Scale Scared: The woes of weighing in

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yoplait311
yoplait311 Posts: 56 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
The last time I weighed myself was about 12 days ago. I had lost 4 lbs (yay!).
However, I am now terrified of stepping on the scale.
I've been weighing my food, logging everything, exercising more, and staying within my calorie goal. In essence, I'm doing everything right.

Despite this, I'm terrified of weighing in - fearful that I'll see a gain, even with all of my hard work.
Has anyone else encountered this? I know I need to just suck it up and do it but I'm curious if anyone out there has been here before. Suggestions welcome :blush:
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Some weeks you will see a gain, even when you work really hard. Realize that this is not a sprint. It's okay to have weeks where your victories aren't on the scale, but in other areas.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    You very well may be up higher. Any one weight doesn't mean much. You could gain weight on the scale due to time of the month, sodium, time of day, exercising more and your muscles holding onto water... etc.

    If you are weighing and logging and in your calorie goal, you are going to lose weight over time. If you have 2 or 3 scale readings that are higher than expected, then that's just some information that you may need to cut calories or increase exercise.

    If you are very anxious in advance... ask yourself the following...

    What can you expect to weigh based on your behaviors?
    What if it is lower than expected? What would that mean?
    What if it is higher than expected? What would that mean? How would you feel? What could be some positive self-talk that you would find helpful if it turns out to be higher than you had expected?
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    I think you simply need to accept that it will happen. It will happen more than once. Understand that water weight fluctuates all the time and jumps in weight are a perfectly normal part of dieting. It's something you need to mentally prepare for - it's not a step backwards, but you just don't always see all of the steps forward.
  • random5483
    random5483 Posts: 63 Member
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    I tend to lose weight over time, but in any given week I might gain weight. I go down 5 lbs, go up 2 lbs, go down 1 lb, go up 3 lbs, go down 5 lbs, go up 2 lbs, go down 3 lbs, go up 5 lbs, go down 2 lbs, go down 1 lb, go down 4 lbs, go up 5 lbs, etc etc.

    The above is not an exact thing, but my weekly weight loss works like the above. I have not eaten over my budget in any week since I started. Have gone over for some days, but my intake over the week is always below my quota. Even with this, I gain weight some weeks. I have this bad habit of putting on 5 lbs some weeks, but I have been losing just under 2 lbs a week (1.75ish) over the last 2 months or so that I have been on MFP (my weight loss started before I joined MFP so my starting weight is not my MFP starting weight).

    Don't fear the scale. Take your reading once a month if you want consistent weight loss readings. Take it everyday if you are confident you won't be mentally effected by ups and downs in your weight loss and you want to track maximum data. Take it every week if you want a more middle road approach. If you log your portions accurately, track your activity level accurately, and adjust your intake/exercise as needed as you get data over a few months, you should be able to hit your weight loss goals as long as they are reasonable.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    You weigh what you weigh. Staying off the scale doesn't change reality.

    If you're literally scared to step on the scale, you might want seriously to reevaluate your relationship with the scale and maybe with food and weight loss in general.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
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    I used to feel that way too. Stopped weighing myself. Focussed on other metrics.
    Now I'm totally fine knowing that weight bounces around and I don't sweat it much. Somedays I weigh myself a dozen times. Just gathering information to see how my body reacts to working out, running, overeating, etc.
    I know what you mean though. It can be frustrating to see the effort, knowing you were 'perfect' and being disappointed by a less than expected loss (or the dreaded gain).
    You will get used to it, keep going. good luck
  • yoplait311
    yoplait311 Posts: 56 Member
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    Great advice here. Thanks all.
    I'll hop on tomorrow am and see what it says. I think weighing every 2 weeks or so may work best, since I won't see the daily fluctuations, but this is something I'll need tonexperiment with to find what works best for me.
  • plyadnov
    plyadnov Posts: 16 Member
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    What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? What do you notice when you pot on a pair of pants you've worn for a month or two? How much do you weigh on the scale? These are the things I ask myself in order of importance. I can weigh 1lb more this week compared to 2 weeks ago, but my abs are more defined. I might weight 2lb more, but I can now fit the palm of my hands between my stomach and the pants I'm wearing.

    Use the scale as a general guide. But not as the sole motivator for your weight loss journey. If you exercise, you will gain muscle weight. So use the mirror and clothing scale instead to get real idea of where you are in your weight loss journey.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I identify with this - but know that you can overcome the 'scale fear' :)
    Remember, in the grand scheme of things - that figure doesn't really matter. As you said, you've been doing everything 'correctly' and I imagine you're feeling SO much better in yourself, right? So really, regardless of what the scales say - you're awesome.

    Now hop on, get it over and done with and keep doing what you're doing! :)
  • Lucille4444
    Lucille4444 Posts: 284 Member
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    A reality check: if you take in less calories than you expend you will over time lose weight.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    yoplait311 wrote: »
    The last time I weighed myself was about 12 days ago. I had lost 4 lbs (yay!).
    However, I am now terrified of stepping on the scale.
    I've been weighing my food, logging everything, exercising more, and staying within my calorie goal. In essence, I'm doing everything right.

    Despite this, I'm terrified of weighing in - fearful that I'll see a gain, even with all of my hard work.
    Has anyone else encountered this? I know I need to just suck it up and do it but I'm curious if anyone out there has been here before. Suggestions welcome :blush:

    this is me! every week i get the same feeling of dread, i hate it. its so weird. although now im a little wiser to water weight and retention
  • xKoalaBearx
    xKoalaBearx Posts: 181 Member
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    I used to feel that way too... and that is why I actually switched to weighing myself daily. I think it's harder to wait such a long time in between weighings because you don't get to see what's been happening in between. And by weighing frequently you get used to seeing flucutations.

    Imagine seeing 4 weight values in a month, vs seeing 30 weight values in a month. You'll have 26 more opportunities to see weight loss. The other way, if you get the 4 wrong dates, you might THINK you had a terrible month.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
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    It's normal to have a little anxiety stepping on the scale. Remember that weight loss isn't linear. Some weeks you may show a big loss, some weeks a little loss and sometimes even a gain.

    Do you take measurements as well? If not, totally do it. I would also take a 'selfie' every two weeks, wearing the same exact clothes and standing in the same position. Even when the scale isn't moving in the right direction, little things like that will help show your progress. Remember, you are more than just a number on the scale :)
  • firststepformefal
    firststepformefal Posts: 180 Member
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    If you are scared of the scale, do not weigh yourself this week. Maybe weigh yourself once a month. If you have someone available, weigh yourself, but do not look at the number. Have someone else record the number. Maybe instead of weighing, you can take you measurements once a month.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
  • holly_roman
    holly_roman Posts: 116 Member
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    I feel your pain. I now dread stepping on that stupid thing. for 4 weeks(only 7 weeks in) and I am at a standstill..the stupid number is haunting me. I am beyond discouraged at this point..I dread stepping on it again next week...*sigh*
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
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    That was me my second weigh in, I lost 4 lbs like you the first time I checked the scale, then I was terrified to check again the next week.
  • TakingBackForever
    TakingBackForever Posts: 564 Member
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    You'll almost always get the weight you deserve, just maybe not the week you deserved it.
  • sanaafarukh
    sanaafarukh Posts: 6 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
    I also hate this terrifying scale.. I dun know wat i am doing wrong i stepped on scale after 10 days or jogging an hour per day and staying in my calorie range but i have nt lost a pound yet arghhhhhhhhh m really discouraged as it is hard to find a time with a 3 month old baby everyday ;(
  • kthompson601
    kthompson601 Posts: 174 Member
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    I can completely relate to being nervous about weighing in! I sometimes feel a lot of anxiety about it, even if I feel like I've had a good week of proper eating and strong workouts. I recently passed a big milestone and got into Onederland--but I was sick with anxiety weighing in! I had seen 200.0 on the scale the previous week, and even though I worked out every day and hit my calorie goals, I was still terrified I would get on the scale and still be above 200. And even though I finally saw that magic "1" as the first digit, I'm worried that next week I might get stuck with a "2" again. :(

    I think it is important to check your weight at least once a week, and I make myself do so, even if I'm feeling anxious. It's important to keep in mind that this moment on the scale is not the end of your existence. The journey with weight does not end, even once you reach your goal. I may not like what I see on the scale a particular day--but I'm not finished yet. There is always next week. This is an ongoing process, there is no finish line. Whatever is on the scale is not permanent--that goes for highs and lows.

    Like others suggested, I also look for other goals that aren't reliant on the scale. You can try taking other measurements--arm, waist, neck, chest. I prefer to set myself smaller physical goals. I was in one stretch where my weight was pretty stagnant, but I still made physical progress by taking the stairs to my office--six flights, every day. I worked my way up to it slowly and now I glide up and down them all day. My goal is to never use the office elevator again! Maybe I'll hit this goal at home, too; I'm on the 12th floor of a city high-rise! So maybe if you're feeling too anxious and obsessed over the scale number, pick a physical goal, maybe lifting a particular weight in the gym, or shaving a little time off your mile, or work on your balance. If you set these small enough, you can do it in increments, so you still see that you're making progress even if the scale isn't reflecting it.

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