Fear the Scale

EmilyHughes801

For the first time in years, I have not weighed myself in over two weeks. Why? Because I'm terrified! I knew the freshman fifteen was real, but I didn't think it'd hit me. After a summer of horse showing, biking, yoga, cleaning stalls, etc. I was about 140ish. Last time I weighed myself I was 150ish. That's ten pounds in only a few months! I eat the same as I did in the summer, I don't drink or party, I still do horseback riding, yoga, and stall cleaning. Sometimes I run, do Pilates, and weights. I just think I've gained weighed because I have been drinking a lot of mochas and such, it's the holidays, and I can't do everything I used to do everyday due to college. Should I get over my fear of getting on the scale or wait until I can start doing more exercises? Any other college students out there struggling?

Nony_Mouse

It really depends on what effect seeing that number on the scales is going to have on you: if it's higher than you'd like is that going to be motivating or demotivating?

You don't need to wait until you can exercise more to start reversing this trend though. Even if you're not ready to lose weight (tricky time of the year to start and all) you can take steps to limit any further weight gain. You've identified an increase in mocha consumption as a contributing factor (and yep that will certainly be part of it) - are you willing to cut those out; or at least reduce how many and how often you have them? What other little changes can you make to at least get back to maintaining your weight until after the holidays?

Cylphin60

Nah, the scale is my buddy. It pats me on the back when I'm doing well and corrects me when I'm off track. Love the little dude.

sarko15

I didn't weigh myself for over 3 years and focused on the nonscale victories. Greatly improved my anxiety and my appreciation for healthy lifestyles in general.

Now I'm trying to weigh myself every day to get over the same anxiety--I hope that by weighing in regularly I can reduce that day to a data point and focus on losses/gains over a longer period of time and not put so much importance on one day's number. It's not easy, but sometimes to face your fears you have to do things a lot more than you are comfortable with.

It's up to you, there is no right answer. I was definitely happier not weighing myself but I also gained some weight in the process. Not a ton, my clothes clothes still fit, but I gained. I don't believe weight is the total picture when it comes to health, and your mental health is totally an important part of being healthy and you should try to balance both. I found not weighing myself after experiencing extreme anxiety was freeing and now after working towards a healthy lifestyle for a few years I'm in a place where I'm able to (somewhat) handle regular weigh ins without it ruining my day. Do what you think is best for you and your mental health first, and the rest should follow.

everher

Cylphin60 wrote: »

Nah, the scale is my buddy. It pats me on the back when I'm doing well and corrects me when I'm off track. Love the little dude.

I think avoiding the scale is what caused me to gain so much weight. I was really in denial about what was going on.

OP, take a deep breath. It sounds like you are stressing yourself out over a (manageable) amount of weight gain. If you don't want to weigh yourself then don't, but maybe start logging and see how much you are consuming and whether are not you are on track for your height, weight, and activity level.

bbell1985

Just get on the scale, see where you be, start getting into a calorie deficit and be sure those mochas are logged.

kimny72

Fearing the scale isn't healthy. It's just a number, a data point. What it says doesn't get tattooed on your forehead. If you're going to try to lose weight, or at least stop the upward trend, it's good to know where you're starting from, right?

Logging can really help keep the emotional eating, the boredom eating, the mindless eating in check. Try to cut back on all those little extras and get as much activity as you can. But please work to keep words like fear, guilt, and bad out of how you think about weight and food. That is a slippery slope to all sorts of problems! You are young and beautiful and educating yourself and you'll figure this out. Good luck!

crimsongrey

Log EVERYTHING, don't worry about the scale, friend me and join http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/117046-equestrian-athletes

Lounmoun

You weigh what you weigh with or without the scale.
Step on the scale. See where you are and make appropriate changes to get where you want to be.