Let me tell you, I used to be best buddies with the scale. I’d step on it every morning, believing it held the secret to my self-worth. But you know what? I had a major falling out with that scale, and here’s why: The number it shows can tell you one thing and one thing only—your weight. It can’t reveal:

• Your true value as a person.
• Your mental and emotional state.
• The depth of your spiritual connection.
• The quality of your relationships.

In other words, it’s just a number that reflects your gravitational pull towards our planet Earth.

Breaking Free from the Scale

Now, I’m almost certain that you’re here reading this because that number on the scale means WAY MORE to you than it should. It’s like a magic mirror that decides your mood for the day and even influences your choice of outfit. If the number goes up, you feel down, and the same goes for when it goes down. It’s a never-ending loop, and there’s no way to win.

Each time you hop on that scale, you’re telling yourself that the number is important. But today, I want you to challenge that belief. I want you to break up with your scale and stop weighing yourself. Here’s how to do it in simple steps:

Step 1: Remove the Temptation

First things first, let’s break the habit. Weighing yourself has become something you just do automatically. It’s like a button that says, “step on me” every time you see the scale. But we’re going to change that. We’re going to put that scale away, far away. When it’s out of your sight, it won’t keep reminding you to weigh in, and that makes it easier for you to stop.

So, take the scale out of your bathroom. Find a good hiding spot for it, somewhere you won’t see it every day. It could be in a closet, under your bed, or in the garage. The point is to make it hard to get to. When it’s not in your face, you won’t feel the urge to step on it all the time. Trust me, this little change can make a big difference.

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A post shared by Ryann Prentice, LPC | Binge Eating Therapist (@itsryannnicole)

Step 2: Make Weighing a Hassle

Now that you don’t have that scale staring at you, let’s make it a little tricky to even find it. This way, it gives you some time to think before you hop on. You don’t want it to be too easy, so let’s hide the scale in a spot that’s not so easy to reach.

You can put it in the back of your car, on a high shelf in your closet, or tuck it deep under your bed. The goal is to make it a bit of a chore to get to it. When you have to go through some effort to find the scale, you’ll pause and think, “Do I really want to do this?” It’s a way to make you consider your choice before stepping on the scale. So, give it a try and make the scale a little hard to reach. You’ll be surprised how this can help you break the habit.

Step 3: Find Something More Valuable

I get it, it’s tough to completely stop thinking about your weight. But here’s a different idea: let’s put more importance on other things. Try paying attention to:

• How you feel: Are you happy? Energized? Content?
• How you treat your loved ones: Are you being kind to your family and friends?
• How you treat yourself: Are you taking good care of yourself?

By focusing on these things, you’re shifting your attention away from the number on the scale. Instead, you’re looking at the bigger picture. When you think about how you feel, how you treat others, and how you treat yourself, it helps you realize that your worth isn’t determined by that number. You’re worth so much more than what the scale says. So, give it a try and shift your focus to what really matters in life.

Step 4: Stop Weighing When You’re Ready

Now, here’s the thing – you don’t have to rush. You can go at your own pace. You don’t have to toss that scale out the window one day and then buy a new one the next day. That’s not what we’re aiming for.

When you’re absolutely ready, when you feel it in your heart, then you can say goodbye to the scale for good. And when you do, make it something special. How about having a little “break-up with the scale” celebration? You’ve earned it!

Throw a party, treat yourself to something you love, or spend time with your friends. It’s like a way to say, “I’m done with this scale, and I’m focusing on what truly matters.” So, don’t hurry, take your time, and when you’re ready, let that scale go and celebrate your newfound freedom!

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A post shared by Ryann Prentice, LPC | Binge Eating Therapist (@itsryannnicole)

In a nutshell, the scale can lead to unhealthy eating habits by making you base your worth on a simple digital number. But you can break free from this cycle by following these four steps: remove the trigger, make it a hassle, value something else more, and stop weighing yourself when you’re ready. You’re teaching your mind and body that the number doesn’t define you. You’re reinforcing the healthier belief that you don’t need a number to tell you how you feel or decide your worth. It’s time to embrace your true value beyond the scale.

Must Read Books To Improve Body Image

Just so you know, I do review everything I recommend. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission.

The Body Is Not An Apology By Sonya Renee Taylor 

The Body Is Not an Apology offers radical self-love as the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by these violent systems. World-renowned activist and poet Sonya Renee Taylor invites us to reconnect with the radical origins of our minds and bodies and celebrate our collective, enduring strength. As we awaken to our own indoctrinated body shame, we feel inspired to awaken others and to interrupt the systems that perpetuate body shame and oppression against all bodies. When we act from this truth on a global scale, we usher in the transformative opportunity of radical self-love, which is the opportunity for a more just, equitable, and compassionate world–for us all.

What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon

Advancing fat justice and changing prejudicial structures and attitudes will require work from all people. What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat is a crucial tool to create a tectonic shift in the way we see, talk about, and treat our bodies, fat and thin alike.

Body Talk by Katie Sturino

With Body Talk, an illustrated guide-meets-workbook, Sturino is here to help you stop obsessing about your body issues, focus on self-love, and free up space in your brain for creative and productive energy. Complete with empowering affirmations, relatable anecdotes, and actionable takeaways, as well as space to answer prompts and jot down feelings and inspirations, Body Talk encourages you to spend less time thinking about how you look and what you eat and more time discovering your inner fierceness.

More Than A Body by Lindsay and Lexie Kite

From media consumption to health and fitness to self-reflection and self-compassion, Lindsay and Lexie share powerful and practical advice that goes beyond “body positivity” to help readers develop body image resilience—all while cutting through the empty promises sold by media, advertisers, and the beauty and weight-loss industries. In the process, they show how facing your feelings of body shame or embarrassment can become a catalyst for personal growth.

The Body Of Truth by Harriet Brown 

The quest for health and wellness has never been more urgent, yet most of us continue to buy into fad diets and unattainable body ideals, unaware of the damage we’re doing to ourselves. Through interviews, research, and her own experience, Brown not only gives us the real story on weight, health, and beauty, but also offers concrete suggestions for how each of us can sort through the lies and misconceptions and make peace with and for ourselves.

Landwhale by Jes Baker

A deeply personal take, Landwhale is a glimpse at life as a fat woman today, but it’s also a reflection of the unforgiving ways our culture still treats fatness, all with Jes’s biting voice as the guide.