The wrong mindset: “Once I lose weight, I can start feeling good about myself again.”
The right mindset: “I can start feeling good about myself right now by making my health a priority.”
I personally know many people who have had the wrong mindset for many years. They were so focused on the numbers on the scale that they totally forgot the other positive outcomes of their new healthier lifestyle.
They got stronger. They lost fat. Their body composition changed drastically. They became more energetic and confident, but because their weight did not move much, they constantly doubted themselves wondering if the things they were doing were right.
I was once a skinny kid looking to make gains and I too was obsessed with the scale. But as years went by, I got to know my body and myself better. I educated myself and grew mentally. It became clear to me that I was so much more than a number on the scale. It became clear to me that that number did not determine whether I was good or bad. It also became clear to me that being healthy was both my foundation and my zenith.
Health is undeniably wealth and it is so much more than any number. Don’t ever let a number be the decisive factor on whether you are good or bad.
In fact, look at the other numbers in your life that you cannot change and must live with. If you were born third in your family, you will always be the third child. But that does not diminish you in any way. It does not mean that your scope in life will always be third place. You can get out there and snag the gold medal.
Similarly, you cannot change your date of birth. But as the saying goes, age is just a number. You are never too old to start something new and succeed at it. Like a healthy lifestyle, for instance; you just need to put in the effort.
Than there’s your height. Unless you’re up for always wearing heels or shoes with lifts, if you’re five feet, four inches when you reach the age of majority, that’s forever going to be the number on your passport, driver’s licence and medical records. However, it does not limit the heights you can attain once you put in the work. And your achievements have the capacity to make you feel like you’re ten feet tall.
Again, all I’m saying is, don’t let yourself be limited by a number, any number. You are so much more than that.
