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At Carleton University’s fitness centre, opened in 2013 at a cost of $2 million, there are 56 cardio machines, free weights and plenty of specialized equipment stationed across 11,000 square feet.

But here is one thing you won’t find anymore: a scale.

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Earlier this month, the university took the scale away because a measure of pounds alone “does not provide a good indication of health and, here at Athletics, we have chosen to move away from focusing solely on body weight.”

In a weekend email to the Citizen, Bruce Marshall, the manager of wellness programs, said the decision was “in keeping with current fitness and social trends.”

Weight alone, he says, does not tell the whole story.

“Try not to measure your success by just that one number. Our health and fitness is multi-faceted,” he continued. “The best indicator is how well you feel in your body.”

A story about the scale removal in the campus newspaper, The Charlatan, quoted a student supporting the step, saying scales can be “triggering,” especially for someone with an eating disorder.