Weight Management: You are more than a number!

Connect & Grow Magazine: Issue 23 August 2025

When it comes to weight management, it is often easy to get lost in the goal of a set number on the scale or in your clothes.

This article continues on from last month, when I covered the number on the scale. It's crucial to reflect on and notice how significant that number is to you.

The number on the scale or your clothes may be important and your centre focus because when you were that weight or clothing size at one stage in your life, life was good, you felt happy and full of energy. However, the important question I ask people is what was going on in your life when you were this weight, this clothing size.

As someone who has been overweight and set goals of a particular weight or clothing size, i have found that when I achieved that goal there still felt like something was missing., eventually I realised it is because it was more than being that weight or clothing sizes i was how my life was when I was that size/weight before. Some wonderful things were occurring in my life. Also, I was 10 or 20 years younger, so my entire life was very different.

Achieving a goal that is centred around the number on the scale, clothing size is only a small part of the journey. Ask yourself why this number is so significant to you and what else could be just as empowering or even more. For instance, improving your stamina, flexibility, or mental clarity could be equally empowering goals.

As we mature in age, our bodies change. Being a certain weight doesn't always equal health and wellbeing. It doesn't mean you will have the same energy as the last time you were that weight.

When I work with people on their weight, I encourage them to think about the other benefits of losing weight. What will it mean for their overall health and wellbeing? Would it feel like a more achievable goal to focus on health and wellbeing and use the number on the scale as a tool of measure? This approach can be less stressful and more empowering as you take action towards your goals.

Mindset matters

Mindset is also an essential part of releasing excess weight. It's about having a positive and realistic outlook, believing that you can achieve your goals healthily and sustainably for your body. The language you use is also important and goes hand in hand with your mindset. These together form your beliefs on what is possible. Sometimes writing a mantra can be beneficial. Having this mantra somewhere that you can see it and use regularly, especially during times of feeling that you are not achieving your goals as you would like, can be helpful.

Setbacks are normal.

When your entire focus is on the number on the scale or clothes, it can feel easy to have a setback or feel you are not achieving your goal fast enough. The number on the scale may go up again, only to go down the following week. However, when it goes up, it can feel like a failure instead of a regular part of the process and being part of the bigger picture, and your body responding during this time.

When the number does go up on the scales, it can be for several reasons. But remember, if you have health and wellbeing, energy levels can also serve as a measure. You can check in with them to identify how much that small gain is impacting you.

It could be that week you didn't drink as much water as the week before, it could be you ate out a bit more, or that was that time of the month and your body is simply responding to it all, but even though that was all going on, your energy was good, and you were sleeping well.

Remember that you are more than a number; you are a person, and the quality of your life is important. When you are enjoying your life, when you have the energy to do the things that are important to you, things like releasing excess weight does become easier. One step, one moment at a time.

 Written by Jacqui Grant

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Disclaimer: All information is accurate at the time of publication and subject to change. It is always important to seek professional advice and input.