y'all, please weigh in on not weighing in

igmom

I've always been driven by the number on the scales, but lately I've noticed that the female bodies I admire at the gym are actually larger than mine, but of course extremely lean. So I've been lifting heavy and aiming at 30% protein. I'm still counting calories, but I haven't been weighing. I like the results I see. Has anyone else abandoned their scales?

Heather75

Yup. I have weighed myself once in the past 9 weeks, and that was just to see if I am losing fat or just gaining muscle. I don't have a particular weight I want to be, or a particular size I want the tags in my clothes to say, but I'll know when I get to where I want to be.

This is just what works for me - I'm not slagging off people who weigh themselves. I just know that if I started, I would be obsessively weighing myself constantly and would drive myself berserk.

stardust2027

I have ALWAYS seen a change in the way that my clothing fit before I may see any real changes on the scale. It sort of seemes that "contents" would shift and my pants would become looser and then I may see a pound drop here and there....but the fact I would have to start digging out belts and buying smaller tops was way cooler to me than a drastic change on the scale.

tripray

I think it is important to weigh in at least every couple of weeks to track your progress. Weight loss is not the only measure that is important though. You should also track your progress on your key measurements on your waist, hips, neck, etc. Good luck and keep the faith!

timeworncougar

I think I may stop weighing in. It is very frustrating watching the scale constantly. I am staying under my calories most days and the scale doesnt move or fluctuates. I am working out 3 times a week or more and more than likely building muscle. My clothes are fitting better. I am with you and am not going to weigh in anymore. I will just enjoy the changes and just feeling great!

skatjon

I do a lot of lifting and focus more on inches. I eat 40/20/40 being 40% carbs, 20%fat, 40% protein. It works for me. As long as I see a difference in muscle tone (sounds like that is what you are going for) ou are doing a good job. Muscle weighs more than fat so you can stay the same weight while losing fat and yo will come out with the a lean muscular build.

naturebaby

okay.. I have done all of the above at various times in my life..for the last 5-6 years i put the scales away and never took them back out knowing i would be able to tell by the way i felt, and the way my clothes were fitting.......that somehow got away from me and now i find myself 15lbs more than when i put away the scales.! this time around i weigh in once every week. i have lost 12lbs and some inches but guess what~~~~i'm still in the same size capris and shorts..albeit smaller on the topside! i personally will never stop weighing in just so i can catch that sneaky @#$%# fat quicker~~ if there is a next time.

courtney_love2001

Definitely abandoned. I'm happy with my body and where I am going, and I don't care what the scale says anymore. If I lose weight, great, if I don't, I'm fine with it. I'm more concerned about fitness at this point and that scale can kiss it! :happy:

lotusfromthemud

My trainer told me once "when you're ten pounds or less from what you thought was your goal weight, and you're lifting, the scale is almost useless as a goal-reaching measurement." I do still weigh myself, but only once a month. I measure, I gauge by how my clothes fit, and I'm a lot less crazy.

Also, I will say that since I've added lifting seriously to my routine, I re-evaluated my goal weight considerably, and am now just after a goal body fat %.

HTH.:flowerforyou:

bundt_royale

I'm a nonvoluntary nonweigher since I don't own a scale...I hate measuring by the tape measure cause it seems so subjective and sometimes I get very anxious over whether I'm gaining weight or not losing because I don't have a clear measure. However I've gotten better at analyzing my appearance and how my body feels.

spob

Different strokes. I too get more satisfaction at having loose clothing. The number on the scale can elevate you or depress you sometimes it is like drawing straws. Sometimes you don't want to draw straws! There is a freedom that comes with not being a slave to the scale. There is a sense of accomplishment from seeing your muscles exposing themselves as you become stronger and leaner that is much more empowering to me and often defies what that number on the scale says! That notwithstanding I will dilligently weigh myself at the end of my shred challenge!:laugh:

igmom

Thanks so much, y'all. Love all the info! And yes, I do need to rethink my goals. I wonder if those muscular gals at the gym would kick my *kitten* if I walked up to them with a measuring tape...

spob

lol you may need to knock them out first!

HealthyChanges2010

Yup once I realized I was being help prisoner by a scale, I went cold turkey. I weigh every so often but it's more how clothes fit and being able to stand now instead of laying on the bed to zip up the jeans. lol I think we all (or at least us girls, do guys do this?? lol) understand how that works!:blushing:

I think it's a tool but the tape measure and how one feels and how the clothes are fitting and how much space is now between me and the steering wheel are better indicators at least to me:drinker:

KeriD

Well I totally agree with you gals but I just don't think I could part with my scale! That downward movement not matter how frustrating it is at times is still motivating me. But I completely agree that it is all about how you feel and how your clothes are fitting!!!! I think it is awesome that you all can kick that scale to the curb!

PLUMSGRL

I'm keeping my scale for now, but I'm not obsessive with it- once a week same day same time. BUT what really hits home for me is the tape measure (could it be the "new" scale?) waist and hips eek!!!! 2x/month.

rcatr

I think success is measured by many things. If you feel tethered to your scale and it's been driving you nuts, put it away for a while and focus on the building muscle and tone if that's what you're drawn to. As long as you're feeling and seeing results in other ways, more power to you. The process is working for you, right?

For me, the scale works. But that's just for me. Everyone is different.

CasperO

Definitely abandoned. I'm happy with my body and where I am going, and I don't care what the scale says anymore. If I lose weight, great, if I don't, I'm fine with it. I'm more concerned about fitness at this point and that scale can kiss it! :happy:

That's how I do it too Courtney. I weigh in pretty regularly, but I'm not really trying to lose weight anymore and I don't want/need/expect to see any weight loss. I just weigh in to make sure I'm not re-gaining. More interested in abilities and muscle definition and cuts and all that fun stuff.