When the kiddos’ naptime (aka my post-writing time) rolled around I stared at my screen with this dilemma:

The response came in for me on Twitter and Facebook (shameless plug to follow if you don’t already). Verdict = share what’s on my mind. Who am I to deny the answers social media provides? 

I have been facing an internal dilemma.What exactly? The scale. Dun dun dun!!!!

When maintaining my weight or gaining weight for conception and pregnancy I had absolutely no desire to use a scale. It did not matter to me in the least. Now I suddenly feel myself wishing I could have it available to me. Why? Well, I am trying to lose weight. Its necessary to get back to that place I personally feel my best. I sort of miss having a concrete way to know how those efforts pan out. I feel like I am approaching my goals blindly.

Although harder, its still possible to eat enough healthy food calories to inhibit weight loss. I also don’t want to lose too quickly, which can be detrimental to milk supply. And I have no clue if I’m doing either of those things. I fear that I will reach a point where I feel I’m not making progress and will then make unnecessary changes. It’s interesting…I gave up the scale to not have mental games, yet now it seems to be causing even more of those games.

I tell myself the following: I feel confident in my relationship with my body. I believe I could use a scale without getting caught up in the number. I trust that I would use it as a tool and nothing more – simply as a more regular gauge in addition to my clothes and progress pictures, which both take longer to show noticeable progress. I would still do my thing, with minor tweaks when needed and not because I think its time as I may without a scale. I would not focus on reaching a particular number and would never do anything drastic in the name of achieving a number. I would keep the balanced approach I have strived to achieve.

Then, there’s the other side. I know I don’t need a scale to tell me I’m making good choices for my health…and health matters most. I have stated here my belief in getting back in shape scale-free. I would feel like I was letting FFF, and its readers, down. I also feel like I would lose credibility personally. I have other ways I can track progress and focus on. I know that, while I weighed myself weekly after Makenzie, my body naturally returned to its happy place. Although I used the scale to reach my goals, I didn’t depend on it either.

I still don’t know where I end up with this internal dilemma. I want to be true to myself, my beliefs on health and balance, this blog and what it represents above all else. Can the two coexist?

Question of the Evening – What’s your relationship with the scale? Or any thoughts?

The other night, when moderating the week’s Fit Blog Chat, I began thinking more about my plan for getting back in shape post-delivery. During the chat, I chose to discuss the topic of goals and whether or not tracking certain numbers motivates progress.

When working to get back in shape, I will need ways to hold myself accountable and check on my progress. However, I have done the number game before and know it inhibits me in some areas because I obsess. So, I came up with a general game plan to help me work towards that overall body-after-baby goal. This post will focus on how I plan to approach things like tracking my body’s changes. Look for a future post on how I plan to tackle food/diet/calories and workout progress after the baby.

THE BODY

If you have read any of my previous Body After Baby posts, you know I hope to reshape my body in the upcoming year. I want to achieve a happy, healthy place for my body where I feel strong and fit. Based on previous experience, I know very well where that feels best for me. In the past, however, I knew that place based on how I felt…but I still paid close attention to the scale. I thought that place tied to my weight more than anything else. Now…

I no longer believe in the scale. I realized that when using it to track progress, normal weight fluctuations drove me crazy and I put too much stock of my progress in what it read out to me. Sometimes it motivated me, but more often than not, that motivation would not last. Either it wouldn’t say what I hoped and I felt discouraged…or it would, and I would wonder if I could have done more. Not everyone approaches the scale that way, so it works well for some, but I know I can’t turn to it myself.

I know my body. I have spent years in a variety of places in my body. Overeating and binging. Depriving and exercising too much. Feeling content and strong. I have learned what works for me and what doesn’t. I believe that based on those things, I will manage to know whether or not I am progressing towards my goals without a number telling me so. The feeling of health drives me on more than any number ever could. That will serve as my biggest gauge on how I’m doing in my progress.

I do still plan to use other tools as well. I have already posted my plans to use progress pictures to track changes I may not see day to day in the mirror. I also have my stack of jeans that I plan to use.

I have jeans that fit many different ways and a couple different sizes (since having to gain weight to conceive). Going by the changes in the way they fit, I can determine progress. Plus, the thought of not having to go jeans shopping again and eventually end up in my tried and true favorites provides a ton of motivation. The pictures and fit of my clothes can help me determine if I’m working in the right direction, but will never surpass the focus on feeling fit or caring for myself.

Question of the Day – What ways do you motivate yourself for progress in any physical or fitness goals?