Confession of a Scale Addict

thistoo · 02-08-2012, 06:45 AM

Sometimes when my alarm goes off at 5:00 and I don't want to get up and work out, I think to myself, "But if I get out of bed right now I get to weigh myself!" It's kind of pathetic when I say it out loud, but sometimes that's the reason I get up instead of blowing off a workout.

OnMyWayDown · 02-08-2012, 09:32 AM

I am also a scale addict.

Please someone explain to me (and maybe this describes you too) How is it that I went for years not even looking in the direction of the scale and now I can't miss a morning weigh in?

I know I will go up and down and stay the same depending on the day but I figure I got to where I am at ignoring the little changes long enough until they were major issues!

I have also learned that the last time I lost the weight and slipped up that I stopped weighing which basically meant I gained back 40 of the 45 lbs I lost because I didn't hold myself accountable!

I know its different for everyone...And believe me no matter how much I tell myself that some days will not show what I would like to see that in the end it helps me see where things mess with my weight loss.

On one of the threads I used to be involved in someone once said they thought "there was a little monster in the scale throwing up random numbers just to mess with her some days" I must say I whole agree completely. On the days that I think I should lose I gain or don't move and than some days I am convinced I am going to gain and it drops a lot.

SmallSteps · 02-08-2012, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linJber

SmallSteps - you're killing me! I DEFINITELY would stay away from the scale at night if I wanted to see a loss. Every morning makes sense, though, naked.

Lin!! Uhmmmm my work kinda frowns on that also!

SmallSteps · 02-08-2012, 12:28 PM

[quote=OnMyWayDown;4208551]Please someone explain to me (and maybe this describes you too) How is it that I went for years not even looking in the direction of the scale and now I can't miss a morning weigh in? [quote]

OnMyWayDown maybe we are just making up for lost time??

Sandi · 02-08-2012, 12:56 PM

I also weigh every day, but just once in the morning when I get up. Never again during the day. I only track it on Mondays, the other days are for me. I like to know how I am doing!

kaplods · 02-08-2012, 01:00 PM

I think we're taught to view the scale as an evil enemy rather than as a neutral tool.

For most of my life (I'm 45, and have been dieting since kindergarten) everyone said how bad it was to weigh more often than once a week, so I always felt guilty when I did. I was told daily weighing would be discouraging - and so it was - simple, self-fulfilling prophecy.

Then several years ago, I read a review of multiple weight loss studies, found success correlated with frequency of weighing. It made me re-evaluate my relationship with the scale. I decided that I didn't have to worry about the frequency of weighing, I had to change my expectations of the scale.

I always was discouraged when I didn't see a loss, because I was taught to be discouraged. When I decided that I was going to celebrate "not gaining" as my first and most important priority, I got to celebrate a whole lot more. I started weighing myself dozens of times a day, just for the sake of practice. I practiced "not getting upset," I practiced "celebrating not gaining," I practiced guessing how much eating, dressing, going to the bathroom.... would affect my weight from the previous weigh-in and I looked for patterns so that I would understand and learn to predict the weight fluctuations so I wouldn't be upset by them. Some days I weighed myself dozens of times, and by practicing celebrating every non-gain, I gained confidence. When I (half) expected a loss every time, I would feel less and less successful - less and less confident, and more and more discouraged.

I sitll weigh multiple times per day (though not as often as during the learning and practising phase), but I no longer use the word "addicted" when referring to my use of the scale, because that implies that the scale is a negative influence, and that's no longer true.

You don't generally hear people say they're "addicted" to brushing their teeth whether they do so once a day, or after every meal and snack.

It can be hard to break the negative and harmful relationship that we're often taught to have with the scale, but that's much more important than how often a person uses the scale. We have to stop seeing the negative relationship as being inevitable, though. If weighing weekly, monthly, or never is helpful, I'm all for it, but I really would like to see the expectations and social judgements disappear from frequent weighing.

I think we attach so much guilt to dieting that it becomes virtually impossible to do anything without feeling guilty for it. Eat off plan - feel guilty and discouraged. Weigh yourself too often - feel guilty and discouraged. Not weighing often enough- -feel guilty and discouraged. Lose too slowly - feel guilty and discouraged. Lose too quickly - feel guilty and discouraged. Drink too little water - feel guilty. Exercise too little - feel guitly and discouraged.

We're taught to make weight loss and weight management a no-win guilt-fest, and then wonder why the success rate is so poor. If we focused on making the process more positive, where even not-gaining was seen as an incredible win, maybe more folks would be able to accomplish it.

I know for me, these 105 lbs I've lost have been the easiest (definitely not the fastest, but still the easiest) of all the thousands of pounds I've lost (and then regained) in my life. Without the guilt and obsessions, weight loss actually is kind of fun, and certainly not as miserable as I was taught to make it.

SmallSteps · 02-08-2012, 02:19 PM

Great post kaplods!!

OnMyWayDown · 02-08-2012, 06:42 PM

Seconded!

124chicksinger · 02-08-2012, 07:00 PM

I try to stay off the scale. I vow to stay off the scale. I join challenges and challenge myself to stay off the scale. I'm successful for some while, generally a short while. Then, I feel......thinner. I step on and let the feeling overcome me....and it is rarely neutral. Its either horrendous...or glorious.

Right now, I'm in an off phase. Likely, I'm afraid I'm up rather than the same or down. I will give it as long as I can before I hop on again.

I don't know that I have any advice except to try to stay off it for just one day. Then take it day by day. Eventually, we need to know the number because that is the way we measure the progress, generally accepted way anyhow. Good luck and you are not alone.

oneshortday · 02-11-2012, 12:58 AM

I just started this month, and I'm finding myself weighing several times a day. It's a bad habit to get into, I know, but it's hard.

I feel like I won't know if I'm making progress if I don't, but then I obsess. I'm hoping to break the habit once I get into the 240's and finally assure myself that I REALLY AM losing weight and it's not just a fluke.

fyreflie24 · 02-11-2012, 12:03 PM

My nutritionist has forbidden me from stepping on a scale anywhere but in her office. I was freaked in the beginning but it's actually been very liberating! Now the big X factor here is that I don't have the behavior pattern I once had of eating crap after the weigh in and then 'recovering' the rest of the week... I do hate having to wait but in some ways the not knowing has made it a bit easier. We're all different. I was an obsessive morning weigher so I was very surprised at how I responded to this 'mandate'

suzukigurl · 02-11-2012, 09:33 PM

I weigh myself every morning, I have two reasons for doing this!
#1 If I have lost weight it's a great way to start my day, do a little happy dance and it motivates me to stay on track.
#2 If I haven't lost or gain a little. I know I have to work extra hard that day and that motivates me to make good choices.
This is part of my new positive mind set, I need to face the reality of that day head on and not stress over what a scale may say in a week or two. I want to know what I am dealing with on a daily bases!

delyn · 02-13-2012, 09:59 PM

I weigh myself first thing in the morning as well. At first I was only going to weigh in once or twice a week, but I think weighing in everyday helps keep me more accountable.

Even though the numbers aren't moving as fast as I would want, it gives me extra motivation to eat healthy & exercise so I can't see the numbers budge some.