Ditch the Scales?!

PinkPixiexox

Hi every one

This must be my 4th post this week - apologies, I'm new to 'doing it properly' as opposed to just being plain hungry so I'm in need of being educated. A lot of the fat loss process is common sense, I get that but forgive me for the influx of 'HELP' posts. I just want to check I've got this.

Basic History: I started Weight Watchers in April, lost 25lbs at around 1200 calories per day. A couple of weeks ago, I literally couldn't continue - I was hungry and miserable. I just wanted to live like a normal, healthy human being. I contacted my personal trainer who suggested I eat MORE. I'm 5 ft 2, 132 lbs and I work-out (cardio/strength) 4 times a week. He now has me eating 1500 calories per day. I do not eat back exercise calories - it's just the 1500 total. Of course, since I've upped my calories from 1200 to 1500 per day, I have been advised not to weigh for a month or so to let my body get used to what's going on. I plan to weigh at the end of September to see how I'm doing. Depending on the result, I will adjust my calorie intake accordingly (I still think 1500 sounds like a lot!).

My question is, once I start weighing again - how often do I weigh? Is once a month sufficient? The majority of people I have spoken to on here weigh daily or even 3 times daily. There are also people who say 'ditch the scales' as it isn't a true representation and it's all about the inch loss!

What are your views? Do you have any advice for me? Thanks again

DeguelloTex

Weigh however often you want.

I weigh every single day and look at the trends.

VintageFeline

Depends on your relationship with them. I weigh daily but don't log it until I hit a new low for a couple of days or so, this has helped me understand my natural fluctuations know that sometimes the scale is a liar.

There are others who can't handle seeing those fluctuations so they weigh weekly but this also has the risk of masking weight loss with a natural fluctuation leading to aforementioned freak out.

If you're happy with once a month then do it once a month. You'll be losing slowly anyway so you won't see massive leaps even weekly any more so if it does your mental health better to weigh monthly then do it.

DemoraFairy

It's entirely up to you. You need to find what works best for you. Personally, I weigh everyday. I tried ditching the scales once (or, more accurately, I tried not bothering to replace the batteries in my scales), I went by how I felt, how I looked in the mirror and how clothes felt. I thought I was doing fine, all these things seemed to be the same. Then a few months later I weighed myself and had gained 20lbs. So yeah, ditching the scale doesn't work for me. If weighing more often works for you then do it, if weighing less often works for you then do that.

queenliz99

I weigh everyday or almost everyday. I'm looking at the big picture because daily fluctuations do not bother me.

PinkPixiexox

DemoraFairy, The last time I 'Ditched the scales' I put on 20lbs also. I'm strict and I'll stick to my calorie goal but I still have that little nagging fear.

What does every one think of every 2 weeks?

DeguelloTex

If that's what you want to do, do that. It's purely personal preference.

DemoraFairy

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

DemoraFairy, The last time I 'Ditched the scales' I put on 20lbs also. I'm strict and I'll stick to my calorie goal but I still have that little nagging fear.

What does every one think of every 2 weeks?

It's clearly an easy mistake to make! Haha.

If you're happy with 2 weeks, then do 2 weeks. I could never do it myself, but that's why I weigh everyday.

PinkPixiexox

Maybe when I'm brave enough, I'll try the every day option. I kind of fear the scales after being told by my PT to 'up my calories'.

vismal

The scale doesn't need to be scary. In fact, I don't know why you'd skip weighing in for the month. Here's a sensible approach to daily weigh ins:

Stop concerning yourself with day to day weigh ins. They are meaningless. A million and one things affect day to day weigh ins (sodium, hydration, food in stomach, timing of last bowel movement, etc). A good technique is to weigh daily at the same time each day and record the result (but don't focus on it because it's essentially meaningless). At the end of the week, average the results. At the end of the month, compare the averages. This is where things become much more meaningful. There should be a downward trend (not necessarily a linear drop). If after 4 weeks or more you are consistently maintaining or gaining, consider reducing calories or examine how accurately you are counting them (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101).

PinkPixiexox

Hi Vismal,

Thank you for your advice. Do you mind me asking how I go about averaging out the results? I'm contemplating the daily weigh-in's to stay on track. There are a lot of conflicting opinions about daily weigh-in's and I'm trying to find what works best for me. Thanks

TnTWalter

don't ditch the scale. i tried that and gained weight. accountability. try once a week? pick a day and a time and weigh the same every week. some people like to weigh daily. when i'm at a happy weight i weigh more often. it's fun to see the happy numbers. ;o)

vismal

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

Hi Vismal,

Thank you for your advice. Do you mind me asking how I go about averaging out the results? I'm contemplating the daily weigh-in's to stay on track. There are a lot of conflicting opinions about daily weigh-in's and I'm trying to find what works best for me. Thanks

Take the 7 days worth of weights, add them together, then divide that by 7. Daily weigh ins are only troublesome if you are unable to embrace the fact that the day to day chances are completely meaningless as far as results are concerned.

PinkPixiexox

vismal wrote: »

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

Hi Vismal,

Thank you for your advice. Do you mind me asking how I go about averaging out the results? I'm contemplating the daily weigh-in's to stay on track. There are a lot of conflicting opinions about daily weigh-in's and I'm trying to find what works best for me. Thanks

Take the 7 days worth of weights, add them together, then divide that by 7.

Haha Duhhh, Silly question from me! I'll give that a go. Also, Vismal - I've upped my calories from 1200 to 1500 (I work out 4 times a week, I am 61 inches tall and 132 lbs). Will this come back to bite me?

vismal

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

vismal wrote: »

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

Hi Vismal,

Thank you for your advice. Do you mind me asking how I go about averaging out the results? I'm contemplating the daily weigh-in's to stay on track. There are a lot of conflicting opinions about daily weigh-in's and I'm trying to find what works best for me. Thanks

Take the 7 days worth of weights, add them together, then divide that by 7.

Haha Duhhh, Silly question from me! I'll give that a go. Also, Vismal - I've upped my calories from 1200 to 1500 (I work out 4 times a week, I am 61 inches tall and 132 lbs). Will this come back to bite me?

It certainly shouldn't be enough to make you gain weight if you were previously losing on 1200 calories. It will certainly slow weight loss, but you've got to be pretty close to your goal, so a lower rate of loss is acceptable. What is your ultimate goal both weight as physique wise? That's probably the most important question.

PinkPixiexox

Vismal, I would like to lose 10 -14lbs and then start maintaining that weight. I suppose really it's about what I'm happy with. I have wobbly arms and stomach still so my work-out's are really going to play a part. Thank you so much for your advice. I will start daily weigh-in's and averaging them out as you said and then spot the monthly trends.

Need2Exerc1se

I weigh daily but I have essentially ditched the scales. From yesterday morning to this morning I dropped 3.8 lbs. Last week I had an overnight gain 4.2 lbs. That kind of thing happens to me all the time. I would think it was bad scales if it weren't for the fact that my husband's weight is pretty steady and very close to what he weighs at his doctor (he goes often). I've been continually losing inches and I'm wearing some clothes that have been too tight to wear for a while. I just weigh out of habit now.

BoxerBrawler

I used to weigh myself about 3 times per day and realised it wasn't helping, only making me crazy. Then I stopped weighing myself for a while and just went by looks, how my clothes felt, measurements and body percentages. That was OK but difficult to set goals if you don't know where to begin. Now I weigh myself once a week, usually on Friday morning. This gives me a pretty good indication of how my week went and how to plan my weekends which are usually not as strict. Hope that helps

Bshmerlie

Yeah I don't know why a trainer would tell you to ditch the scale. It's just a tool to help you stay on pace. However if you're the type that gets all depressed every time you don't see the numbers you want then you should weigh less often....but don't wait a whole month.

mbaker566

do what makes you happy.
I do it everyday but I keep an eye on the trend, not the daily data points.
some people weigh 1 a week, some monthly, some only when they visit a dr.
it is a personal preference

chaoticdreams

I weigh in the morning after I pee every day. I've gotten into the bad habit of weighing before bed as well, but I don't really pay much attention to it. The only day my weight actually counts to me is Saturday, so anything in between is just used for data tracking. Since I got back on plan two months ago, the scale has consistently gone day at least a lb a week.

If daily weighing was driving me nuts or causing me to get depressed, I would only do it once a week. But I know my body is going to retain water some days and some days it's not. If the scale going up at all bothers you, I would definitely keep it to once a week at least.