I don't necessarily obsess over the scale but if I see a loss of one or two pounds, I think that is a license to eat something yummy that day (which can sometimes lead to a coupe of days of bad eating :). I am determined to do that starting today. I want to reach my goal by xmas eve.

Well, when I started my plan (AGAIN), I hated the scale (still pretty much do :) ) but I weighed myself once a week. Then I got VERY excited as my body lost a pound a week. I was so excited that I wanted to check everyday. I got obsessed with it and wanted very much to just keep it under once per week. Fortunately, my mood and the way I ate wasn't affected by this. A long time ago I used to be affected, but not anymore. I know a weight flux could be due to water weight, soreness, TOM, eating too close to bed time, or not getting enough sleep or water. I put that into account. The only time I freak out is if I'm stuck with the same number for more than a week.

I guess my excitement eased up and turned into frustration ("how long is this weight loss going to take?!"). I didn't care as much. And now I only weigh myself if I feel a strong need to or if I notice a change in my body. I also keep measurements to make sure I know my plan is working. I weigh myself maybe two or three times a week now.

I also weight daily, several times daily. Some people it works for, it all depends on how you view the scale. I've learned not to freak if it doesn't change cause realistically, it only actually changes about once a week. I don't know why I do it, it's always the same number. I guess I do it more to make sure I'm not GAINING, not so much what I am losing. My weight does not flucuate like a lot of peoples. I ALWAYS weight the same. So I know when I see that number go down, it's for real, it's not just that I just went to the bath room or didn't eat much that day. If you can not freak out if the number doesn't change, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't weight yourself as often as you like.

I stopped weighing because it was affecting me poorly. I would do the same-obsess about no loss or what I perceived as a gain or I would overcelebrate a loss and eat too much. When I start getting other things under control (like what eating schedule works best for me, etc) I'll probably start up again. Right now I'm paying attention to how I feel, and how my clothes fit. It's better for me this way for now.

In addition to weighing I'm taking a weekly picture on Sunday evenings in the same clothes I was wearing the first time I took the picture. So if the scale isn't your friend consider using your digital camera.

For me the object of weighing is to track progress. But I can use other things to track progress like how my clothes fit, measurements, and pictures.

I do think it's helpful to track something so you can evaluate and tweak your plan.

Originally Posted by rodeogirl:
In addition to weighing I'm taking a weekly picture on Sunday evenings in the same clothes I was wearing the first time I took the picture. So if the scale isn't your friend consider using your digital camera.

That is such a cool idea! I don't have my old clothes anymore but I wish I'd done that!

I think the secret lies in charting it (as someone else said dailyplate.com is good for this). I think once you see that fluctuations are normal and that the general trend is downward, you will be able to relax about what you see.