This is a poem from a client, now in her 50’s. As a young teen she was (and continues to be) bullied and insulted by her family members about her size. From a young age her desperation to change the number on the scale, led to a life-long dissatisfaction with her body, disordered eating and poor mental health. Over the years, she has slowly begun to respect her body and is working on her relationship with food and her health.
has created an obsession with weight rather than a focus on health.
Years of weighing myself,
has deteriorated the healthy relationship with food I once had.
Years of weighing myself,
has sabotaged the positive attitude towards my body and made me seek approval in all the wrong places.
I start
to question,
whether bathroom scales see the healthy habits I have started or try to maintain.
I start to question,
whether bathroom scales have distorted my innate trust for my hunger and
fullness cues.
I start to question,
whether bathroom scales are a reflection on my worth as a person.
I choose not to weigh myself,
because bathroom scales can’t assess my health status.
I choose not to weigh myself,
because bathroom scales discourage me from nourishing my body.
I choose not to weigh myself,
because bathroom scales can’t weigh my kindness, compassion and courage.