I remember going to the doctor a few years back. Once I met up with the nurse, she motioned me over to the scale. I looked and saw the scale went up to 350 pounds. I knew I weighed more than that, so I told her I would pass. She marked me down as 350+

The scale can be vicious for many of us. Working hard all week long, tracking everything that goes in our mouth, working out…only to see a new pound.

The scale can also be misleading. There have been times where I have had weeks where working out was non-existent and eating was out of control. Yet, I would lose weight!

But I remember the first time I was able to actually go on the scale. I was going to my first Weight Watcher’s meeting. It was not only humiliating that I was the only male in there, but I was also enormous. I knew I weighed over 400 pounds, but I never knew the exact number.

When I got registered, the receptionist asked me to get on the scale. I refused.

“Why won’t you get on the scale?”
“I do not think it will register me.”

“Well, we need a starting point.”
“Can we just put down 350+?”

She knew I was uncomfortable. It was no one’s fault but mine. I got myself to the weight I was.

“I will tell you what. If it does not register, then we will say you are 350+.”

I agreed. My weight did register. 420.2 pounds. In one way, I was relieved that I finally had a starting weight. In another way, I was sad that I had so far to go.

The scale was there for me each week to root me on. While my pants were still from the Casual Male XL, I saw a six pound loss, and then a four pound loss. Each week I ate better and moved more.

Enough to lose over 200 pounds.

Other things started to happen as well. While being motivated by a number, I was breathing better. I was working out more. I was living my life.

When I went back to the doctor years later, I got on the scale. The nurse looked at her chart and said “Wow, you weighed 350 pounds?” I told her I weighed 420 pounds. The scale could not hold me.

I am sure that you get frustrated with the scale. Sometimes you want to give up when the numbers do not go your way. Just remember…

The scale does not lie. It does not always tell the whole story, either.