What Would I Focus on, if Not my Weight?

Someone posted this question to the Weight Watchers boards today, and it prompted an interesting discussion. Some of the answers were:

If your weight is your biggest concern, maybe that's not so bad - you could be worrying about where you're going to sleep tonight, or how to get clean drinking water for your family.

The human brain has so much capacity for worry, if you weren't worried about your weight you would find something else to worry about.

I'd be lost. :)

These responses, while all generally true, also seemed to me to be on the pessimistic side. And because I have a favourite soap box on the topic, I hauled it out and posted this:

I don't focus on my weight.

I don't worry about portion sizes, calories, fat content, or what it says on the scale. I'm not trying to lose anything - my only weight-related goal is to maintain, and I use my clothes as my measuring tool. As long as my pants still fit, I'm good.

I wouldn't *mind* losing weight, and I do still get excited when my pants are looser. :) But honestly, if I can stay at the size I am, I'll be okay with that.

Instead, I focus on my health. I eat good food, and I make sure I get enough exercise, sleep, alone time, and quality time with my family. There are still problems in my life, and I do still worry about them, but those problems wouldn't go away even if I were to lose weight.

I know I'm lucky that not-focusing on my weight generally means maintaining for me, and I know that there are lots of people who have to focus all the time in order to avoid gaining. But since I *am* that lucky, I figure I should take advantage of it, and free up some space in my brain for other things. :)

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I'm well aware of the irony of posting things like this to the Weight Watchers message boards, of all places. And I don't expect anyone to change their minds based on what I've written. But I do keep posting them, hoping to at least plant the seed that it's really okay to not worry about your weight. It goes counter to almost all the messages we receive about ourselves and our bodies, and it's not an easy concept for some people.

But I think it's an important concept, and I'm going to keep chipping away at it.



Related reading:

Health at Every Size
Spynga and Body Love