Weighing yourself!?.

seltzermint555

I used to weigh myself once a year if that. I never owned a scale either. For 15 years my weight fluctuated very little considering how large I was...for example 267, 271, 259, 264...it was like that for well over a decade. I knew I sometimes had a tighter fit in clothes when I'd gone up in weight, or a better time looking at photos of myself when my weight had gone down...but I pretty much knew I was around those weights. Then suddenly, with a slight jump in clothing sizes, I didn't weigh myself for about a year and then realized I had actually gone over 300 lb with a new sedentary job and more stress-eating. YIKES.

So anyway...yeah, the 307 weigh-in scared me...I got serious with eating better and exercise - and lost a little weight but then found myself back in that 260-275 cycle for a couple more years and rarely weighed. It depressed me to actually see those large numbers on the scale so I just avoided it, and felt pretty happy I'd at least gotten back to my status quo.

Then I bought a scale and joined MFP on the same day. I decided to give it a serious try because one of my online friends (from somewhere else) lost 100 lb using this site. I weighed 262 on that day and I then proceeded to weigh myself every single day despite what others advised (weekly, monthly, etc).

Now I've been in sort-of-maintenance and not always the best at logging, for about a year. I hover in the 160s and low 170s but I still weigh every few days at least. I find that when I seriously wanna get my weight down, weighing daily helps me dramatically. It also shows me a lot of trends like which restaurant foods will cause me to balloon up with sodium (most Chinese and Mexican) and which don't (Thai, surprisingly most independent restaurants' pizza, seafood). I've learned what to expect. This helped me a lot especially during the 2 years when I was actively losing. Even with over 100 lb lost, I never lost more than 2.5 lb in a week, and I also identified the "whoosh" of weight loss in trends that fall in line with my menstrual cycle.

Mileage may vary but for me weighing daily was awesome to see tiny trends and stay on track. I stopped fearing the numbers and over time for me it was VERY motivational. I remember hitting the 190s and being amazed (since I'd weighed over 200 since my teens).

cieradowning

Thank you guys seriously for all your in put, I decided that after the holidays I will get a scale but I want one to show me body fat vs muscles I think I will feel a lot better knowing I'm making some progress I played sports all my life so I know I have more muscle than some I think seeing it will give me a better understanding since muscle weighs more than fat. I've also slacked a little on my diet but with holidays it's also been extremely hard to stay on track with so much family in town. But thank you for your encouraging words!!!. I look forward to hearing more!.

owensy12

I weigh myself daily and put it into the Happy Scales app on my iPhone. It shows me my moving average and if i'm actually losing. I find it helps me.

nordlead2005

Every day when losing weight, never when gaining weight.

Honestly, I use the information as feedback for decision making and keeping myself honest. I also use a tape and calipers at least once a week and everything is recorded in a spreadsheet so I can't just make up numbers I have actual recordings. Even when the progress is slow I can see that the trend (the important information) is going in the direction I want. And no, weighing weekly won't guarantee that the number always goes down, which may even be harder on you mentally. I'm into day 10 of weighing 177.5 every morning, which really makes me want to blame the scale, but since this is the 3rd time this has happened I know that within a few days I'll see the scale drop 2lb and I'll be 175lb.

cwagar123

cieradowning wrote: »

Hello everyone!!!!. yesterday I was told I've been losing weight, and it's a large amount according to the people that talked to me, I was so happy because I haven't stepped on a scale yet. I was wondering how often you should you weigh yourself???. I'm so excited to hear that people are noticing I'm losing weight and I do see it myself but the scale is my hardest judge im worried it'll give me a number im not happy with even though I'm so happy with myself and the changes I've made in my life. I do feel a big difference... Just worried the scale will set me mentally back rather than push me forward.. Word of advice anyone. Thank you!!!!.

Hello
I weigh every day. This works for me. But that said i really only track my weight weekly.

cwagar123

scolaris wrote: »

You know, I started MFP in August feeling a lot like you and over the course of about a month I changed a complete 180 direction. Why would I not want to know? Why is one number 'good' and another number 'bad' if my physical weight is constantly fluctuating? I realized I was getting in my own way by reacting emotionally to data that should just make me mildly curious at worst. So I got an aria and I've weighed every day since. I don't say any single daily weight is my weight; I use the average weekly weight Aria calculates for me. I see the trend go down 1-2 lbs each week this way without any stress, unless I'm doing maintenance for a trip or something. I'm done being emotional about little numeric 'snapshots' of all my various weights. I've had a complete change of heart. And the first day I see some new lowest weight yet? Woot woot! Happy dance, even if it disappears. I know pretty soon it will be the boring old weight I can't wait to get rid of! LOL

I also have an aria scale and love it. I feel the same as you about not viewing it as a "good" or "bad" number