Guys, I'm TERRIFIED of weighing myself.
 

Same old story: I stopped eating healthy, working out and posting on this forum. I have undoubtedly packed on some pounds but I am way too scared to find out just how much damage I've done. Yes, I'll have to find out eventually...or will I? Perhaps I should start again with healthy eating, exercise and being an active member on this forum (I did notice I was a lot more committed to losing weight when I would pop in here to read and post)? Maybe I don't need to weigh myself at the moment. What are your thoughts?

I don't know what I'd do if I was in your position... I look forward to my weigh in all week, for better or worse. But you need to do what you feel is right, so maybe that means focusing on eating right and exercising and getting back into the swing of things. The weighing yourself can happen when you are ready for it.

You don't have to weigh yourself yet, especially if you think it will bring you down :). Just make the changes(working out & clean eating) and when you are feeling positive about it, maybe step on the scale.

I would weigh myself. Running from what you've done, IMO, won't teach you to do better in the future. When I fall off the wagon I face the music and accept that these are the consequences of my bad choices. That usually means a depressing weigh-in, but it doesn't really matter because no matter what, what is done is done. Then you can move forward with better choices. It's not fun to see a ten or twenty or thirty pound weight gain. I've done it. But you need to know where you've gotten to, IMO. At least I do. I can't make good choices without facing my bad ones. I hope you step on the scale and find it's not as bad as you fear!

I like to weigh myself after I mess up for a while. That way, a week later, when I weigh again I see the downward shift and know I'm accomplishing something. Otherwise, I can weigh in 3 weeks later and still be above what I was before the slip up and not feel like I've accomplished anything in those 3 weeks.

Just get back on your plan. No matter if you weigh or not. Get back NOW before you have a lot of catching up to do. It comes back so fast :( Good luck to you.

I find I have to face the scale to really recommit. It helps me to be able to see the progress. If I wait to weigh, then I don't have that solid number to say, I made "this much" progress. I suppose if you really don't want to weigh, you could accomplish the same thing with measurements. Really, it's a personal decision and different tactics work better for different people. I find I don't stick with it if I don't weigh.

You know how you react to that sort of thing. For myself, when I fall off the wagon I need to step on the scale and own that I took a step backwards. If I don't see the number, then it's not real for me. But IMO you have to do what is right for you.

use measuring tape to track progress

I'm a real number obsessive so personally I'd get back on the scale and check the damage. However, if it'll set you back and demotivate you then wait until you feel more ready! You know yourself best and know the tools that work best for you.

If you want to get back on track, could focus on that and what you need to be doing -- eating right, exercising. Measuring possible results / outcome? That can happen LATER.

Could not focus on what you don't want (weight scale related anxiety) right now. Do whatever you like best in terms of how you want to measure outcome.

If weight scale makes you anxious, learn to live without it. Could consider measuring with a tape measure if you want to track changes instead. Or just go by how your clothes fit and feel.

HTH!
A.

Yep... Sharing with you in that now. When I moved back from my year of amazing weight loss and living in Colorado, I was very depressed and couldn't shake it. I was scared to look. I wouldn't for a few months and when I finally looked it would be bad. I gained back most of the 45 pounds I lost over 12 months IN 12 months. Very sad, but I've been extremely active the past few months (especially since my most recent move two weeks ago) and started VERY consistently tracking for WW this Monday. Not tracking has been my number one problem --- it's so easy to overeat, over drink (damn you sodas!!) I am more motivated now than I have been since the start of my last weight loss journey.... Actually, MORE motivated. For the first time ever I'm truly doing this 100% for myself. I want to be happy and healthy. I'm making a commitment to track EVERYTHING and to stay active.

Sorry for derailing a bit there, haha. The number on the scale isn't always the most important... If you're too worried, get yourself back on track first. Several times seeing that number after gaining even three pounds shocked/depressed me. You definitely need to be in the right frame of mind to handle it. Good luck :)

Edit: just found out my mother's scale (what I measured myself with once I got here as mine is in storage) might be way off... She said it's measuring her 16 pounds above what the doctor's scal said less than a week ago! Fingers crossed :)"

I'm in a similar position - I've been slacking on exercise and tracking my weight for a while, and I'm really not looking forward to stepping back on the scale. I don't know if it would work for you, but something I've found helpful is to put in a week or two of work - exercise, count your calories, keep a firm grip on carbs and sodium - then weigh yourself.

Whenever I fall off track I wait at least one full OP day and then weigh myself. Because then I think to myself "Okay, you weigh so and so much but you managed to stay OP yesterday and that's all that matters! The numbers will go back down, just keep staying OP and working out." And so it's only half as bad.
I'm that type who, after already being super upset about having messed up, gets even more upset when the numbers on the scale are through the roof.

When I get off track, I think it's easier for me to just get back in the swing of things and wait a week or two until I weigh myself. The number on the scale isn't the only way to measure yourself, and it might ease your stress levels a little if you just tried your best to be healthier and just paid attention to how your clothes fit until you think you're ready to weigh yourself.

Some people rarely weigh themselves because they know that they are putting all of their effort into their transformation and that the result will come eventually as long as they keep going. So, they do keep going, and they notice that they feel better about themselves and their clothes are getting looser.