So, I'm nearly done with week 4 of being on the flex plan, and I've lost over 10 pounds (which I know is good). However, I've been getting on the scale every time I walk by it, and getting depressed that it seems to be up. (I have an analog scale, so I never know how accurate it really is) I know I should just put the scale in my closet and focus on just being healthy and on plan until Monday's weigh-in, but I can't seem to make myself do that.

I've been trying to list all the positive lifestyle changes I've made (staying OP, working out every day, drinking water), but the scale just keeps taunting me.

Any ideas of how to get past this feeling?

What's preventing you from picking it up and putting it out of sight? I think what's hard for you is not allowing yourself to weigh, not getting it out of sight. Why don't you take the first step and do something with it, throw a towel over it, put it under the bed, in the closet, anywhere you can't see it immediately. Even better if it takes work to dig it out again.

The scale is going to keep making you feel depressed if all you see are tiny increases. Just know that those tiny increases you see are normal, healthy daily fluctuations. A lot happens to our bodies over the course of a day, you can't expect it to say one thing from morning to night. Stepping on the scale constantly during the day tells you NOTHING about your WL success!

What does tell you about your success are things like the healthy choices you're making. Or how good you feel after exercising. Or smaller things, like choosing to walk somewhere, take the stairs, having more energy, having less pain, feeling more confident, feeling proud of yourself. These are the things you will benefit from focusing on.

I know it's one thing to say it and another thing to do it. But you've made SUCH amazing progress so far, why try to take that away from yourself by focusing on silly little fluctuations? What's a day without weighing in the course of the rest of your life? Challenge yourself to go a day or two without the scale and see how you start to feel about it. I ended up just plain giving my scale away because it drove me so crazy, and let me tell you I'm much happier without it. Others have a friend hold their scale hostage til the end of the week, others have enormous amounts of willpower and do not allow themselves on except once a week. Others manage to stay daily weighers and don't drive themselves crazy. Find what's going to work for you for long-term and stick with that.

I agree with suite! Move that scale! If it's out of sight, it's out of mind. I can see mine from my bed because it's right outside my bathroom and if I move it, even to a place where I'm not used to seeing it (like the other side of the room) I find I am less tempted by it. Eventually you'll probably be able to find a nice balance when it comes to weighing, like suite suggested, once a day or once a week, but if it's bothering you so much now, you ought to do something about it ASAP!

You've made fantastic progress so far! Congrats!

Yep! What they said. Move it out of sight.

Out of sight out of mind. It's like keeping a box of donuts on the counter and then being tempted every time you walk by them. But if they're in the drawer, you'll find it easier to forget & focus on other things

I'm a former scale-aholic myself and I would get on the sucker 3-5 times a day and according to what that said then that was my mood. I was driving every body crazy. **** when I was on my period(And the scale jumped up) everyone left the house. Finally I had to throw that sucker out of my house. If that's too extreme for you then give it to someone(not currently living with you). for me out of sight out of mind didn't work becuase I knew where it was and i would pull it out and climb on it. You have to find another measure in which to mark a triumph(sp?) or goal. Measure yourself or set a goal of how much you walk from one week to the next. and save the scale when you go to meeting. Your mind and emotions will thank you for it.

Berni

I don't even own one, I was thinking of getting one, but after reading this thread, I'll just weigh myself at the gym or at my parents house where they have a digi scale. I just go by how my clothes fit. I know what my start weight and date is, when I feel compelled, I'll weigh in. The commitment you put into it and get healthy and get fit is what's important!

I don't even allow myself to have a scale at home! *lol* I go to my mom's on Fridays and use hers since it is inline with my Dr.'s scale.

I just did a mini-challenge with myself to stay off the scale for a week - I too have trouble being told by the scale how to feel about myself. Whatever it takes I am ONLY going on the scale once a week.

If it makes you feel BAD, get rid of it!!!! Make a commitment (I had it in my signature line last week) to stay OFF and stick to it. Believe me, it will be yet another thing to be proud of when you succeed with your challenge.

You are doing a GREAT job so far!!! Don't let a little mechanical thing ruin your good feelings!!!

I'm with you -- I have been on it way too much the last few weeks and had lost 14 lbs in the first month at WW but have gained one back -- if I continue to be a scale crazed woman, I know I will gain the whole bunch back and since I need to lose 100 lbs, I can't have this

So today the scales are going downstairs, where I am less likely to weigh myself and, if that doesn't work, out to the garbage they go -- I can't handle that much stress!! Honestly, we weigh in each week at the meetings and since the scale tends to dictate my emotions, which control my eating, they have to move out!!

Or, maybe right on your calendar two days a week you "allow" yourself to weigh in and try to stick to it. (I've also had my husband hide them from me as well )

I am with you as well, i am a scaleaholic and get on it throughout the day. In my case it kind of helped motivate me, I was kinda off track last week, just got over AF, had a day where I couldn't stop eating no matter what I did and then I got on the scale and saw the numbers going up and grabbed control of it. It is amazing how much your body does fluctuate during the day though.