Do You Need a Scale?
Recently, Ethan and I went to Brookville to take Kent’s 94-year-old mother to lunch. When we arrived at her house where she still lives on her own, she wanted us to take her on a couple of errands. One of those errands was to go to CVS to use her 40% off coupon to buy a new scale.
Wait, what? My 94-year-old mother-in-law needed a scale?! I couldn’t help myself so I asked her why. She went on to explain that the battery recently died in hers, and she’d had it for a long time so she tossed the thing in the trash can. Out of genuine curiosity, I said, “Rita, why do you need a scale?” “Well,” she said, “I always weigh every Wednesday. Don’t you weigh every day?” “No,” I said. “I don’t even own a scale, Rita. I weigh once or twice a year at the doctor’s office.” Then she said, “Well, I guess I don’t need one, do I?” Nope.
We still went to CVS, and she found something else to use her 40% coupon on. But I couldn’t stop thinking about a 94-year-old woman feeling like she needed to weigh regularly. I’m not even sure that the number means much to her now, but at 94, she still had the mindset that a woman needs to step on the scale. Until I set her straight, she assumed I weighed regularly. I think it’s an assumption that we’ve all been groomed to make: Women are supposed to watch their weight. And, if we don’t weigh ourselves, we’ll gain weight. I believed that. I was scared to death to get rid of my scale, but I also knew it had way too much control over my life. Getting rid of my scale was an act of trust and obedience that the Lord was asking me to make. Reluctantly, I did it, and I’m so thankful that I did.
Scale or no scale, what I want more than anything is for women to move beyond worry about their weight. I want women of all ages and stages of life to be free from this worry. But I know that it takes work. When messages about thin bodies surround you at a young age, and you have influential women in your life (moms, grandmas, older sisters, etc.) dieting, you can’t help but follow their examples. And if you don’t diet, or if you’re not successful at dieting, you’re feeling insecure and self-conscious about how you look. We have to change the message. And we have to set a different example.
I couldn't stop thinking about a 94-year-old woman feeling like she needed to weigh regularly. Share on XThe women in my Faith and Fitness Support and Accountability Community are moms and grandmas. I’ve worked with women in their 50s, 60s, 70s because they are ready to break free from this pressure. They want to be the change. This takes courage. When you’ve been led to believe these things for so long, it’s hard to break the cycle. But it’s possible.
Absolutely these women want to live a healthy life. (They’re going to live until they’re 94 and beyond, of course!) But, they want to do it in a way that is encouraging to their daughters and granddaughters who are watching. They are living a healthy life that gives them freedom, not one that ties them to a scale or a restrictive diet plan. They’re embracing their age and stage of life, and you can too!
Are you living the kind of life you want your daughter and granddaughter to live? Are you leaving a legacy that says a woman can be healthy and confident in any size? What do you need to do to break free and start embracing your age and stage of life? Have courage and take the first step today.
I started writing my faith and fitness devotionals and created a coaching community for women because I want you to know the peace and confidence that comes from living fit and free. This is possible for every single woman who is ready to build her healthy life on a foundation of faith. No matter your past. No matter your age. Today is the day you can choose to throw off what’s hindering you and run the race Christ marked for you.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)
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