Good morning folks,

I just wanted to write a little bit to attempt to share a bit of my infinite wisdom with y'all

It is so easy to get hung up on the scale, the numbers it reads, whether it's .2 lbs up or down, that it feels to me to become almost a distraction from what most of us are really trying to achieve, here. After posting on 3FC A LOT, I get the feeling that nearly everyone has the healthy attitude of trying to lose weight in order to get healthy, live longer, live better, and maybe even fit into THOSE JEANS. But no one, not no one, has said, "I want to lost weight so that I can make a T-Shirt that announces what my scale reads, so that everyone will know!" In other words, if you're working hard at the gym, eating healthfully, you WILL create for yourself a better life. Those numbers on the scale are one tiny measure of your success. We assign them such deep meaning, we judge our worth by them sometimes, but really, do they matter??

I know this was ranty, perhaps even preachy (yes, I am picturing myself on a soapbox, riling up dieters everywhere to throw their scales out the window, inciting a DIET RIOT!), but I can't help but think of it every time I read about someone cursing the scale after their hard week of exercise and calorie counting. No one can see your weight. What you project is a glow of health and happiness when you eat right and exercise. So unless you're planning to make a necklace out of your scale, I suggest taking a step back every time you have scale-anxiety :, and think about your larger goals on this weight loss journey.

Full-disclosure: I am a total scale junky. In recovery.

S

you are SO right. i keep saying i want to lose weight so that i will feel better and look better, but it seems like all i really care about is whether or not ican make my scale move down and get mad if iot goes up. thank you for your post, it gives me a new perspective.

So very true, Lizzy

The scale is not a measure of our worth. I've read many a time on 3FC from those wiser than I that we use the scale not because it is the most accurate measure of our success, but because it is the most convenient. We're more than our weight.

Hmmm. It is interesting to think about it that way. For me, I don't really care if the scale goes up or down...as long as the downward path is consistent. If it fluncates by going up one pound or so one week, eh,, no worries. I'll just work a bit harder to go down.

I think what's more important to me is whether or not I'm really noticing the changes in my body, and so far, I keep noticing tiny things, like my hands are a bit thinner now because of the loss...which is very strange to me because I'm not used to that type of loss! =) My brother's also noticed my hands getting thinner...I guess we in the family are more visually observant! =)

very nice post, thank you! you couldnt be more right!

I just recently started taking scale breaks and it has actually been very freeing! For me those up2/down3/up4- those daily normal scale fluctuations just drove me crazy! Especially when I stuck to my healthy ways and exercise plans, so for sanity sake I needed to do this. So, I had to let the scale go to gain my sanity back! The scale determined my mood, and my mood determined how I ate. But not anymore, I am now "dieting" from my scale, because the scale doesn't show the whole picture.

I will continue being true to myself with my healthy food choices and daily workouts, and I just will no longer be OBSESSING over a magical number on my scale everyday! I will check in with the scale once a month at most...

Nowadays how my clothing fits me daily will be my guide that I am staying on track! Whew, I really do feel free, like a huge weight has been lifted. I feel great and I look great too and that is the most important thing. Besides, life is too short to be stressing about that "magical number" that has to appear week after week.

I actually kind of have to care what it says, at least for now, 2 of my coworkers and I decided to do a 'biggest loser' type contest, every week we weigh and the person who lost the biggest percentage of weight is the winner of the week, the others have to roll a dice and pay in whatever the dice roll was (1 buck for a roll of 1, 6 bucks for a roll of 6). At the end of the contest whoever lost the biggest percentage of weight gets to keep all the money, so there is definitely motivation to have scale movement.

that said, in general I do weigh myself most days, I guess the difference is that I don't really worry whatever the number is (outside of the monetary benefit of it being low every friday morning when we weigh at work)...I mostly look at data trends, to make sure that overall the number is going down, even if it fluctuates up and down day to day (or a good week and a half when its TOM). I do agree that the focus of what we're all doing should be on getting in shape, losing fat, not muscle, not water but actual jiggly mass stuck on our bodies. Fitting into our clothes better, having more energy, looking and feeling better. the number on the scale, an imperfect way of monitoring our progress, and nothing more. Unless it gets me a pile of cash to go buy some new clothes that fit and not sag on me!

excellent point, caroline!

as for me, i'm doing WW, which in general I think is an incredibly healthy eating plan, but focuses pretty heavily on that weekly weigh in, also. Unfortunately, they're not paying me, it's quite the opposite, in fact!

thanks for the responses, everyone!

S

I'm participating in a challenge and after that, I will go to weighing myself once or twice a month. In about 2 weeks, I am starting a thread to announce a new, scale-free challenge for people who want to work on healthy habits, a balanced relationship with food and consistency with exercise and eating healthily. It will be in "chicks up for a challenge". I do hope some like-minded people will join it.

I think that's great advice, as well. Many of us become overly focused on a number on the scale. I try not to as much, and focus on clothes that fit better, and fitting into smaller sizes, as well as the extra energy I have now. My next goal is to look presentable in a bikini Like my friend says, step awayyyy from the scale!

soulbliss you can count me in on that challenge

I've learned to use the scale as a marker, not as the ultimate recognizer of my hard work.

The things I use to judge myself if I'm staying on track are:

Do I have more energy?
Am I taking less naps?
Do I look better in the mirror?
Can I do two extra minutes on the elliptical?

I totally agree with you! I think that people place too much emphasis on "the number" where it should be put on how you feel. I've noticed to that a lot of 3FCers understand this..

It helps when I see that I've gone up one pound that it's not the end of the world! As long as I am still on plan and feeling good, the number doesn't matter.

Thanks for making me think

-Liz.

SoulBliss i'd be interested to hear about that challenge too. i'm considering taking the whole month of april off from the scale. i haven't had any bad bouts recently, actually march has been really good to me but i'm about to start working out and i don't want to obsess over fluctuations and the like when i know for a fact that working out is good for me. it's just silly. now is 203 lbs healthy for someone my height? not really. but is obsessing and backsliding because of minor fluctuations really doing anyone any good either? nope.

i've been pretty plump AND anorexic both at different times in my life. but the best i've ever looked and the healthiest i ever was was when i quit weighing in and just focused on working out and measuring body fat and performance in the gym. there is something to it...only now i wish i knew what i weighed then. hahaha

I weigh myself every two weeks at the docs office. That is more than enough. I do care that the numbers are going down but way to many people get hung up on those numbers. NSV's ( Non scale victory's ) are just as important as the numbers and in many ways more important than the numbers. There are way to many people that make them selfs crazy with the scale everyday or even several times a day. Weight does fluctuate and can be up or down from one day to the next. Does someone really want to live that way? Deciding if they are going to eat today because of what the scale says. Come on, what we need to do is stay within some general ranges we set for our selfs and get those required amounts of the four basic food groups eaten each day.

Yay! This is exciting. I am participating the The Biggest Loser and it comes to an end in a couple of weeks. I am going to start the challenge in about 2 weeks, maybe April first would be good, actually. I LOVE the idea of leaving behind the scale!

Shrinkinglizzy, I am glad you started this thread, because this topic has been discussed a LOT lately (when is it NOT discussed, really?) and I am so glad to see others who feel as I do. consistency, lifestyle changes and healthy habits matter more than numbers!!!