Weight is Just a Number

I can't say how many times I have seen 12/13/14 year old girls weighing themselves on a scale at the gym. When I was that age, I was playing 5 sports and the only time I saw a scale was for an annual physical. Sometimes...I long to say this:

To the young girl standing on a scale at the gym,

Don't let a scale dictate your life. You are more than a number. You are so young and beautiful, full of life, with so much opportunity ahead of you. The scale shows you a number that is blind to all that you possess. It does not reflect courage, heart, or strength. I wish that I could tell you of times where my life was governed by a scale...a time where I let image take precedence and a number determine my happiness. In focusing on a number, I lost sight of the true purpose behind all that I do. I forgot that vanity is a sin and that being a certain weight did not make me a better athlete or person. If there is anything I have learned during my journey as an athlete, marathon runner, and now triathlete with a love for all things endurance, it is that that number fluctuates and it is okay. In fact, it is more than okay, it is life. Your body is an incredible machine that has so much untapped potential. Sometimes it needs more food to function, sometimes it will seek to shed unnecessary weight to accommodate speed, and sometimes you will be so heavy that you will realize muscle truly does weigh more than fat. I am at my heaviest now and yet I am also at my strongest. Sure, there are times where weight is a detriment, but I embrace it because it allows me to reach a whole new level that I didn't even know I could touch. People come in all shapes and sizes, but they are all beautiful in one way or another. The right people, the people that are worthwhile, will encourage you to be the best version of yourself, even if that means your weight to height ratio might be far from conventional. Focus on being a good person, dedicated, true, and determined. Spend less time on the scale worrying about a goal defined by society and more time focusing on others and feeling happy with yourself. Strength is not portrayed on a scale, it is portrayed by pursuing impossible goals and continuously striving to reach the stars. Be strong and confident and your beauty will shine through. 

This holds true to everyone. Last year, I was so focused and concerned on being light and at a race weight that would set me up for success at Kona. But, after racing Kona, I realized that I had deprived my body of its ability to grow stronger by limiting vital calories. Racing IM Cozumel weeks later and almost 10 pounds heavier, I discovered that weight truly is just a number. I felt so great, and while I wasn't a skinny triathlete, I was able to push more watts on the bike and mentally stay strong on the run. Come IM Texas, I was racing at my heaviest yet and again, felt strong and happy. I wasn't worried about a number anymore, instead, I was focused on giving my body everything that it needed to carry me 140.6 miles. Moral of the story is that you don't have to be the skinniest or your lightest weight to put together your best performance. Do your workouts, focus on giving your all every day, accept the days where you need rest, and your body will be ready for whatever challenge comes its way.