Dear Scale,
I am sure this letter is a complete surprise to you considering our long relationship, but this tryst must come to an end. The only thing you have ever given me is a number, no more, no less. A number that tells me what I weigh at one given moment on this Earth, which, by the way, would be totally different if I lived on the moon. You don’t take into account the amount of muscle I have, how much I’ve ate or drank in the last day, or that I might be a little bloated this time of the month. Nope, you just give me a number. And, this number is the reason we must part ways.
Sure, we’ve had some good times. I remember the times when you gave me a low number, you made me feel great enough to wear a tight shirt and my “skinny” jeans. I especially remember getting down to less than 100 pounds and being so proud of myself. The thing is you weren’t really much of a friend. You provided me with this number, but you were never concerned that I might have achieved this number by doing unhealthy things, like binging, purging, and excessive exercise. Nope, you only reinforced these behaviors. I suppose these weren’t really the good times that I had envisioned. You were all I cared about for so long, it is sad to let you go, although we have been growing apart for some time.
And, there have always been the bad times. You never failed to make me feel like a whale on many an occasion, with numbers spanning from 110 to 130 pounds. Sure, whales weigh in the range of 33-85 tons, but that’s how you made me feel. I was sure I heard you let out a little scream from the pain of my body on you. Some of these days, I didn’t go to school or want to meet with friends; you made me feel that bad about myself. No longer will I allow you to make me feel this way, don’t even try.
It is amazing to me that you have had such a hold on me and so many others for so long. I know most still won’t let go of you, and they will take their own journey, but we are through. Interestingly enough, since we have grown apart, my weight has remained stable. I have realized, and I hope someday others do as well, that you are no good for our psyche. You only give us a number. That number does not dictate the type of person we are, if we are pretty or ugly, if we should smile or cry, nor should it dictate what we might eat that day, or who we shall visit. You will only ever provide a number, that’s it, nothing more, nothing less.
So, Scale, I can’t control you, but I do control my behaviors. So, I choose to focus on my behaviors that promote my health…eating mostly whole foods, eating mindfully, exercising, practicing yoga, getting enough sleep, etc. Please, do not try to contact me ever again. My mind is no longer yours to tamper with.
Goodbye,
Eve
Eve's Garden of Eatn' 