How To Instantly Love Yourself More In 3 Simple Steps
1) Walk into your bathroom.
2) Bend down and pick up your scale.
3) Proceed to the nearest trash bin, and chuck it in.
I’m not joking.
Throwing my bathroom scale away was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my health and self-esteem. It freed me from an obsessive fixation on a number and allowed me to notice real signs of wellbeing that the scale couldn’t measure.
How It Started
Growing up I was always described as chubby, chunky or “big-boned”—labels that stuck and shaped how I thought about my body. At 14 I decided I should weigh 125 pounds forever. That goal became an obsession that followed me for about 15 years. Looking at old photos now, I see a perfectly normal person, but then I only noticed that the scale never read 125. For a long time I let that number dictate how I felt about myself.
When I discovered the Paleo way of eating four years ago, I started eating healthier than ever, but I kept weighing myself daily. My routine became ritualized: wake up, don’t drink anything, use the bathroom, then step on the scale. Imagine my confusion and frustration when my weight began to climb despite healthier habits.
The Tipping Point
Eventually I reached a breaking point. I realized I felt healthier than I had in years even though the scale showed a higher number.
My energy became steady throughout the day, my moods stabilized, my skin improved, and I grew stronger. I enjoyed nourishing food without obsessing over calories, and my athletic performance was better. All of those improvements mattered more than a number.
I asked myself: would reaching that adolescent goal make me happier or healthier? Could I reach it and stay healthy? The answer, in my case, was no. So in 2011 I threw my bathroom scale away for good.
And Then, I Gained
After I ditched the scale, I continued to gain—only this time it was things that improved my life.
- I gained self-love because my worth was no longer tied to a number.
- I gained mental energy to focus on what truly matters: relationships, purpose, and helping others.
- I gained confidence and the freedom to celebrate achievements unrelated to weight.
Ultimately, I became healthier in ways the scale could never show.
But, Isn’t Weight an Important Indicator of Health?
Yes and no.
Carrying excess body fat and having low muscle mass—commonly called poor body composition—can increase health risks. If you are at an unhealthy weight, you probably already notice it through how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror, lab markers, and how you feel physically and mentally. Those are powerful indicators beyond the number on the scale.
It’s also possible to be thin and unhealthy, so weight alone doesn’t tell the whole story. The “ideal” weight you chase may come from someone else—a doctor, a BMI chart, or an idea you set when you weren’t yet fully grown or healthy. Fixating on that number can distract you from real measures of wellbeing.
When I adopted a more nutritious diet and strength training, I lost fat and gained muscle. My weight rose even as I became leaner and stronger. Bodyweight can be misleading if it’s the only metric you use.
My Challenge To You
If weighing yourself causes anxiety, stress, or obsessive thoughts, that psychological burden harms your overall health.
Consider whether the scale adds to or subtracts from your quality of life. Your value cannot be quantified by a number: a scale can’t measure your kindness, intelligence, humor, talent, or how much you enrich other people’s lives. It only shows how much mass your body has under gravity.
My challenge is simple: remove the scale and focus on other signs of health—how you feel, your energy, sleep quality, strength, endurance, mood, and medical markers when needed. Be kinder to yourself and accept your unique strengths and imperfections. You are worthy and capable, regardless of what a scale might say.