Debating whether or not to get a scale again

seabiscuit · 05-14-2011, 05:51 PM

I would really like to see progress in my weight loss efforts, so I was thinking I would buy a scale but when I had one before I became obsessed with it. This time I am thinking though, maybe I'll put it in my storage locker down the hall and I doubt I'll want to go running there all the time. I could weigh in with my therapist like I had with a previous therapist but the scale at her office is calibrated heavier than other scales I have used and I don't want the focus of our sessions to be on weight loss only or for the number to dictate how the session will go.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Lovely · 05-14-2011, 06:05 PM

I like the idea of having one, but putting it somewhere inconvenient so that you'll only want to take it out once a week/every other week to check.

torta del burro · 05-14-2011, 08:14 PM

What about weighing yourself at the end of the appointment?

seabiscuit · 05-14-2011, 09:52 PM

Thanks for the replies. I guess I could weigh myself at the end of the appt. but if was a gain, I'd like to deal with that in the session so I don't go overeat about it and try to figure out what to do differently. I guess I could weigh myself towards the end, I just don't know that I like attaching the scale part to my therapy, I'd rather do it on my own I think. I just hope I don't panic if I gain!

Regera Dowdy · 05-15-2011, 07:02 AM

Perhaps you could talk to your therapist about using the scale every second or third appointment instead of each one? I don't know if that would still be stressful, but you wouldn't have one at home to tempt you.

Maybe you could look into a quantum scale. It doesn't make sense to weigh yourself very often with those or you see a bunch of small gains and losses and it all stops making sense.

seabiscuit · 05-15-2011, 09:30 AM

Interesting ideas. What is a quantum scale?

Regera Dowdy · 05-15-2011, 07:38 PM

From their website: "The first time you use the scale, it registers (but does not display) your weight, storing it in the scale’s memory. From that point on, the Quantum Scale only displays weight loss or gain, never your actual weight!"

My sister has one, and it's pretty nifty. I used it last week when she was gone. I tried it again yesterday. Instead of displaying my weight, which was 244, it displayed the difference of -0.9 from the last time I was on it. It's not something you could easily use more than once a day because it shows numbers like -0.2, +0.6, +0.1 and so on, and it seems more useful to use weekly. I weighed myself on both the quantum scale and my regular one because I'm a dork, but if I was more obsessive or if the numbers affected me more, I'd stick with a quantum scale. The only problem is that it's about $70.

ETA: Hey, we have similar starting weights and goal weights, but I'm a year behind you! lol

seabiscuit · 05-15-2011, 08:16 PM

Regera-

Hmmm, interesting about the quantum scale. Thanks so much for the idea! I looked it up on the internet after I saw your reply and think it is a unique concept. I'm not sure if I'd like to see my weight or just the amount gained or lost but thank you!

PS, would you like to be weight loss buddies?

Regera Dowdy · 05-15-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seabiscuit

PS, would you like to be weight loss buddies?

Sure! I have no clue how to be a weight loss buddy, but I'd love to try!

seabiscuit · 05-16-2011, 01:27 AM

well I love your dancing banana!

I was thinking we could private message each other here on 3FC. In the past, I have written to someone and this was from a different weight loss site where we wrote about how we were doing on our weight loss attempts, in general, etc. It was a lot of fun! Totally up to you! I totally understand either way.

Esofia · 05-30-2011, 08:39 AM

The one at your therapist's office sounds great, that way you couldn't use it too often and you would have professional moral support while you were there. In your shoes, I'd probably develop a phobia of the cupboard in question if I had it stashed away somewhere in the house, and have weird cupboard-related nightmares. If the only problem is the calibration, weigh yourself there and then weigh yourself on a scale you trust more on the same day, as close in time as possible (at least in terms of food/fluid input/output). That way you will know exactly how much it is calibrated heavier by. Just as some people deliberately set a clock five minutes fast, you'll know that it's 5lb (or whatever) heavier and can subtract that number. As long as it's consistent and accurate, it doesn't really matter. If it isn't accurate, on the other hand, for instance if you weigh yourself three times in a row and the results vary by far too much, could you ask her to invest in one that is?

fight2winthis · 07-15-2011, 02:24 PM

I'm a scale obsessed freak too. I'd wake up in the morning and run to weigh myself even before going to the bathroom. I get how it can totally ruin your day, and even days following. Had to surrender my scale to my friend (who lives with me) to hide from me until the end of the month. She's a stubborn one, no amount of begging, bribing or goading will release it from her clutches...

seabiscuit · 07-17-2011, 03:48 AM

I think I will let professionals weigh me most of the time, or use the one at the therapist's/psychiatrist's office or YMCA if I so desire. The key is not to be obsessed with it.

fight2winthis- sorry you struggle with this too. good luck.

munchey · 07-17-2011, 11:51 AM

I didn't weigh myself for over a year. I had to finally jump on board when I couldn't stand myself any more. I joined a weight loss challenge and the only way to measure that was to use a scale.

I struggle with "All or Nothing" logic. So, it has been good for me to face the scale. Just like with food and any other addiction or obsession, we need to find our control.

Munchey