Oftentimes, individuals allow the number on the scale to determine their eating behaviors, level of physical activity and sense of self-worth. 

Many people with take drastic measures including restrictive dieting and self-punishing exercise in order to achieve their "ideal" weight.

What they may not know is that every individual has a set-point weight. This is the weight that your body naturally prefers to be at; a weight that you do not have to under eat or over exercise in order to maintain. 

Dieting, in an attempt to decrease your weight, can actually lead to an increased set- point weight. This is because your body is doing everything it can to fight against food restriction which causes increased fat storage and a slowed metabolism. Weight loss may be achieved short-term, but eventually 95% of individuals who diet will regain the weight.

I have found it to be more successful to focus on behavior changes and to let the weight fall where it will. This takes the power off of the scale and places it back in your hands.