Hello, 3FC community. I have been absent for quite a while, but now I am back. A lot of stuff has been happening the last few months- I moved into downtown Portland, Oregon, and have started college at Portland State University.

I'm not trying to use this as an excuse, but the last few months I have really fallen off the wagon. My goal was to be 170 by the time I moved down here, and I don't think my weight has budged at all. In fact, I've actually gained a few pounds since I made that goal.

I have recently purchased the Beck Diet Solution, and am just now starting the pre-diet regime. I've been eating a lot healthier over the last week, and already I feel like my pants are a bit looser. I don't have any access to a scale, however, and so have no way of knowing how much weight I've lost. The only time I will be able to use a scale is at home during the break between terms.

So my question is, is it detrimental to my new lifestyle to only weigh once every three months?

When I first lost weight, at first I had only the scale at the YMCA or the grocery store to go by. So I didn't weigh every day--maybe once a week. But it was nice to see what was going on every week. Some weeks I lost, some I didn't. A couple of times I even gained.

The only thing I could see as a drawback is if you have expectations of losing some specific amount, and then after three months you haven't met that expectation. OTOH, if you've exceeded it, you might be surprised in a good way.

The important thing is to devise an eating program and stay with it.

Why not buy an inexpensive scale? Or, since you're in college, perhaps there are scales in the gym that you could use from time to time.

Jay

I don't own a scale.

How much you weigh is fairly meaningless.

I didn't weigh at all the first six weeks, and then only sporadically for a couple of months. I only started regular weighing recently.

I like weighing because it gives me an idea of whether what I'm doing is working or not. If you think you can trust yourself to notice the changes without it, then no weighing or infrequent weighing might work for you. I know that I had trouble seeing any difference for the longest time. Having a number gave me a concrete measure, something more objective than, "I think my wrists look thinner."

I don't believe you need a scale. Here is the thing: you are doing this as a lifestyle change for becoming healthier and feeling better. Can you tell if it's being successful by the way your clothes feel? You betcha! Can you tell by how you physically "feel"? You betcha! If you are working out at all, you start to see definition in your legs, belly, etc... is that a good standard to look for? You betcha! So is it detrimental to not own a scale? I don't think it's detrimental at all! Just my opinion

Do you have a sewing tape? If you really want a way to track progress in between trips home, this could do it.

I agree that weighing isn't necessary, though it seems to keep alot of people accountable, showing them clearly what happens when they go off-plan, and also when they are on diligently on plan but still aren't losing week after week, they know it's time to change up the plan.

Good luck!

I personally like weighing because the information is motivating for me. If you don't find it to be helpful to you in that manner, then it's not a big deal to only WI periodically when you are at home.

But if you do find it helpful to track your progress on the scale (along with the other ways to track it), then I'd go and buy a $10 scale. It doesn't matter if the number is not exactly the same as what you had on the other scale, it's just the relative change from that number once you have the baseline.

Can you lose weight without weighing? Sure. I don't think the scale is the best way to monitor progress anyway because it's reactive - you don't weigh less because you stepped on the scale. Track the things that will lead you to success very diligently - keep a food and exercise journal, set specific calorie and exercise goals and make the completion of those things your "weighing."

I've been calorie counting since June 1, and I haven't weighed myself once. I find that I tend to give the scale too much power over my mood and behavior. It's been liberating to just focus on maintaining healthy behaviors rather than fretting over a pound here or there.

Some people find the scale motivating, but I'm not one of them.

It depends.

If you find that you can stay on track without frequent weigh-ins, do it.

If you find that you need to weigh yourself more than once every three months, then you might consider seeing if your university's student health center will allow you to weigh in there, checking the university gym(s) to see if there's a scale there you can use, or investing in a cheap bathroom scale of your own.

Good luck!

Yes. I lost 100 lbs and have kept it off for a year with weighing in no more than once a month. BUT I tracked my calories intake and counted exercise minutes to judge my adherence of following healthier lifestyle that resulted in weight loss.

It's just whatever works best for you.

I NEED to weigh in daily. My scale broke in April and I was off-plan (but mostly in maintenance mode) until I bought a new one in August. I would have been likely at goal by now if I hadn't.

I just have to have that constant feedback. But everyone is different

Only you can determine whether a scale is a necessary tool (for me it is).


I do think that you're overlooking the obvious. Do you really think there are no scales on campus? No scales in Portland, Oregon?

You don't have to buy a scale or knock on dorm room doors to see if anyone has a scale you can use. I would be willing to bet that there are scales scattered throughout campus you can use. Probably even in spots that you can be assured of privacy (at least if you time your weigh-ins carefully).

Likely spots

Health and Medical Services
Dorm restrooms and shower rooms
Physical Education, Dietetic and Athletic departments
Medical and Nursing departments
Campus gyms and locker rooms


And if by some weird anti-miracle, the campus is entirely scale-free, there are also community resources such as the Health Department, Planned Plarenthood, Hospitals, YMCAs and YWCAs, walk-in clinics, churches...

You can also check for local meetings of TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly) a weight loss group that meets weekly. You can follow any food plan you want, and there will be a scale at every meeting.

TOPS is an extremely affordable option, even for college students ($26 per year national dues, and monthly dues of $5 or less. The $26 includes a monthly magazine, and in most chapters you can earn free monthly dues with weight loss).

I wouldn't be surprised if there are at least a couple groups that meet on campus or at least very close to campus. A city the size of Portland probably probably has dozens of chapters.

For me, I have OCD tendencies and prefer not to use a scale. I know I've lost more than 170 I have currently stated, but I DO know my pants are very loose and I look different. I know I have a ways to go, but I look for other ways to know I'm getting healthier. A scale can be beneficial for some, just not for everyone.

OP, please remember that f you decide to use different scales at different times to their numbers with a grain of salt. Scales, the way they are positioned, calibrated, etc will often render numbers up to 5 (or more) lbs different from each other.

Personally, I only trust ONE scale and I only trust ONE weight-in time: in the morning, before consuming liquids, without clothes, after using the bathroom. It may not be exactly accurate, but it's consistent, which is most important. Other weigh-ins have too many variables to be taken at face-value.