10 Reasons why the scale was the worst invention EVER!

I've been doing a ton of thinking lately.  Mostly because I've started to run more regularly and when I run I think.

Today's run made me think that this year has been an entire waste.  Well, sort of.  I did have a wonderful time doing a half marathon with my DH, one of the best experiences ever and I ran my 12th half marathon!  But otherwise this year was a bust and let me tell you why.

Because I cared waaaay too much about what the damned bathroom scale said every morning, every evening and after every workout.  Yes, I was weighing in that much.  The logical side of my brain said this is ABSURD, a weight loss or weight gain is not a true reflection-at least not in one day.  I let it get in my head, let it define me and how I was living my life.  It is a monster that honestly took on a life of it's own!  I stopped wearing cute clothes, stopped feeling sexy, I even missed runs because I hated how I looked in my running clothes.

I was enjoying the sunshine today even though my legs were screaming after my 7 miler yesterday and I was thinking about life, politics, social issues, and a little self-reflection.

What the heck have I been wasting my time on?  An inanimate object that puts out a number...seriously?  I've all but stopped running and loving life because of that.  I've stopped  taking care of myself because of that...ordering junk food and not exercising because of that!!!

What a loser!!! No seriously, that is the most losery thing I could let myself do.  So, I came up with my top 10 reasons for why the scale is, quite likely, getting trashed.

1) It says absolutely nothing about who I am as a person.  It  bears no reflection upon my personality, good deeds, etc.

2) It wasn't making me a better runner...in fact I was letting it hold me back from doing one of the things I most love.

3) I wasn't paying attention to what I was eating.  When the scale gave me feedback I didn't like I used it as a license to eat whatever because 'who cares.'

4) Worrying about that stupid thing gave me a low self-esteem which in turn halted any progress I was making on my schooling etc.

5) If I lived on the moon it would give me a totally different number.

6) I could be super duper skinny and still be super duper out of shape.  I'd rather be able to do a pull up and bench press then be skinny and wimpy.

7) Jeans.  Pretty clothing. I stopped wearing them.

8) I should be finishing my school-so that I can then start volunteering more again.  My weight shouldn't impact my desire to help the causes I love.

9) I don't need the scale to tell me what/ how to live my life.  I know what I need to be doing.

10) It was a waste of time.  A HUGE FREAKING WASTE OF TIME! And I got absolutely nothing in return for it.

I know who I am as a person, I'm constantly trying to educate myself to become more informed on a variety of issues, I want to improve my overall fitness and health.  I want to live a long healthy life with DH where we are 80 and still running half marathons together. Mostly I just want to do the best I can with the time given to make a positive impact on the world around me.  I am really not sure how/ why I let that thing take on a life of its own, but it did.  Instead of worrying about the how and the why I am going to move forward.

So....I am out of my slump, I am going to embrace life and live it to the fullest.

Without the bathroom scale.