What is Smash the Scale about?
Well, Smashing the Scale isn't necessarily about destroying metal, although any girl (and guy!) at this incredible shoot would tell you that is incredibly liberating. Instead it's about making a conscious decision to detach your worth from that number on your scale. Smashing the Scale isn't about being unhealthy. It's about deciding what your definition of beauty is and knowing that it is enough. Smashing the Scale isn't about exclusion either; you may not understand the concept or be interested. And that's totally okay. Leave us to our crowbars and keep on trucking. We'll always be rooting for you. Smashing the Scale isn't about anger, but instead the joy of calling society on the carpet and telling it how it is. And Smashing the Scale isn't about being perfect at loving yourself, but rather about making a personal commitment to starting your self love journey. Smashing the Scale is much bigger than it sounds, it's the most empowering thing you can do. Try doing it for you.
You can read the original post here.
This entire week will be dedicated to sharing our stories about why we've decided to Smash the Scale this year. Why we've decided to separate our value as a human from the number on a scale. Why we've decided to define our OWN beauty and not buy into what others tell us we should be.
(Jess by Dominic Arizona)
Jess:
I’m
Smashing the Scale this year because the photo shoot process was very emotional
for me, as I have had an unhealthy relationship with my body image for a very
long time. I struggled constantly to be perfect, to be beautiful, and to stay a
size 4. I used laxatives and pills; I did every diet known to man and cardio
like there was no tomorrow. There was even a point in my life when I actually
hated the way food felt in my stomach, it was gross and disgusting so I would
force myself to vomit. I was obsessed with my scale, often weighing myself
first thing in the morning and always before bed. I recall many times that I
would even punish myself if the numbers were not low enough by starving myself
especially if I had a fashion show or I had a shoot coming up. All of this
abuse finally caught up with me this past year when my body seemed to be
falling apart and I began to gain weight.
At
first, I went right back into my old way of thinking and when that didn’t work
I became depressed and I disappeared for a while. Now anyone that knows me
knows that I am not really one that gives up easily, so I said screw this I
want to feel good, I want to be healthy maybe I need to start listening to my
body and not what society thinks I should be. I wasn’t sure where to start so I
did what most of us girls do, and I asked a friend. I went to a woman’s boot
camp class with my dear friend Cheryl and I was hooked, I joined that same day!
I began lifting weights with our trainer Melissa; this woman has had such an
impact on my life. She believed in me even before I believed in myself and I
found a group of outstanding women in that boot camp class who have helped me
in ways they don’t even realize.
Once
I started to see what strength my body was capable of, I only wanted to
continue to appreciate it and fuel it. I decided the only time I would get on
the scale was at a doctor’s appointment and I started to fall in love with my
curves! So as all this was happening for me, I get an invite to a Smash My
Scale photo shoot. As I read more about it and the conference and I was
overcome with emotions and at this point tears just rolled down my cheeks and I
thought about everything I had put myself through and I thought of where I am
finally at today and I knew I had to do it! For me, this was the epitome of my
entire journey and I am just one of the many touched by this event.
There
are many stories like mine and if I can impart what I have learned from my
experience is that we are more that the numbers on our scales, health,
wellness, and a full life are so much more important than falling prey to the
idea that beauty is a size 0-4! So just for today, I encourage everyone to
break free from the numbers on their scale! I will never be a size 4 again and
I love it! Today I love my healthy strong body and I will love my body at any
size!
(Gretchen by Dominic Arizona)
Gretchen:
I'm Smashing the Scale this year because I took on my mother's insecurities as my own, as she did with her mother. Never feeling comfortable in my body, never feeling like my body was good enough no matter what shape I was in. Always feeling like I should look different than I do. I allowed my mind to focus on this part here being too thick, and this part being so boney, this too flabby and this part too scarred . I heard my mother's angst with her appearance in my head. 
I wanted to be confident around my children, to compliment my daughter's strong legs and my son's amazing coordination. I would talk about how much I loved my hair, or how a pair of boots made me feel unstoppable. I hoped I didn't attach feelings of worth, care, value or love to our looks and body parts.
This Halloween I was making a costume for my son. He looked at me at one point with distress on his face, and repeated words from my mouth back to me- and they were not about how strong and powerful he felt. Words of low worth and self doubt flowed from him, and my heart sunk, I knew they were words he had heard me say about myself. The same kinds of words I heard my mother say about herself.
Standing there in the costume of his favorite comic character, he wasn't thinking about how fantastic it was- he was worried about fat.
I smashed my scale because as handy a machine as it is, it cannot define human worth. I hope for my children to live life looking up and at the world around them with all it has to offer- free from the value judgement of three little numbers.
Capable. Confident. Powerful. Strong. Beautiful.
(Angel by Dominic Arizona)
Angel:
I'm Smashing the Scale this year because I've recently had a revelation, its not okay to hate yourself. That scale symbolized every memory I have of being told that its embarrassing to be seen with me because of my weight. The memories of shopping for clothes with my parents and pretending an article of clothing fit me to avoid being ridiculed in public. The memories of crying myself to sleep because I let another guy use me because I was made to feel like I was worthless and I deserved to be treated like garbage.
A huge reason for me changing my outlook of myself was being told by a family members daughter, who was 5 years old, that her mommy calls her fat. I don't want her to live the sad life I have so far. So I decided to change. I decided to learn to love myself. Its hard, fucking hard but so so worth it. That scale represents the person I used to be. The person I never want to be again. The girl who hated herself. And I'll be honest, crushing that negativity felt glorious!
-------------------
We want you to join in!
There are multiple ways to do so:
There are multiple ways to do so:
1.) Blog about it, and share your link on The Body Love Conference Facebook. I will also share on The Militant Baker's Facebook and keep an updated roster at the end of this post
2.) Share your story on The Body Love Conference Facebook or in the comments here on this blog. Post it on our wall or post below! We want to read and share both on The Body Love Conference FB and The Militant Baker's. We want you to have a platform in which to announce your mission.
3.) Create your own image with our simple PNG overlay. Instructions on how to do so here. Post it to our wall so we can share this as well!
4.) Tweet and tag @BodyLoveConf. Hashtag the shit outta your posts with #SmashTheScale. Instagram us here.
This is a resolution revolution and we want you to be part of it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We can't thank our incredible photographers enough: Liora K, Dominic Arizona, Danni Valdez, and Lisa Foote.
You can also purchase a 2014 Smash the Scale calendar here!
You can also purchase a 2014 Smash the Scale calendar here!
No comments