January is almost over! How are you doing? Have you started dwelling on the number you see on the bathroom scale?

I have clients who have an unhealthy relationship with their scale. They step on the scale not just once, but multiple times a day. In the morning before they eat, and in just their Birthday suit, they weigh the least and feel happy. Then they eat a little too much at lunch and step on the scale and feel sad. Then they eat barely anything at dinner and go for a walk and step on the scale and feel a little better…they are back to their morning weight. But then they eat too much watching TV and step on the scale and go to sleep feeling sad but determined to weigh less in the morning.

Arghhhhh! As you can see, stepping on a scale can result in quite the mind game. You can end up in a bad mood because of the numbers on a scale. Here are my recommendations:

•    Only weigh yourself once a week.
•    Weigh yourself at the same time of day.
•    If you have an unhealthy relationship with your bathroom scale, get rid of it!
•    Use the scale at a friend’s house or the YMCA (but always use the same scale).

Other weight loss measures
My husband says his scale is a full-length mirror. If you stand naked in front of a full-length mirror, you’ll see the truth reflected back at you. There is no tricking the full-length mirror!

Even your clothes aren’t the best measure of how fit you are. I have stretch pants that I can fit in comfortably at my current weight and 5 pounds heavier. Stretch material is not helpful! I have a pair of jeans with no stretch that I put on to tell how I really feel in my clothes.

I do believe in weighing once a week. Some people never ever weigh themselves and live in denial (wearing lots of yoga pants and stretch material) and then go to the doctor’s office for a yearly physical only to come home in tears because they gained 20 pounds.

You know if you feel “thick” around the middle or out of shape … and a scale can help keep you in line.

Think positively!
To deal with the number on the scale, you need to think positively. Your attitude plays a big role in your success with weight loss. Have you ever said, “This day is ruined!” because a few things go wrong? Did your day improve, or did your bad attitude infect the rest of your day? Has anyone ever told you that you look tired? Did you start feeling tired after their comment?

I believe attitude has a huge impact on our behavior. If you feel sluggish, then you will skip a workout that could actually give you energy. If you feel overweight, then you will overeat and end up contributing to the problem.

Think positively about yourself and your ability to lose weight. As a dietitian I have many coworkers who will put down their body size. I always reply, “Stop with the negative self-talk!”

I’m going to have a great day!
Focus on your strengths and soon your thoughts will follow. Remember that everyone has times that they overeat or do not exercise, but the key is getting back to a healthy lifestyle. When you look in the mirror or step on the scale, smile and think a positive thought about yourself!

You are worth the time and effort it takes for a healthy lifestyle. You will be a better spouse, parent, and friend if you take time to eat right and exercise.

Start today by saying to yourself, “I’m going to have a great day!” and go out there and make it happen!

Meet Jeni Tackett, Let’s Move Quad Cities Nutrition Blogger. Jeni is a registered and licensed dietitian for Unity Point-Trinity and Two Rivers YMCA. Jeni counsels her clients on weight loss and nutrition. You can read Jeni’s bio and other blog posts by clicking here.