Many people out there let their whole lives be dictated by the scales. It's crazy how one number can completely influence how you feel about yourself, making you reevaluate your entire self-worth, yet it happens to millions of individuals out there every single day.
But you know the saying age is just a number? It turns out that the same can sometimes be said for weight, as shown by personal trainer and lifestyle blogger Kelsey Wells.
Before she got pregnant, the young mother reportedly lived on fast-food lunches and fizzy drinks. But after suffering from hormonal changes after giving birth, she was recommended by her doctor to exercise more and five years on eventually became the world’s most popular “fitness mama”, with more than 1.3 million fans following her every rep and squat.
However, although she has been through dramatic changes in her weight over the past few years, Kelsey - who spent a year and a half doing Kayla Itsines's BBG program - still believes that the scale is an unhealthy way to judge yourself, and took to social media recently to share this with her followers.
Uploading three different pictures of herself at different weights - 145 pounds, 122 pounds and 140 pounds - she pointed out that in the most recent snap - her at 140 pounds - she looks much more fit and healthy than she does at 122 pounds.
"YOU GUYS. PLEASEEEEEE STOP GETTING HUNG UP ON THE NUMBER ON THE STUPUD SCALE!" she wrote on Instagram. "PLEASE STOP THINKING YOUR WEIGHT EQUALS YOUR PROGRESS AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE STOP LETTING YOR WEIGHT HAVE ANY AFFECT WHATSOEVER ON YOUR SELF ESTEEM, like I used to."
She continued to share her own weight journey, highlighting how ridiculous it is to put all of your focus on one number, saying:
"To any of you who are where I once was, please listen to me. I am 5' 7" and weigh 140 lbs. When I first started #bbg I was 8 weeks post partum and 145 lbs. I weighed 130 before getting pregnant, so based on nothing besides my own warped perception, I decided my "goal weight" should be 122 and to fit into my skinniest jeans. Well after a few months of BBG and breastfeeding, I HIT IT and I fit into those size 0 jeans. Well guess what? I HAVE GAINED 18 POUNDS SINCE THEN. EIGHT FREAKING TEEN. Also, I have gone up two pant sizes and as a matter of fact I ripped those skinny jeans wide open just the other week trying to pull them up over my knees. My point?? According to my old self and flawed standards, I would be failing miserably. THANK GOODNESS I finally learned to start measuring my progress by things that matter -- strength, ability, endurance, health, and HAPPINESS."
Kelsey, who suffered with anxiety and low energy following the birth of her son Anderson, has also spoken out about how women can easily get their mojo back after giving birth. Speaking to The Sun, she recently said: "I really struggled with who I was after becoming a mum. When did it become automatic for us to look at ourselves negatively? I want to reverse that.“Empowering yourself through exercise is my goal. Fitness isn’t a timetable or a box to tick. It’s re-teaching yourself how amazing you are."
The fitness instructor launched her programme, PWR Post Pregnancy last year, and seems to be going from strength to strength (literally, as well as metaphorically). May she long teach women and men to love their bodies!
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