THE lady on the phone was adamant when I asked her what would make her happy. “Getting down to 9st 7lbs,” she insisted. It was an interesting answer. But not as interesting as her answer to my next question.
“So if you’d lost two stones, apart from a different number on the scales what would be the evidence that you were happier?”
There was a pause. A long one. “Hmm,” she said. “I don’t know what happiness will look like. It’s been such a long time since I last weighed nine stone that feeling happy is something I’ve forgotten.”
It was time for my killer question. One that always makes people stop and think.
“Tell me Jill,” I said. “In your mind, why is happiness solely attached to the number on the scales?”
She paused again. Then…
“OMG,” she said with obvious delight. ”I’d never looked at it that way before.”
And that’s the problem so many people have.
They cast their minds back to the days when they were happy and trouble-free and assume that if only they could be as slim as they were then, all that happiness would just come flooding back.
It creates huge and unnecessary stress that simply drags them down. They spend all their time being obsessed about the number they saw on the scales 25 or 30 years ago.
They think that’s the key to their weight loss happiness.
By directly linking smaller size with greater happiness they overlook the fact that the world has changed for all of us.
When we were younger (OMG, I’m sounding like my mother) there were no mobile phones, no laptops and no social media – so we weren’t constantly comparing ourselves with other people and the way they looked and felt.
Today life is super-busy and ultra-stressful. Linking happiness to the scales means life can become an emotional rollercoaster.
That’s why I’ve posted this special video in The Slimpod Channel on YouTube because it’s so important to stop this obsession with the number on the scales and to be able to think carefully about what happiness really means to us.
Instead of doing something that makes us unhappy every day, we need to flip it round completely.
Knowing your destination is important but you must learn to love the journey.
Enjoy the process. Get your weight loss happiness from small daily and weekly steps that are achievable.
That’s where your Slimpod will be a great help. Feeling good about yourself is the route to self-fulfilment and self-esteem.
Forget the scales. Just be you – a warm and wonderful person, not a number.
Please leave a comment below to tell me what’s going to give you weight loss happiness. I love reading them all – because they make ME happy.
29 thoughts on “Is happiness a number?”
A very interesting video , something to think about but I know I will be happy when I can walk upstairs easier and get around better
I just want to lose weight so I can be healthier and get rid of the pain in my knees and hips; that will make me happy. It’s not about a number or certain size for me.
Whats going to give me my weight loss happiness is great self esteem, looking and feeling fantastic, able to wear smashing clothes and knowing I am healthy!
I won’t think and feel ugly but like myself again.
For years my happiness for the day depended on what the scales said that day. I would weigh myself every morning without fail and feel miserable all day if I had put on weight or not lost any. What a waste of time and feeling unhappy. Life is too short. As you say think of other things that make happy. Be kind to people that will make you happy.
A really interesting video. What will make me happy is not the weight loss alone, but the feeling that food is no longer ruling my life.
I don’t weigh myself like I used to but I do know that feeling when u slip into yr favourite jeans etc and I feel so much more confident
I would love to join in with some snow sports with the family instead of being the one carrying the bag. I have had one new knee and need another but have been told I may not need it if I lose weight. I still cheat.
But listening to Slimpod is beginning to help.
Yes, Sandra, you are so right, I will, of course, be happy if I do manage to reduce by three stone. BUT, at present, unhappiness is caused by work stress, rushing all the time looking after grandchildren for my single parent daughter, and having little energy left!!!However, the looking after the children also brings me I usurp le happiness!!!so I am happy when I take some time out to listen to Trevor, watch your videos and record positives and will try and increase that, thank you, this has highlighted what I need to fo
A very interesting but true video. We always seem to want what we have not got. I was obsessed with daily weighing which always made me unhappy because I didn’t see what I wanted on the scales. Then something happened in my life and I evaluated what I had. I realised life is too short you never know what’s around the corner and we should try to find happiness no matter how small daily, which puts a smile on our face. I have also started my Slimpod journey and always smile when I write in my log daily which to me is better and healthier than standing on my scales.,
I am an not overweight (size 10) but I constantly think about food and clock watch until my next fix. I only eat safe low calorie/fat foods Monday to Friday and Saturday is my day off with probably a meal out or special meal at home with cake, pudding and wine, still I am conscious of what I am eating and if there is a low fat option I will have that. This means a meal out another day or lunch is off unless it is a special occasion. I fear gaining weight so much it has
overtaken my life. I am now 71 and look thin but my stomach protrudes could this be an age thing? any ideas/suggestions. Thanks
What will make me happy is to be able to wear the clothing I’ve always wanted and not feel frumpy anymore to match my personality
I would love to see me lose 2stone I have been at Sw I see others so happy at losing weight and I’m sort of stuck in a bad place I would need to lose 4 st but I would be very happy at 2 st off but I see where you are coming from
Being able to buy clothes from any shop.
I totally agree with you! I don’t suffer with that too much anymore, not sure why ,,, maybe over the years of weight struggling I finally learned my weight doesn’t define me… maybe its one of the positives of being involved with WW many times, who knows. I will say though that even know I don’t obsess over it anymore, I will admit that when I visualize how I want to look, every night while listening to my Slimpod, I don’t feel joy and it puts a smile on my face to imagine that I could look like that in my clothes 🙂
To be able to bend over and paint my toes!
I’ve based my weight loss goal on a healthy BMI, is this not the right thing to do?
I don’t bother so much with the scales any longer. I dare say I feel a lot healthy and happier. I walk briskly, run up stairs and don’t even look at lifts at work
I think my weight gain has come from low self esteem and giving up on my self image. I have been single for that past 11 years and dieting has been totally unsuccessful. I feel unloved in that department and have let myself go almost as a reaction to that. I can’t exactly put it into words but it’s as though I then have a reason for being undatable. Maybe if I can find the motivation to get back to keeping fit and keeping my figure I will be more confident and my confidence will be attractive to others. I need to enjoy that process.
I was happy when I didn’t have to think about my weight. For years I have tried to get smaller and each year I have just got heavier. Nothing has worked long term. I need
to just be free of this now and try a different way. I need to be the best I can be . Being a number was what i thought could make me happy.
Hey, I’m into my 8th week using slimpod. I know I’ve lost 1 1/2 inches around my belly. The biggest change for me is how much happier I feel. I have done all the diets and for a short term lost a lot of weight but even at my slimmest I couldn’t tell you that felt any better for it. I have learnt through this programme that I need to work from the inside then the outside will happen. thank you so far for this amazing revelation!!
I totally agree the important thing for me is to stay well and healthy and slimpod helps me to achieve this
thanks for the Email. Yes I used to be a scales watcher!! and was until I joined your group. I see what you mean and the journey is beginning to much more enjoyable with the little steps.
Just losing anything at the moment would make me happier as find it gets harder doing everyday jobs as l get older end up aching like mad the next day and breathless gloria
I never thought my happiness would depend what I see on the scales . Last week felt down because I gained a pound felt low for that day. .
Hi Sandra, this is really interesting and, you may recall that we had a telephone conversation a while back for which I was really grateful!
I have spent from April 2018-October 2018 getting to goal with WW. My goal was 9.5 and I arrived at 9.4. We have a 5lb leeway either side. Am I happy now? Not really because I’m still constantly thinking about food and now trying to maintain. I do like the feeling that being slimmer and healthier brings though. Any advice you can offer I’d be truly grateful to receive
You’re absolutely right. I link being happy to being slim and wearing what I want to wear and not what I can only wear!x I see some overweight people that look amazing but I never get there. I only link it with being slimmer
This is a totally fabulous lifestyle. Although I haven’t lost a great deal of weight as yet, I can feel the changes happening. I think when I have been wearing jeans all day and don’t rush straight upstairs to change into some baggy clothes when I get home, I will truly be in weight loss happiness! !
I am focusing on my painful knees. Less weight less pain.