Report Cards Are In!

More Than a Number: A Summer Reflection on Health, Camp, and Body Image

And just like that, my bestie is off for seven weeks of blissful escape from real life (especially her parents). Yesterday was one of my favorite days of the year—drop-off day for sleep away camp, aka One Great Place. It’s the start of a magical summer filled with waterskiing, ropes courses, volleyball, lacrosse, and all the classic fun—but for me (being me), I can’t help but to wonder about the food.

Apparently, if you’re my daughter S—who is clearly being raised by an obesity medicine doctor—your favorites at camp are the omelet station on lazy mornings and homemade smoothies. Yes, they still have s’mores and campfires, but this isn’t the “bug juice and Lucky Charms” camp of the past. There’s no dessert with dinner (which I secretly love), and water is the default beverage all day long—though on those brutally hot days, they do break out the Gatorade. After all, we don’t want our little athletes passing out on the field.

But here’s the thing: teens are tough. They’re body-conscious, heavily influenced by social media and branding (don’t get me started on Brandy Melville and the one-size-fits-all aesthetic). So every day, I ask myself: How do I raise S to have a healthy relationship with food and her body?

Honestly, it starts with us. With me. With modeling.

How do we shift focus away from “the number” and toward true health and fitness? A lot of the things I say to my patients, I’m saying to myself too. So today’s blog post is part affirmation—for me and for you.

We are more than just our numbers.

Age.
Grades.
Bank accounts.
Weight.

Let’s be real: numbers do matter. That’s how we track data, set goals, evaluate risk. When calculating retirement? We need the numbers. When looking towards college? It’s often about the score: SATs, ranking, GPAs. In medicine, we look at cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI—because we need measurable data. Science is based on numbers. It helps us answer the “why”.

I get it on a personal level, too. I grew up in a weight-focused household. My dad had obesity since childhood. I remember him referring to his “husky” clothes. I take after him. My mom didn’t struggle with weight until menopause, but I still knew her weight at every stage of our childhood. I was counting carbs in middle school.

My sister once summed it up perfectly. I asked her how often she weighs herself. She said, “Every day. Are you kidding? How else do I know what kind of day it’s going to be?” She was half-joking—but also kind of serious.

Lately, I’ve been caught in that numbers game myself. Report cards were delivered yesterday. S is heading to high school and numbers are counting more and more. And yet she is so much more than that list of letters on a piece of paper. I have a primary care appointment coming up. I’m worried about my blood pressure (it’s been a stressful Spring), and I’ve been only half-consistent with my cholesterol meds. The scale’s been on my mind more than my increased physical activity which should be my focus.

So what’s the right balance?

There is evidence that people who weigh themselves regularly do have lower body weights.  And continuing to self-monitor once you’ve reached your goals is one of the big indicators of weight maintenance. But the key is remembering: that number is not who you are.

It’s just a piece of the puzzle.

Just like your bank account is a tool for planning your future, or your kid’s GPA is (hopefully) a stepping stone to college, your weight is a data point—a tool to help assess your metabolic health, not your worth.

This is my focus for the summer. If it resonates with you, I invite you to make it yours too.

Let’s look at the full picture, together. Let’s make peace with the numbers—and remember they’re just one part of a vibrant, healthy life.