So, a few weeks ago I got rid of my scale. I'm far enough along in my weight loss that I'm not going to see weight falling off everyday (I am losing- I lost about 20 pounds over the 3 summer months.)
So, at this point, weighing myself isn't as uplifting as it used to be. I had people recommend that I get rid of my scale. They claimed that it's a freeing experience and a stress reliever. So I did it. I sold it.
However, I think I made a mistake. In the past few weeks without a scale, I've eaten more, binged more, drank more, and just feel totally out of control. I think I may have to buy a scale again, just so that I can have that control element again.
What do you think? Am I better off without it or with it? Do you weigh daily?
Personally, I believe if you're on point with your diet and exercise then a scale isn't necessary. A scale doesn't really measure fat loss anyway, so I try to gauge my progress in a more meaningful way (though I still weigh about once a month out of curiosity). But it sounds like you're not using the scale so much to measure your progress but as a tool to keep you from veering too far off the weight loss path you've chosen. If that's the case, then keeping the scale around might be a good thing. Since the daily numbers no longer reflect a loss, why not weigh once a week?
I lost 30 lbs 3 years ago. My husband (boyfriend at the time) felt that I was getting obsessed and weighing too much, which I was. I got rid of the scale and did the same thing. Started overeating/drinking and gained all the weight back.
I think that for some people getting rid of the scale is okay, but for others its a bit *too* freeing. I have to fight hard with myself now to only weigh once a week so I don't get frustrated by the daily fluctuations, but I will not get rid of the scale again. It was apparently a big part of my motivation to see those numbers going down, even if they didn't go down as fast.
I second keeping a scale. In the past two years, the times I have gone long periods without weighing myself were the times I weighed the most and like you, went on food binges (eating out all the time, not watching portions, eating even though I wasn't hungry, etc). The times I watched my weight, even if I wasn't making a conscious effort to lose, were the times I maintained and maybe lost 1-2 lbs. For me, the scale is a tool to keep me on track.
I weigh daily and initially, I would get frustrated seeing "up" blips when I stuck to my calories and exercise. About a month ago, I stopped getting frustrated. I got used to seeing gains, but overall, I am seeing a downward trend, which is all I care about. Sure, it sucks to input a higher weight on Fitday but I can always click on my "weight goal graph" and see the downward trend.
i try to only weigh in once a week. Every wednesday, after my morning shower, I get on it and make note of the number. Then, no more. I figure that at worse, I've only done a week's damage....or made a full week's progress.
I weigh myself a few times a week just to make sure I'm still within my "acceptable" range. If I get above where I know I have been for a while and it stays there consistently, I know I've gotten off track somewhere and I need to get back on it. I can vary about 3 lbs from day to day, which used to freak me out but now I know it's just my normal variance. But if I get up to 4 and I'm still up 4 a few days later, it's time cut out the afternoon latte!!
I think a scale can be one tool for measuring weight loss success, but it is easy to let the scale eclipse everything else. In the past, I was obsessed with what the scale said and would get on it frequently. I've learned that I really cannot do that for the sake of my own sanity. I weigh myself once a week on the same day, first thing in the morning. And that is it.
That being said, I am not sure I could go cold turkey and not use a scale at all. It is a good indicator of your progress and I think it would be hard to be without it entirely.
I quit weighing daily. I get on 2-3 days a week now. I do not believe DAILY weighing is necessary but I do believe in regularly weighing. Last week here someone posted an article called, "10 Habits of Naturally Slim People." Not surprisingly, weighing regularly was on that list.
Just monitor yourself. If you don't want to own a scale maybe you can use one at a nearby gym or school or a clinic. Congrats on your fantastic summer loss!
There was a post about someone who gained 7-10lbs and wanted to nip the gain before it got out of hand. Especially when we get to maintenance it's easy to start slipping up and we don't realize how fast 20lbs can creep up on us until our clothes no longer fit. So, I think weighing ourselves is a good thing to do just so we don't wind up back where we were. Just use common sense knowing 7 pounds overnight is most likely water weight and it's very hard to put on pounds of muscle, so if the weight keeps creeping up you'll know you need to get back on track.
I gained all the weight I have now without having a scale. I realized that I was gaining weight but I had no idea it was this bad until I was about forty pounds heavier than I am now, I thought I had gained twenty at the most. I'll admit I get too obsessed with the scale but it also keeps me motivated, if I don't see a number I start to lose motivation. There was an article on msn a while ago that said weighing yourself is one of the "secrets of naturally thin people" because you can catch a five pound gain before it gets out of hand and I really agree with this.
To weigh or not to weigh?
