One of the more common habits that individuals struggling with any form of disordered eating or eating disorder is weighing themselves regularly (and often obsessively). The power behind the numbers on a scale take on a different meaning when you are struggling and it can be extremely difficult to let that go. Individuals are certain that knowing their number is what keeps them on track and what keeps them safe or motivates them to get to what they feel will be their safe place. This habit is devastating and continues to reinforce the disorder while breeding distrust of one’s self.
A colleague of mine, Kate Horsman, has started a wonderful challenge for the month of November called No-Weigh-Vember. She felt inspired by the success of Movember and felt the body dissatisfaction world needed a movement of its own. She felt we needed a place to engage in other ways in which we can learn to understand and experience our body beyond measurement of mass and I couldn’t agree more. Stepping outside of our comfort zone and into what feels unsafe (but leads to freedom) is part of our recovery journey. Learning to explore how you feel when you do these things is what helps you not just understand yourself better but also what you need to feel successful on your journey.
For the month of November, Kate is building a community on her Instagram that is focused on people supporting each other to step away from their scale and towards themselves. It is a place to connect and be supported by Kate and also by others on a similar journey. If you are interested in spending the next few weeks on this challenge, check it out here.
