Do Numbers Really Matter?
Bra size, pant size, age box, 
income box, BMI score, fat percentage, weight… all of these numbers have been thrown at us telling us we have to fit into a certain range in order to either fit in, meet the expectations or be defined by society's standards. How important are these numbers really and does it truly define who you are as a person or what your value is?
One of the biggest battles where the issue of numbers is concerned is that of weight. Guys want to be big and have that reflected on the scale numbers and women want to be small and light for the most part and struggle with that battle each time they either step on a scale or have society dictate what the standard should be. Sad part is, at some point or another we all have fallen victim to the numbers game or still do.
Now, this brings me to one apparatus that causes so much anxiety, hatred or “WTF?” reactions and emotions to many women either on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis – the bathroom scale. Oh, the dreaded bathroom scales... how I loathe thee! I am sure that I am not alone on this one. How is it that such a small and random object has so much power and control in many of our lives? What is it about those numbers and where the needle lands that has so much value and the final say on the people who choose to stand on it?
What is it about those damn numbers? Those numbers seem to taunt us and have such influence in how we as individuals see and value ourselves in society. When did that happen and how did that happen? How did this box become the standard to which we find out where we belong? Why is a smaller number seen as a victory, but not how we feel health wise or how we look?
Ever since one can remember, women and weight has always been an issue, either through personal struggles or society's ideal. This is a huge fight that many take on and continue to deal with today. With media, magazines, and even a basic lack of knowledge or understanding on weight and your own body, women continue to try and fit into this ideal they have either set for themselves, or have seen another female "accomplish" should they be similar height and structure. But, why? Why do we continue to do this to ourselves? Does a set number really matter? In a nutshell... NO. I can say that now with a lot more confidence, but believe me it took a long time to see this and accept the fact that I will not fit into a category that many deem acceptable for a woman.
I am of average height, but my weight is not average for my height. According to the various scales and measurement factors, I can be considered big, obese or not acceptable for a female. But that is just based on the numbers alone. Now look at me. Many assume I am at least 30 lbs. lighter than I am and are actually shocked to hear the weight. That's the difference. That's the factor that so many of us seem to forget.
If we are healthy and fit individuals and/or competitors, our weight and appearance tend to differ from the everyday female. I find that those of us who compete versus the average female are on total polar opposite sides of the acceptable weight struggle. Yes, we as competitors battle with how we look and how much we weigh all the time. Because we have and hold this expectation of what we looked like during competitio
n but then non-competition appearance realities set in and can distort that.
Our weight will vary from year to year and show to show depending on training and diet, as well as how long we have worked out for, and how our bodies put on/hold muscle. All these factors play a huge role in the numbers, but who cares what the scale says? For example, when I was prepping for a photo shoot, my ripped/stage look weight for the shoot was 155 lbs., and for many that would seem huge, but if you looked at me or saw the pictures, you would never have been able to believe that.
It was during this point in my life that I slowly learned to let that scale go and not obsess with the numbers and not weigh myself all the time. Don't get me wrong, I still will do a "check" on the scale and when I see the number I cringe for a split second, but then I think about all of the hard work and hours I put into the gym and training to build the muscle and size. It is that weight that helps me leg press close to 1000lbs and do full racks on certain machines.
I know deep down that the numbers do not mean a thing when it comes to my job, friends and just living – it means nothing. What is important for me to see is how my students share with me that I have more muscle than their fathers or that I am not soft and it hurts to bump into me. That right there should be enough for me to not care that I do not meet the BMI requirements or what the "ideal" female shape and weight is at this moment. It’s the small victories and moments like that I wish all women could have and therefore realize the scale numbers are not who they are.
I don't know how it came to be and 
who or why decided that your weight and the numbers that show up on various health-related measurement charts defines who is ideal, healthy and acceptable. This need we have to step on a scale to see if we measure up is such a mental battle. By stressing about it, we can actually negatively affect our bodies. All of this combined with any other added pressure one goes through plays right in to a crazy number obsession and cycle. The easiest answer to solve this problem? Get rid of the scale!
Weighing oneself daily to check the numbers is something that women will need to work on individually, as well as bringing the message out to society that we are not all the same and a number on a scale does not and should not matter to who one is as a person. The more pressure women feel to fit into a weight ideal, the harder it will be for us to be able to educate and raise a generation of women who value their health and looking fit over the results of a bathroom scale. Bottom line – get rid of your bathroom scale and stop weighing yourself. You are more than a number on a scale!
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