Weighing daily or even many times daily isn't necessarily "bad" or "obsessive." A recent review of the research (a study that studied many weight loss studies) found that weight loss success was associated with frequent (daily) weighing.
That doesn't mean weighing daily is right for everyone, but it does mean that it's not bad for everyone either.
You don't have to change the frequency of your weigh-ins, but you do need to change your thoughts about them.
Trying to determine your "real" weight isn't helpful - because you don't have one. None of us do. Our weight fluctuates daily for many reasons. You can learn about those fluctuations but only if you document them, and don't panic when the scale is up.
You don't need to know whether you've "really" lost a few ounces or even a few pounds. It's the long-term weight loss that's important. You may not be able to tell if you "really" lost 3 tenths of a pound, but when you finally see the scale down 6 or 7 lbs, you will know that you have lost weight.
Buying a new scale probably isn't going to help. If it's even a little off compared to your current scale, are you going to buy a third scale to determine which is right - and what if the third scale is a little off as well?
Don't make this about the numbers, because it will drive you crazy, and drive you off plan.
That's the danger of overweighing and/or becoming neurotic over the scale - bringing you to the point that you feel powerless over the scale and your body.
You are not powerless. You are in control of a lot of things (like your food intake, the foods you choose, your exercise, and even your thoughts and emotions with a little practice). You are not in control of the scale, and the scale doesn't have to control you or your emotions (in fact it really can't - any power the scale has, you have given it).
What it took for me to beat the scale (and lose weight permanently) was changing my goal. When I focus on the NUMBERS, I go batty. So to make it not about the numbers, I decided that I was going to stick to my healthy changes (my calorie level, my exercise, my food choices) whether or not weight loss resulted. I was going to let the weight take care of itself (I knew that eventually the healthy actions would pay off. If I didn't lose weight in three weeks or so, I'd reduce my calorie level or add more activity - but I didn't beat myself up when the scale didn't move).
I also decided that my first and foremost goal was "not gaining" that weigh, even if I weighed 10 times a day, And if I gain a pound, I celebrate "not gaining" more than that pound (I count the weight loss I've already accomplished). So even when I've gained a pound, I still get to celebrate the 104 lbs I still have kept off.
Using the scale to celebrate helps me feel strong, confident, and capable.
Yes, you have to "pick a weight" to count, if you're going to count daily (but you still have to remember that it doesn't count in the scheme of things). I "count" my first weigh-in of the day (and I used to weigh myself three times and use the most consistent weight, now I just trust that when I get on the scale I'm going to trust that it's fairly accurate, but I won't worry "how accurate").
When I started, I weighed often, but would only "count" my Monday morning weigh-in (naked in the morning, after going to the bathroom).
Now I "count" my Tuesday night weigh-in at TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly).
I would highly reccomend a weight loss group, by the way. Weight Wathers, TOPS, any group with a weekly weigh-in and group support. That way you can take the "responsibility" for the scale off your shoulders. If the group's scale weighs you differently than your home scale, that's ok. Remember that the exact number doesn't matter. Even the exact amount of weight you lose doesn't matter. Progress matters, and progress isn't determined or even very well measured by the scale. The scale is just the most convenient tool we have.
Learning to relax about the scale is difficult, but it isn't impossible. And it has nothing to do with how many times you weigh. Some people learn to relax about the scale by weighing less often. Some (like me) learn to relax about the scale by weighing many times a day to understand the fluctuations.
The frequency isn't important, learning to not stress about the numbers is.
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