Is looking a the scale bad?

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Lilacdahlia
Lilacdahlia Posts: 4 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hello everyone, I've done some research and a few friends have already told me that looking at the scale is bad when dieting. Some people see if they are losing weight or not simply just be looking in the mirror. What do you think?

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  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    How will you know what you weigh if you don't look at the scale?

    I know that there are some that prefer not to weigh. I however enjoy weighing and know that the pounds are dropping...lets me know that I am doing something right. On the other hand...if the scale goes up I know that I need to take a look at what I am doing and make some changes.

    I think that you have to do you. If not seeing the scale move for 2 or 3 weeks will discourage you and make you give up...then maybe weighing is not a good idea. It all depends on what motivates/demotivates you.
  • Vickilick
    Vickilick Posts: 81 Member
    edited July 2015
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    It depends on each individual. If I lose weight it makes me feel positive, but I've had times when I've not lost weight but working with a personal trainer and lost several inches in different places.
    If you're going to get demotivated and give up if you don't see a result you want, then don't look.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Depends..............

    Are you one to obsess with the number on the scale. Is a bad weigh-in going to discourage or upset you?

    Are you one that realizes that the scale sometimes lies......a higher sodium meal = water weight......sore muscles = water weight......TOM = water weight. If you can take the "number" on the scale in stride. If you can look at weight loss in terms of a trend. Then weigh daily if you want.

    Another measure of weight loss .....tape measure. There may be times when you lost and inch....but no pounds.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    I'm quantitative and analytical. Not using the scale would drive me nuts.
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    edited July 2015
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    When I'm actively losing I find that looking at the scale daily is helpful. By weighing myself at the same time every day I'm able to notice quite a few trends and understand my body better. Like someone else mentioned, you just can't freak out over small ups and downs. If you do tend to obsess but want to use a scale, weighing once a week or so might be better. There's no right or wrong answer; you need to do what helps and motivates you. If you're doing something that stresses you out or de-motivates you then you're doing it wrong.
  • rivy1226
    rivy1226 Posts: 9 Member
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    I started doing water aerobics a few years ago. I lost 2 dress sizes but I didn't lose an ounce. that is why I started by measuring myself so that if I didnt lose pounds I would have some other way to see I was making progress.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
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    Lilacdahlia wrote: »
    Hello everyone, I've done some research and a few friends have already told me that looking at the scale is bad when dieting. Some people see if they are losing weight or not simply just be looking in the mirror. What do you think?

    It is only bad if it effects you negatively to weigh yourself. Some people can weigh every day. Some people prefer once a week or even longer. The scale is one way to measure progress. It is just information.
    You could take body measurements, progress photos, judge by how your othes are fitting. Or you could set fitness goals.

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