of faith of faith like this. Your mind will want to go back to what it knows even though that’s never worked but the number on the scale is not who you are.

Client: but the weight is visible and I can’t see all of these other things.

Me: yep but that’s the direction we are moving you: feeling and not seeing. And the number on the scale is one thing and after you get to that magic number you will only be happy for 6 months and then what?

Client: and then I go back to yo-yoing like I have.

The conversation took many twists and turns but it mainly went in a positive direction and there were many aha moments. My (clients) name is: _______________________ and I’ve been an emotional food addict all my life but I am 3 weeks clean.

Happy end of your week!

Dr. Michelle

Photo credit: Scale_of_justice_2.svg