Breaking Up with the Scale: How (and Why) to Stop Weighing Yourself
If stepping on the scale is part of your daily routine—or something that secretly sets the tone for your whole day—you’re not alone. The scale has become a deeply ingrained part of how we define health, progress, and worth. But what if I told you that you don’t actually need to know your weight to take care of yourself?
For many of the athletes, teens, and high-achievers I work with, the scale starts out as a tool for “staying on track” and quickly becomes something that chips away at confidence, energy, and trust in their body. If that’s you, this post is your permission slip to break up with the scale—and a roadmap to help you do it.
Let’s Talk About the Costs
Even if stepping on the scale feels like a helpful habit, it can have a ripple effect you don’t always notice until you take a step back.
You feel amazing—until the number throws you into a shame spiral.
You skip snacks or meals after seeing the number go up.
You obsessively try to "earn" or "make up for" fluctuations.
You stop trusting how your body feels—and only trust the number.
If any of those sound familiar, it’s not a personal failure. It’s a sign the scale might be doing more harm than good.
What the Scale Can’t Tell You
Weighing yourself tells you one thing: your gravitational pull on the earth. That’s it.
It doesn’t tell you:
How well you’re sleeping
Whether you’re getting enough fuel to support your activity
If you’re building strength or resilience
Whether your hormones are functioning optimally
If you’re healing from RED-S, disordered eating, or chronic underfueling
And it definitely doesn’t tell you anything about your kindness, your work ethic, or how much fun you had at last weekend’s ski trip.
The Scale Wasn’t Always Part of Healthcare
Here’s the wild part: scales didn’t even exist in most medical offices until the 1950s. Before then, doctors assessed health by talking to their patients—asking about energy, digestion, mood, and appetite. Weight became a more routine metric as the diet industry grew and health became more commercialized.
*I highly recommend reading Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison for a deeper dive into the history of diet culture and how it’s evolved through the centuries.
Today, many weight-inclusive healthcare providers are working to de-emphasize weight in care—and you can, too.
Why Letting Go Feels So Hard (And Why That’s Okay)
If the idea of giving up the scale makes you anxious, that’s totally normal. You might be thinking:
“How will I know if I’m making progress?”
“What if my body changes and I don’t realize it?”
“But I’ve always weighed myself!”
The truth is, we’ve been taught to use weight as a shortcut to health. But that shortcut is flawed—and often misleading. This work takes time, self-compassion, and support. You don’t have to go cold turkey. You can take it one step at a time.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Letting Go of the Scale
Here’s a gentle way to approach this process:
Pause and Reflect
Ask yourself: What role does the scale play in my life right now? What emotions come up when I step on it?Reduce Frequency
Try going from daily to once a week, then once a month. (Eventually, not at all.)Put It Out of Sight
Toss it in the closet or give it to someone you trust. Not seeing it every day can reduce the urge to check.Replace the Ritual
Start your day with something that grounds you: a stretch, a deep breath, setting an intention, or journaling.Track Non-Scale Wins
Keep a running list of how you’re feeling: stronger on your runs, fewer headaches, better sleep, less anxiety around food.
What to Expect When You Stop Weighing Yourself
It might feel uncomfortable at first. You might feel urges to check. That’s normal.
But with time, you’ll start noticing:
Less anxiety around food and movement
More confidence in how your body feels, not just how it looks
Greater freedom to live your life without being ruled by a number
And honestly? That kind of freedom is worth everything.
So, What Should You Focus On Instead?
How you feel during practice or workouts
How well you’re recovering
Energy, mood, and motivation
Hunger and fullness cues
Joyful moments in your body (also known as glimmers)—whether that’s hiking, dancing, or cozying up with a blanket and a book
You’re Allowed to Let Go
Ditching the scale doesn’t mean “letting yourself go.” It means you’re choosing to live in partnership with your body instead of policing it.
You’re allowed to trust yourself. You’re allowed to prioritize how you feel over how you look. And if you need support along the way? I’m here for that.
