In today’s health-focused world, many of us often look to the scale to determine our fitness levels. However, the reality is that the number displayed is far less significant than how we truly feel. This is beautifully illustrated by a recent Instagram post from fitness enthusiast Mia Thompson, which has gained viral attention.
Mia shared her journey of weight gain after giving birth, revealing that she began her fitness routine just eight weeks postpartum. “Before my pregnancy, I weighed 135 pounds, and in my mind, I set an unrealistic goal of getting back to 125 pounds and squeezing into my smallest jeans,” she wrote. Fast forward several months, and Mia has added nearly 20 pounds. But why? Because she prioritized her health.
“Forget the scale!” Mia exclaimed. “Please, stop fixating on that number. Your weight does not define your success, and it shouldn’t dictate your self-worth.” In her post, she described achieving her initial goal weight, but as she focused on exercising more and nurturing her body, she began to gain muscle. “I’ve gained 20 pounds and even went up a couple of pant sizes. I actually tore those skinny jeans recently trying to fit them over my thighs,” she humorously added.
Reflecting on her journey, Mia noted, “By my old standards, I would have considered myself a failure. Thankfully, I’ve learned to measure my progress in ways that truly matter—strength, endurance, health, and happiness. I’ve never felt better in my own skin than I do now. If I hadn’t dismissed the scale earlier, I might have given up on my journey.”
I can relate to Mia’s sentiments, as I’m also on a mission to shed the baby weight from my twins, who are now almost three. It’s tempting to throw in the towel when the scale doesn’t budge, but I focus on my progress instead. For instance, eight months ago, I struggled to do a single push-up, but now I can complete 30! Eight months ago, I’d be out of breath carrying groceries upstairs, but now I breeze through it.
We often use arbitrary measures to judge our health and value—the scale, clothing sizes, or whether we fit into our “pre-baby” outfits. Mia has a fantastic physique at any weight, but her message is clear: no external measurement of health can compare to how we truly feel and what our bodies can do. There’s no ideal weight or size that will magically make us feel confident and fulfilled. Numbers should never hold us back.
As Mia wisely stated, “To that little voice in my head that questioned my weight last week, I say forget you. And I think it’s time for you to do the same with your scale.”
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In summary, Mia’s story serves as an empowering reminder that weight is just a number. True health and happiness stem from how we feel and what our bodies can achieve, not the digits on a scale.