Scales? Eeeeekk!
 

Okay, so I've been doing this diet since September 3rd. I had a slip up but I'm back on track and feeling good, but I'm wondering- do you guys think it's a necessity to weigh in? I am SO afraid of getting on a scale. I haven't thus far into my diet, and it's been ages since I can remember the last time I did... but I have been measuring myself with a measuring tape. I'm good with that method.

I have this theory that if I get on the scale now I am going to freak out at the number I see, get really upset and fall back into old habits. But I plan on eventually weighing myself when I feel comfortable.

Is this dumb of me? :?:

I don't think so. There are many people I know, both on these boards and among my friends, who measure their success in weight loss by the inches lost and the fit of their clothes rather than the number on the scale.

In my case, I didn't have a scale for the first half month after I started dieting, and the inches certainly weren't coming off fast. Once I bought a scale, I was a little shocked and kind of depressed when I saw the number (it was 5 kgs higher than I expected), but once I started checking it regularly, it became my biggest source of motivation. Seeing the number creep down, however slowly, makes me crazily happy :p

That being said, I saw something awesome that someone had written, saying that when you're at the beach, people are going to see the body you've got, not the number you see on the scale. I really liked it. I'm assuming that's the mindset you're coming from, which I think is totally fine.

In a nutshell, I think weighing yourself is a good way to know exactly where you are and what your progress is, but if you're better with measuring yourself and holding yourself accountable to that, that's cool too. To each his own :)

Don't worry so much about how you're going to measure your progress though, concentrate more on making that progress happen one way or another.

Nope, don't do it if you don't want to. You're kicking butt, you're taking measurements, you're in the groove, why change what's working! Don't let the scale freak you out now, right when you've got it all together. Hide that sucker, hide it good -- like in another dimension!

Just keep doing your thing! :)

I didn't have a scale until nearly a month in, when I could already tell I was making progress. If it freaks you out that bad, don't weigh!

Let it be,

I have to say that I agree with everyone. Mrs. Snark is, absolutely, right. Hide that sucker !! lol(= Focus on staying on track. I do not, currently, own a scale. I do want o buy one though. I have just begun to pay more attention to what I'm eating and incorporating more physical activity into my lifestyle. As I progress, I feel that It would be nice to know how close I am to my weight loss goal.

Hmm. I'll speak out of line. But it depends on your height and weight. If you are seriously obese, you are missing a trick not weighing in. Because you WILL be losing weight and that would boost your motivation.

If you are just overweight, then not weighing is probably a good idea because the inches go much easier than the weight then.

I'm a big believer in doing what works for you. It sounds like the measuring tape is doing it so stick with that.

I'm also a big believer in experiments and trying new things. I grew to love the way that daily weigh-ins keep me on track (but along with that I have to tolerate frequent jiggles) -- I keep them in a spreadsheet with a graph and remind myself that it's simply data that helps me make good decisions. So, maybe, you'd like to try that some day. But do it only when the fun feels greater than the fear.

I didn't buy a scale until this past Friday. First time ever in my life and I am in my 30s. I was scared too of what it would say. But when the weight starts to come off, you actually get motivated to step on it to see your progress. I am planning on weighing myself only once a week to not panic myself with daily fluctuations. Just some food for thought.