Weight loss without a scale

  • I am doing Transitions Lifestyle program. It is basically low glycemic index. It is based on eating the right types of foods and not worrying about calories. I met with my coaches yesterday and was told I am not allowed to weigh myself. I admitted I was going on the scale twice a day. They want me to learn to listen to my body and to eat "clean". That the chance of overeating when you are putting in the proper nutrients is low. They also said I need to learn to love the body I currently have. This is difficult for me to do.

    Do you use a scale? If not, what do you do? I have biofeedback at the same location so they are going to start measuring my body fat every 2 weeks by that.

    I guess I just don't like the loss of control. The not knowing everything. Any suggestions?
  • Well, I'm a daily weigher so I feel your pain! How about measuring yourself? Not the same as weighing but it does show progress. And sometimes, you can not lose any weight at all but lose inches so that's nice!

    Good luck!
  • I would say they gave you a good advice. I weigh myself at the end of each month (for 3 days in a row, because weight fluctuates a bit). I don't think you will achieve anything weighing yourself 2x a day. I remember once, when I was due for a check-up at the gym (weigh-in and body fat %) I weighed myself in the morning, then when I got home from work and I was up by a few pounds. Then I weighed myself a few more times and by the time of my appointment (at 8 pm or so), I weighed SEVEN pounds more than in the morning. I have never done that since, it only frustrates me.
    I know I am in the minority here as many 3F chicks weigh themselves daily but I don't consider it important. And I also don't count calories, although I am "calorie-aware" and read labels very carefully and try to make the best choices. I also subscribe to the concept of clean eating.
    We each make our own choices and this is mine. Everyone's mileage may vary.
    Good luck!

    P.S.
    You may know of Tosca Reno - she published a few clean eating cookbooks. She has her own site, www.toscareno.com, and there may be another site for clean eating specifically (if so, I am sure there would be a link to that on her site)).
  • I weigh myself regularly now but I started my weight loss without a scale and I was ok without one. It was difficult to figure out if things were working but as I started losing my clothes started getting looser. The first sixteen pounds I lost were in about two months and without a scale, truthfully, I probably lost faster and better without a scale, haha.
  • Go with the program! You don't have any control over the scale ANYWAY. Stay off of it, period. Trust the process you've decided to follow.

    Jay
  • I'm one of the people who pretty much stays away from the scale, weighing in once a month. In the beginning, I weighed in even less than that. Went 72 days when I started because I wanted to stick with the plan I had, which I knew was better for my health, even if I didn't see scale results. Sounds like that's what these coaches are saying to you.

    However, that said, I did track my calorie deficit so that I knew that I was doing what I had to do to lose weight. I'm hesitant to follow advice that states "the chance of overeating when you are putting in the proper nutrients is low". I'm sure many on this forum are living proof that you can overindulge on healthy foods.
  • I agree with the others, go for it. I think there are great advantages in that approach. I think there is a really strong argument to be made in ignoring the scale while you are actively losing.

    The only caveat is that I find the scale to be a useful "backsliding" preventer. For me getting on daily helps me stay accountable (understanding the significant normal ups and downs) and focused. If I've been typically weighing in the 205-210 range and it is suddenly 213, it's a quick wake up for me to think about my behaviors and if I've been doing things right the last several days.

    I guess I say that because when I've backslidden before the biggest cause was me purposely ignoring the issue...if I don't see the scale I can be in denial about regaining some weight.

    If you have other ways to accomplish that (like a periodic body fat measurement, scheduled gym trips with a trainer, or a bunch of different things) then you are good to go.
  • I don't use a scale...I honestly have no idea how much I weigh. If I did (and this is just me personally) I would obsess and probably do something stupid like binge dieting if I saw a number I didn't like. I do, however, track measurements about once every 2-3 weeks and generally try to watch calorie intake and track work outs (not writting them down but being accountable to myself in my mind). Ask yourself what is right for you- not just physically but mentally -in order to make this a life long change. If the program isn't working for you (physically and/or mentally) after a few weeks have a talk with your coach and hopefully he/she is open minded enough to suggest something that may help overcome the issue.
  • After all the hard work you put in, all it takes is for the scale to not move enough, not move at all or worse still move – but in the wrong direction – and your world caves in. Just stumbled upon a post that's title sums it up perfectly, "Don't Be a Slave to the Scale." (can't leave links, but Google it with "pumpone" if interested) It gave some sensible tips, like the importance of using the same scale for every weigh-in.
  • I think the bottom line is that you need to do what is best for you and what will help you succeed. We all want slimmer, healthier bodies and we all get there in different ways.

    What I think it is important to our long term success is to not cling to any one thing too much. It really is good to keep focused on a specific plan, but recognize that it might not be the right plan for YOU if it doesn't go well. Embrace your plan and keep focused, but be willing to adapt if you need to for long term success.
  • you know what? i have never owned a scale until a month ago (and i'm 42). whenever i have gained weight in the past, i ALWAYS went by the way my clothes fit...and now i know why. i totally get obsessed with numbers and the scale...which for me is ridiculous. numbers can be SO misleading...for example, i am 5'5" ish...when i weigh 150, i look REALLY good, and that puts me in a size 8 comfortably...****, even when i was 160 i was still an 8. but to some people, that number still = fat. which is crazy. how do you FEEL...how do you LOOK...muscle weighs more than fat. if you can live without it, forget the scale.