Scales or no scales? Please help!

BeckyDaniels16

Hi
So I have a bit of a history regarding issues with my weight and eating, and this year I am fully recovered and determined to lose a bit of weight and tone up healthily! However I'm struggling to decide whether or not to buy a set of scales to track my progress, or if, given my history, it'd be better not to. Im just worried if I don't have statistical progress I'll get off the bandwagon!

If I do decide to get a set of scales - how often should I go about weighing myself?

Thanks!

CurlyCockney

First off, well done on your recovery! I can't help you with regards to using scales in your situation, but there are other ways to measure loss if you're uncomfortable with weighing yourself. Using a tape measure, or checking on clothing tightness/looseness are two that I can think of. Hopefully someone else, with more experience of recovery, will give you more advice. Once again though, well done!

Orphia

Your ticker says you don't have much to lose.

Have you explored the MFP Maintaining Weight forum?

You might be better off looking at body recomposition, not a number on the scale.

ataylorgardner

In general I think it is best to stay away from the scale. weight loss and being healthy is more than a number on a scale and quite often changes in our body dont reflect on the scale. I would focus more on how you feel and how your clothes fit

gravesmk

If you can not accept that the number on the scale is not an indicator of who you are and how your day will go...stay away. If you can recognize it as a number (and make it a realistic one), then I like the scale one time per week to stay on track. Perhaps work with a trainer-so that they can help track your muscle mass (that will weigh more) and can help you understand the numbers on the scale better.

errollmaclean

^^ all good answers. You know yourself best. Just a matter of doing what you think will work best for you. Having a back up plan (or 2) in case plan "A" starts to cause problems is probably a good idea.

Great work on your recovery and hard work so far

Sugaplumz

Hey! Like you I have struggled with both as well. With being overweight as a child to being anorexic as a teenager to obese as an early adult to finally being healthy I can understand your struggle with whether or not to have a scale. I personally would hold off on getting one. When I first started my journey again after almost hitting 300 pounds I found that the scale only controlled me. I found myself weighing in everyday and resorting to old/bad eating habits. Like when I didn't see the scale moving down I would restrict my eating. I had to think back to where I came from and all the extremes I had been through and realize that i was only hurting myself.....if I were you I would ditch the scale and focus on holding yourself accountable. Set reasonable goals and hit them the best you can. The hell with scales! Lol

ninerbuff

BeckyDaniels16 wrote: »

Hi
So I have a bit of a history regarding issues with my weight and eating, and this year I am fully recovered and determined to lose a bit of weight and tone up healthily! However I'm struggling to decide whether or not to buy a set of scales to track my progress, or if, given my history, it'd be better not to. Im just worried if I don't have statistical progress I'll get off the bandwagon!

If I do decide to get a set of scales - how often should I go about weighing myself?

Thanks!

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/350212/why-scales-lie/p1

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

soloriocindy756

Hi! Good luck on your weight loss journey!
I asked a similar question the other day and I know how you feel I'm terrified of scales as well. They have always been my down fall, which is why I won't use one any more. I've decided to just use my jeans as a way of seeing if I'm loosing weight or not. If they start fitting loose I know I'm doing good and if they don't well I know I'm doing something wrong. I have an old pair I use to use when I weighed 130 pounds and that's what my goal weight is, so the day they fit I will know I've succeeded. Good luck and I wish you the best!

jjskk

I get way too excited and depressed over what the scales say. I am going to my doctor monthly and he is weighing me now. The goals I have now are calories/day and steps/exercise. So far, so good.

starbuckaddict

I have a scale obsession so I'm just going by how my clothes fit. I may weigh in at my nutritionist's office every few weeks also.

darkchocthunda

If you do go with scales, don't measure your self any more than every other week or twice a month. Your water weight can ebb and flow significantly and it throws off the scale. Especially women. It's not unheard of for women to add as much as 5 lbs of pure water.

koffeekakes

soloriocindy756 wrote: »

Hi! Good luck on your weight loss journey!
I asked a similar question the other day and I know how you feel I'm terrified of scales as well. They have always been my down fall, which is why I won't use one any more. I've decided to just use my jeans as a way of seeing if I'm loosing weight or not. If they start fitting loose I know I'm doing good and if they don't well I know I'm doing something wrong. I have an old pair I use to use when I weighed 130 pounds and that's what my goal weight is, so the day they fit I will know I've succeeded. Good luck and I wish you the best!

I've got goal clothes too! These are the best measure for me; nothing like fitting into your skinny jeans!

tonyamarie3511

BeckyDaniels16 wrote: »

Hi
So I have a bit of a history regarding issues with my weight and eating, and this year I am fully recovered and determined to lose a bit of weight and tone up healthily! However I'm struggling to decide whether or not to buy a set of scales to track my progress, or if, given my history, it'd be better not to. Im just worried if I don't have statistical progress I'll get off the bandwagon!

If I do decide to get a set of scales - how often should I go about weighing myself?

Thanks!

Personally, I don't want a scale. Not because I don't want to know if I have progressed but because those numbers that apear do not matter as much as the thoughts I have about myself. If I weighed my self, I would get discouraged and that is the worst thing anyone could do to themselves. If I feel like I am a million bucks, you better believe I won't be stepping in that scale because I don't need a scale that is going to make me feel like I need to prove something else. Having a scale is kind of like opening a door to hell. You look once. You look again. You wish you didn't see. You get upset and drawn back. Then you start the process over again. It isn't worth a relapse.

BeckyDaniels16

Thank you so much for all your lovely replies everyone! I think I'll hold off a scale for now then and just focus on eating well and exercising to feel good! Goal clothes are a really good idea too!

Thanks so much again!

JQuinnLife

BeckyDaniels16 wrote: »

If I do decide to get a set of scales - how often should I go about weighing myself?

I absolutely recommend a scale, but a bit more advanced one with a body fat measurement: This is the one I have

Why a scale?: Numbers

If you want to lose weight in a healthy style, nothing is more important psychologically as numbers. Tracking and staying within caloric range, watching the weight as well as the body fat % go down.

Any sort of undereating like anorexia or bulimia might result in a weight loss, but your body fat % will not go down, and your muscle mass will drop as well, all measurable on that scale.

Be on point with the numbers, that will lead to success.

upoffthemat

starbuckaddict wrote: »

I have a scale obsession so I'm just going by how my clothes fit. I may weigh in at my nutritionist's office every few weeks also.

I like that answer in your case. Access to a scale that isn't yours is probably best. Occasionally weighing in is probably a good thing just to make sure you are in the ballpark, but be happy with a decent weight range and as long as the number falls in it know there is nothing you need to do. Weight can fluctuate so much even in one day