I'm thinking of not weighing...

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Replies

  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    edited July 2018
    Now I'm in maintenance I rarely weigh, I measure (bust waist hips and thigh) every couple of weeks - if clothes get tight you know you've overdone it! I do however weigh and log all my food. Just back from holiday I'm an inch up on bust and waist (5lb on the scales). Some of it will shift automatically with going back to normal calories and activities, but any stubborn residue after a coupe of weeks back in good habits and I will put my calories down 200 a day until its all gone. Trouble is its too hot for exercise at present, so I do some early morning but its terrible in the evenings.

    The reason not to trust the scale is because of the relative densities of muscle and fat - when I was started maintenance my weight actually went up a few pounds, but my measurements continued to go down. So keep an eye on the tape measure, and maybe that one dress that fits perfectly - if you feel heavy, put it on and see if it fits. :)
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    I tried that but it didn't work. I went full tilt boogie with an eating protocol that recommended that no one should have scales or get on the scales and you should not measure your food portions. It took a long while to realize this recommendation only works if disordered eating/recovery is part of that equation...for those that need to be reminded to actually eat.

    I tried very hard to wrap my head around said recommendations but in the end I had to admit that it never really made sense to me at all. One can go weeks or months without getting on the scale but that can become another fearful self-coping mechanism by avoidance.

    We can learn to moderate ourselves. We don't have to obsessively get on the scales all through the day or every day but once a week is good for routine maintenance. You have to check the air in your tires, make sure your anti-freeze is topped off and your steering fluid, too. Our body is the only vehicle we will ever have. Fuel it and check your levels.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
    I did this a few months ago while I was in the middle of moving between states. My scale was at home but I was out of state for my new job for weeks at a time so I couldn't weigh myself until I went home. I think it kinda made me even more accountable for my diet since I couldn't really measure it so I erred on the side of caution a lot, and went by how I looked in the mirror and how my clothes fit.

    I knew I was eating at a deficit so I wasn't concerned about losing I was just unsure how much. It was kinda nice to not feel tied to that stupid thing. I think a lot of people tie their entire sense of being and self-worth to the darn scale when they are trying to lose weight and it just messes with their heads in a kind of OCD un-healthy way. Made good practice for being in maintenance now and not tying my world to the scale.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    Speaking in general: If one has a small to moderate amount of weight loss they're managing through maintenance, the tape measure is an excellent maintenance tool, completely agree.

    If you have a large amount of weight loss you're managing, the brain will tell you that you're fixed. You no longer need to do any of the things you did to get you there. You. Are. Fixed.

    Buyer beware. You can't take your eyes off the ball and you need to look the scale directly in the eye. Once you reach maintenance the brain is subtle but it will knock the props out from underneath you before you can say rebound weight gain with friends. Maintenance is the most crucial part of weight loss. It is where the rubber meets the road.

    Maintaining weight loss for the rest of your life, there's no such thing as the finish line for that. If it were that easy there would be no such thing as repeat customers for weight loss. You would conduct one diet, one time and be fixed for the rest of your life.

    Sliding back off the goose = eating it all back while the brain remains perfectly silent. Rebound weight gain happens and during the eating it all back, not one time does your brain alert you. The brain goes silent. It is so quiet and so still, the brain waits until you've eaten it all back and then it sounds the alarm. Not. One. Single. Time. Not once did the brain ever alert you that your maintenance plan is slipping. Stay alert and don't let the brain cleverly and quietly convince you that you're fixed now that the weight is all gone.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Mari22na wrote: »
    We can learn to moderate ourselves. We don't have to obsessively get on the scales all through the day or every day but once a week is good for routine maintenance. You have to check the air in your tires, make sure your anti-freeze is topped off and your steering fluid, too. Our body is the only vehicle we will ever have. Fuel it and check your levels.

    That is a matter of opinion. There is nothing I am going to learn with regular weekly data that I don't already know right now. Perhaps if I were in maintenance I might want to check every 2 weeks but while I am in weight loss. I know it is going to take time and a lot of it. As long as my habits stay consistent my weight is not going to make any dramatic unwanted changes in a single week. Since I trust my logging my weight will not make any unwanted changes for the next 6 weeks to 2 months or whenever I decide to check again.

    I did check weekly for a brief time to adjust my calories after a significant weight loss milestone. I am good again now for quite some time.

    Besides all that the scale is not the only way to "check your fluids."
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    If your goal is weight loss, then the number on the scale is what will tell you whether or not you’re moving toward that goal.

    If you’re using some other measurement, like waist size, then you are collecting data on a different goal (in this case, having a smaller waist). It is fine if this is your actual goal, but “waist size” and “weight in pounds” are related but different things.

    Figure out what your actual goal(s) are and collect the data you need to know whether or not you are progressing toward those goals.

    That is very confusing. Weight loss is weight loss regardless of how it is measured. The only requirement for success is eating less than you burn. Everything else is based on personal needs, wants, or opinions.

    Weight is the number on the scale. That’s how we define weight. If you want to see the number on the scale change, then you need to know the number on the scale.

    Weight, however, is not solely fat. It takes into account everything in and on your body, including water and muscle mass. If you want less fat on your body, then you may want to see the number on the scale go down, and/or you may want to see other indicators of having less fat. These indicators can include waist or other body measurements, or the clothing size you wear.

    There is a difference between measuring what you weigh vs. how much fat you have. If you just care about how much fat you have, then the scale might not be the only useful measuring device. But if you care about what you weigh, then you need a scale.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    mazdauk wrote: »
    Now I'm in maintenance I rarely weigh, I measure (bust waist hips and thigh) every couple of weeks - if clothes get tight you know you've overdone it! I do however weigh and log all my food. Just back from holiday I'm an inch up on bust and waist (5lb on the scales). Some of it will shift automatically with going back to normal calories and activities, but any stubborn residue after a coupe of weeks back in good habits and I will put my calories down 200 a day until its all gone. Trouble is its too hot for exercise at present, so I do some early morning but its terrible in the evenings.

    The reason not to trust the scale is because of the relative densities of muscle and fat - when I was started maintenance my weight actually went up a few pounds, but my measurements continued to go down. So keep an eye on the tape measure, and maybe that one dress that fits perfectly - if you feel heavy, put it on and see if it fits. :)

    I complain about having bought clothes a little too soon because I dropped a few pounds lower and now they are loose. But the silver lining to that cloud is that my warning is that my clothes fit properly. If the belt is optional, there's a problem.

    My goal was/is based on BMI and therefore weight. Not everyone likes BMI and weight as an indicator of health and that's fine, but it seems accurate enough for me and it's what I am using. If success is based on weight, then I need to weigh.

    Something to be wary of - we often note that we can't pick where we will lose weight first, last or in between. the same is true for gaining. I might be able to gain a few pounds of fat without my waist measurement changing.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    Weight is the number on the scale. That’s how we define weight. If you want to see the number on the scale change, then you need to know the number on the scale.

    Weight, however, is not solely fat. It takes into account everything in and on your body, including water and muscle mass. If you want less fat on your body, then you may want to see the number on the scale go down, and/or you may want to see other indicators of having less fat. These indicators can include waist or other body measurements, or the clothing size you wear.

    There is a difference between measuring what you weigh vs. how much fat you have. If you just care about how much fat you have, then the scale might not be the only useful measuring device. But if you care about what you weigh, then you need a scale.


    I understand now. Some people are tied to a number. I am not so I don't think that way. Even if I was I still don't think I would care about small incremental changes right now.

    I will admit when I do check it is kind of fun seeing a 15+ lb loss though.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I rarely weigh myself because I find it self-defeating, but that's me. I usually weigh myself and record it here about once a month. Definitely not every day, but when I reach goal I will start daily weigh-ins.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,257 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    If your goal is weight loss, then the number on the scale is what will tell you whether or not you’re moving toward that goal.

    If you’re using some other measurement, like waist size, then you are collecting data on a different goal (in this case, having a smaller waist). It is fine if this is your actual goal, but “waist size” and “weight in pounds” are related but different things.

    Figure out what your actual goal(s) are and collect the data you need to know whether or not you are progressing toward those goals.

    That is very confusing. Weight loss is weight loss regardless of how it is measured. The only requirement for success is eating less than you burn. Everything else is based on personal needs, wants, or opinions.

    Weight is the number on the scale. That’s how we define weight. If you want to see the number on the scale change, then you need to know the number on the scale.

    Weight, however, is not solely fat. It takes into account everything in and on your body, including water and muscle mass. If you want less fat on your body, then you may want to see the number on the scale go down, and/or you may want to see other indicators of having less fat. These indicators can include waist or other body measurements, or the clothing size you wear.

    There is a difference between measuring what you weigh vs. how much fat you have. If you just care about how much fat you have, then the scale might not be the only useful measuring device. But if you care about what you weigh, then you need a scale.

    If you are attempting to identify and isolate body fat %, then weight is a critical variable.

    The problem isn't with weight, but people's perception of what weight means. This perception needs to change.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,257 Member
    I rarely weigh myself because I find it self-defeating, but that's me. I usually weigh myself and record it here about once a month. Definitely not every day, but when I reach goal I will start daily weigh-ins.

    Checking daily is counter productive and I agree - this behavior is self defeating and unhealthly.

    Comparing to the financial analogy this would be like logging on to see your credit card debt daily without doing anything about it. Checking in weekly or monthly would be a healthy practice as long as you are engaging in activities to reduce debt/reduce body fat.
  • joaniebalonie088
    joaniebalonie088 Posts: 93 Member
    I used to weigh myself a few times a week, but after about 6 months of quitting logging and just hoping for the best, it was soooooo difficult for me to get back on the scale! I finally did, and I had regained most of what I had lost before.

    That said, it is a relief now to know where I stand and not have the unknown hanging over my head.
  • kroe4
    kroe4 Posts: 111 Member
    My scale didn't work when I first started. It was nice to just focus on my healthy eating and not worry about how much I was loosing. After a month or so I got on the scale at my friends house and was down 19lbs! (When I first started mind you) It was exciting to see that my hard work had paid off. I say go for it!
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited July 2018
    kroe4 wrote: »
    My scale didn't work when I first started. It was nice to just focus on my healthy eating and not worry about how much I was loosing. After a month or so I got on the scale at my friends house and was down 19lbs! (When I first started mind you) It was exciting to see that my hard work had paid off. I say go for it!

    This is actually an argument for weighing more often - so you will know if you are losing at a healthy rate. Unless a person was starting at 400 lbs, that rate of loss would be concerning (though some of it was likely water).

    Now that I think about it, if your scale wasn't working, how did you know your starting weight?
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    If your goal is weight loss, then the number on the scale is what will tell you whether or not you’re moving toward that goal.

    If you’re using some other measurement, like waist size, then you are collecting data on a different goal (in this case, having a smaller waist). It is fine if this is your actual goal, but “waist size” and “weight in pounds” are related but different things.

    Figure out what your actual goal(s) are and collect the data you need to know whether or not you are progressing toward those goals.

    That is very confusing. Weight loss is weight loss regardless of how it is measured. The only requirement for success is eating less than you burn. Everything else is based on personal needs, wants, or opinions.

    Weight is the number on the scale. That’s how we define weight. If you want to see the number on the scale change, then you need to know the number on the scale.

    Weight, however, is not solely fat. It takes into account everything in and on your body, including water and muscle mass. If you want less fat on your body, then you may want to see the number on the scale go down, and/or you may want to see other indicators of having less fat. These indicators can include waist or other body measurements, or the clothing size you wear.

    There is a difference between measuring what you weigh vs. how much fat you have. If you just care about how much fat you have, then the scale might not be the only useful measuring device. But if you care about what you weigh, then you need a scale.

    If you are attempting to identify and isolate body fat %, then weight is a critical variable.

    The problem isn't with weight, but people's perception of what weight means. This perception needs to change.

    This ^^^^
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    I used to never weigh myself maybe only every other month. It helps you lose any animosity and attachment towards a number and base decisions off of how you feel and strength/progress in the gym. The only reason I weigh so often now is so that I stay within my realistic fluctuation and can get back down to competition weigh in a reasonable time.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    Thank you all for your responses I appreciate your insights.

    I was a active member here a couple years ago. I was successful in losing 40ish lbs. I’m not tied to the ups and downs of the scale on a daily basis. I allowed stressful events (family illness, broken foot) to derail my progress.

    I’ve tied food to the scale. When I eat in a deficit I weigh, when I stop eating in a deficit I stop weighing so it’s always about the weight for me.

    I want to try something different break the pattern so to speak. I know for a fact if I eat in a deficit I will lose. I don’t need a scale to tell me that just like I didn’t need a scale to tell me I was gaining.

    I will eventually buy a scale but for now I will measure my progress by how closely I sick to my weekly calorie goal and my activity. I’m not trying to have a throwaway the scale moment I’m just trying to figure out how to break a pattern and get my mind set in the right direction. Does that make sense?
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    Best of luck. I weigh and trend 6 days a week. Even God took a day off. I also do measurements 1 time a week. I am a bit of a data geak. I also base it on my gym performance as well. To each their own though.