Scared of the scale

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  • Sheesh, guys. Pardon me while I climb up on my soapbox.

    Nothing wrong with weighing daily if it helps you with your goals, so quit apologizing and using words like "obsessed!" When you look at the habits of successful maintainers, frequent (or even daily) weighing is a tool that supports long term success.

    Daily weighing is a tool. For some people it is helpful, for others it is not. But stop apologizing!!

    Whew.

    (I don't mean to sound too ranty but I see too often posts where people say "I shouldn't weigh myself everyday". Where is that rule written? If it works for you, don't beat yourself up for it! If it causes angst, find another method of checking for progress.)
  • I have to look at it differently this time around. The scale is now my friend. It is the only friend who will be honest with me. I do need to remember that somethings will influence the scale- weighttraining-more water retention, sodium, tom, if my hair is wet- so I will understand and not be frustrated
    I started this time around being afraid of the scale. I didn't even want to get on and have a starting weight. Then the more I thought abut it I realized I would be devastated by my weight if I stepped on the scales 1 or 2 months down the road and saw the weight without knowing what it previously was.
    So I stepped on the scale. I was devasted by the number. Thats life.
    I weighed myself daily (first thing in the morning) and some days I would be happy and others frustrated. I considered not weighing myself daily. Maybe it wasn't good for me to be frustrated? Then I realized isn't it better for me to understand what my weight was daily so I wouldn't have a massive disappointment at the end of a week of hard work? So what is crucial for me is understanding what impacts my weight daily- which activities, sodium etc. Also having faith that I am doing the right thing. I am not cheating, I am exercising so I am losing weight and it just might take a few days for the scale to catch up.
    I have lost and regained weight before so this time daily weighing is crucial for the rest of my life. It must become a habit for me, because I have a great skill at deceiving myself about weight gain- avoid looking in the mirror, pants shrunk in the dryer- you name it.
  • Welcome to 3FC, Lifechange!!
  • I weigh once a day (first thing in the morning). I don't feel obsessed but I do like that daily reminder that I have goals and they won't achieve themselves. Stepping on the scale first things puts me in the right frame of mind to go forth and conquer!
  • I have struggled with the whole "to weigh or not to weigh" issue. This is how I have resolved it and it is working for me.

    The only weight I actually count is the one from the doctors office. Taken approximately once a month. That is the weight I "claim" and the weight my ticker reflects.

    I DO weight myself daily at home. I choose not to "count" this weight as official. One of the reasons for this is...My scale is psycho. It has a mind of it's own. HONESTLY!!! About 2 weeks ago I stood on the scale staring at the dial, motionless, the dial slowly went up as I stood there. In the course of 2 minutes it went up 3 pounds. I have also seen it go down two or three pounds while I stand there.

    So why do I even get on the dang thing??? Well it helps keep me accountable. I also log all my food, and all my exercise, so if the scale stalls for a long period of time (1 week or more) I look at what I have been eating (too much salt, too much carbs?) or goes up slightly (TOM? more strength training? poor food choices??) I can corrolate those things to tweek my eating work out to keep my consistantly losing.

    For those of you wondering...Well Yeah...It probably would just be easier to get a new scale.
  • midwife, I think some people feel like weighing themselves might not be a good idea because they get thrown off by the fluctuations from water retention and other factors. It's much harder to get a sense of your progress if you weigh yourself every day. When I see myself go up a pound from the day before, I get discouraged even though I know it's not a pound of fat. I consider myself 'obsessed' because I weigh myself every day even though I think it would be better to do it 2-3 times per week instead. The pull of the scale is too much --I just have to know!!!
  • I understand, Drina.

    I'm merely pointing out that people should not feel sheepish or apologetic if daily weighing works for them. It may not work for everyone but people should not feel obsessed if it works for them.

    PS And I get a great sense of my progress from daily weighing. Again, if it works, then folks should not feel apologetic. If I had a dime for everytime someone said, "I know I shouldn't weigh everyday, but...." on here, I would be on a beach right now. Each of us have our own tactics that support our journeys.
  • I agree with MIDWIFE that too many times we get "kidnapped" by the number on the scale!

    We are all different in our relationship to the ALL MIGHTY SCALE

    I find myself getting.... freaked! over a pound or two increase...but, in reality......I already knew those evil ones were going to show up

    I weigh almost every single morning, if I am in town. In helps to keep me focused. If I am up a pound or two, it helps me to "remember" to make better choices....although sometimes I forget...on purpose

    As many have said ~ the focus needs to be on the healthy habits we are making and not the numbers! If we are focused on the GOOD THINGS in life...things that make us HAPPY and HEALTHY those EVIL NUMBERS will simply go away...say bye-bye ....in time!

    If you are freaking out over what the scale says....GET OFF!

    If the scale is a tool that you implement into your journey of better choices...well then....GET ON!
  • I usually weight once a week, on sunday mornings. I wake up and weigh and take my measurements. I'm scared sometimes though, I'll admit that. Especially after I've had a difficult week with my diet, it's like I know that I gained 5 lbs or something. Stupid Scales
  • i weigh daily....
    it helps me as an indivual to see if my weekly targets are guna be achieved....
    if i gain some one day i will work harder the next....
    4 me the scale gives me motivation....
    i dont like the readings, so the more i weigh, the more i work and the more i loose....
    prolly not the best way to do it but it works for me....