No Weigh!

I get that we’re supposed to go to the doctor every year to check in and see if all parts are operating properly and our liquids are producing stellar results. However, sometimes I put off these annual visits because do you know what they do at each one? Weigh you! How much does that really have to do with how healthy you are? Understandably, if you are overweight, there could be problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, snoring. However, if someone is overweight, you’re going to be able to tell just by looking at them. Why do doctors need to confirm their suspicions with factual data? I certainly don’t want to be privy to the facts. When I get the courage up to actually go to an appointment, I’m transparent and let the nurse know that I do not want to see the winning numbers because I’m pretty sure the digits are going to silently scream, “You need to be a loser!” So, I reluctantly step on the scale, drop my heavy purse to the floor (I don’t need that added baggage), stare at the wall and wait to see if a carnival barker yells, “We’ve got a winner!” because I reached the top number.

Honestly, I’m being a bit dramatic here as my weight does not have that many hundreds in it but it is certainly more than it should be. What kills me is that I exercise at least once most days, salad is my favorite snack (in addition to potato chips), I don’t eat desserts (unless Twizzlers and Dots count) and I drink water all the time (plus red wine—good for your health--and vodka—looks like water). I did give birth to two boys and I now qualify for AARP. Are these clues as to why that scale hates me?

I did some research as to why in fact checking your weight is part of an exam. Here is what I found. There may be times when it is medically necessary for you to be weighed – preoperatively and determining medication doses. That makes sense to me – doctors need some data to figure out the amount of anesthesia and pills you need based on your body mass. Plus, you can forget about your weight while under anesthesia and not care about it when taking certain pills. But, according to Be Nourished and  Yahoo Sports, you don’t actually have to get weighed other than those reasons!

I think it’s time to exercise our choice, not weigh in and rest easier as we visit the doctor to make sure our anatomy is functioning well while not broadcasting our last year’s body buildup.