Hmmm... wondering if anyone just monitors weight loss based on inches?
the scale is love/hate - more immediate results (maybe), but the see-sawing water weight is just a drag. (I mean, honestly, what did I ever do personally to water for it to be so cruel?)
So THIS time I think I am going to set a measurement goal. I'd really like the bottom to at least be the same as the top....although the scale, it calls. It's so familiar. It feels good.
What does anyone think? does the actually weight matter?
I know things like BMI incorporate actual weight, which I never quite understood, with muscle weight more that fat and all ::shrugs::.
Thanks for any and all thoughts
Last edited by BurlyQ of Borg; 08-13-2010 at 04:23 PM.
Reason: I am annoyed at my own typos
Weight definitely does not have to matter! If it bothers you to see it on the scale, then definitely don't do it. Weight loss can be more than a number, and the scale can be so inaccurate as far as water, digestion, and other things that can't always be helped. If your clothing is getting looser then you're making progress.
I also don't pay too much attention to BMI. A very fit person with low body fat percentage can be considered overweight. For most of the population, it's accurate, but if you are very athletic with more muscle mass, then probably not a good idea to use it as a measurement.
Honestly, I DO think the weight matters. Isn't out goal to get to a healthy weight? How will we know if our plan is or isn't working? If I'm not losing any pounds after a certain amount of time, well then, I would think my plan needs to be tweaked.
Also, if I'm avoiding the scale, then it means that most likely I've been doing something that I probably *shouldn't* be doing. If the scales goes up and I've done nothing to *deserve it*, well then there's nothing to upset about.
The scale is the most convenient way to monitor our body's weight. Why give up such a valuable tool?
Another thing, in the beginning, it was absolutely thrilling for me to see that scale go down. It took ages for my dress size to go down. I felt marvelous knowing that I was manipulating it through my good eating behaviors. It was SO motivating. It made me want to do this more and more.
Lots of people here use NSV's (non-scale victories) as their measure of success ... I am using inches and sizes mostly myself (see my signature). Since I also have a huge weight fluctuation becuz of water retention also (esp due to TOM [menses] symptoms), I am only weighing myself every few months, if that even. Use whatever system works best for you ...
I see what you're saying, Robin, but you may have missed the part where the OP is having problems with water weight and not seeing it go down, and says it's a drag for her. I do agree that when the scale moves, it's a wonderful feeling! But I also think avoiding the scale if it's not reflecting your true hard work is also important, especially when first starting out.
I understand what you are saying Robin, but I guess my point is that if I lose say 7" off your hips, I've lost weight. And if health calculations don't take into account muscle weight vs. fat weight, is a scale really the best measure? For me I don't think so. I want to lose inches, fit better in clothes, be more active, stronger and healthier.
When I played roller derby, I couldn't break 178 although I fit in clothes smaller than when I was 160.
It's not to say I've had problems with the scale this time (just started on the trail again) I just am becoming less and less convinced that it is the best measure. And I also know it has been really anti-motivational in the past to see fluctuations because of waterweight or whatever. Yes, logically I know that I didn't gain 7 pounds over a week, but emotionally it still hurts.
I use the scale as a tool amongst other tools. It's taken me a long to do so, but I can now see it as nothing more than that. I lose inches like crazy but that scale hardly moves. What I just experienced this past month and a half is a perfect example of what often happens to me. I've been stalled at exactly 170-171 for the past month and a half! During that time I have dropped a dress size. I did that once before too. The this morning, finally, WHOOSH! I tend to lose inches while the scale is stuck. It's very strange.
I go by my measuring tape, the feel of my clothes, the scale and pictures...yes, pictures.
I think everyone needs to figure out their best relationship with the scale and I say try them all! Try weighing daily, weekly and monthly before tossing it altogether. I am a daily weigher and was quite shocked to find it freed me from my feelings about the scale. I now see daily fluctuations and am fine with them. It even amuses me. I join lots of challenges through which I see how much I've lost weekly and monthly as well. I find all that very motivating. Also, I think daily weighing will be key to maintenance for me because I can't bury my head in the sand if I'm hopping on the scale every day.
If you can basically stick to plan, why not just weigh every few weeks, after your period, or whenever the waterweight isn't an issue? Do you really need the frequent weights, will they help you stick to plan? If not, they are just a pain, and not worth your fretting. If you feel things getting looser and have other NSVs then you are giving yourself good feedback about loss. And if you are building muscle, you may stall on weight loss but be losing inches and gaining good health!.
good luch
If you can basically stick to plan, why not just weigh every few weeks, after your period, or whenever the waterweight isn't an issue?
Or perhaps, don't let the water weight BE an issue. Learn your body. Read your data. Make it a non-issue.
*I* think you give away a very valuable tool when you give up the scale. If for nothing else - accountability. If you know you are stepping on that scale every single day - without fail - *I* believe you will most likely make better food choices and *catch* any lapse before it turns into something more. Like Eliana said - no burying your head in the sand. Make it part of your daily health oriented routine.
If you are having trouble coping with fluid fluctuations that occur over a time scale of a few days or a week, then waiting for a change in measurements is going to be even worse for you - you will not be able to observe them except on a time-scale of many weeks or even months.
It is a fact that fluid fluctuations mask real weight loss. My fluid fluctuations can be as much as 4lbs in a day, depending upon what I eat and drink and what kind of exercise I do. I'm losing at a rate of 0.5-1lb a week. So fluid fluctuations are a real bear. They suck, and often make me curse at the scale.
But there's no way on earth that using measurements instead of the scale would be better. Just no way. It could take a couple of months to see your hips drop by an inch, which is, I would guess, about the accuracy with which you can take that measurement.
So, consider this a vote for understanding the fluid fluctuations and accepting your body's pattern of weight loss. Understand the scale's limitations as a tool and then use its advantages. Don't throw it out in favor of something that will give you even less feedback and even more frustration.
Weighing ourselves is just one of the more convenient ways to track our progress. I think we often get too hung up on a certian number.
If your goal is to not be a certian number, than maybe measurements would be best. I weigh myself daily just to keep myself in check, and measure myself once a month. I actually can see the fluctuations when I have too much salt in my diet and it helps me keep that in check (and man do I love salt!).
Use whatever is the most convenient for you I've lost almost 3 pounds from peeing alone! Haha
I was brought up with the scale being the measurement tool and it still rings true today. I do measure on the 15th of the month (which means I measured this morning). I had lost some off my waist and hips but my calves increased (probably from walking uphill 5 days a week). So when I logged the numbers though it didn't give me the euphoria that seeing the weight drop on the scale does. I think it is all how your mindset for weight loss is formed. As long as something is dropping and not going up it's all good to me.
Monitoring Weight Loss...
