Living The Lifestyle, Tuesday June 8, 2021

88olds

We meet here to explore, share, celebrate and (sometimes) agonize over how we do (or don't) incorporate weight loss guidelines into our daily lives. "It's a lifestyle, not a diet" is easily and often said, but sometimes not so simply put into practice.

This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!

Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.

Monday -Crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday – 88olds
Wednesday -
Thursday - misterhub (Greg)
Friday - whathapnd (Emmie)

Today's Topic: The scale.

Friend or foe? Bitter enemy? The be all/end all? A feedback machine? A nuisance?

podkey

Good question for sure. I am a data guy and do like feedback. One of the Goadies got me to doing at least 4 day moving average weights for tracking the trends. Mamacin/beach lady had some sort of average weights she looked at too for the trends. Having said that my old scale really went on the fritz about half way into my weight loss journey and I waited until a friend of mine told me where I could get the same professional model scale WW uses (without the computer hook-up) and on sale. I think I had it for the last month or so of my journey getting to goal weight and for maintenance.
So yes a feedback machine used with the usual caveats.
Do folks not realize that some days they have different bathroom habits (ahem!!) than other days or salty meals etc?? Weighing once a week is really just a spot in time and not the best way to see the average weight for the week.

Al_Howard

I too am a data guy. Daily weigher, undressed the same every day since aroune 2009. I have Excel's since 2010. I don't necessarily look for trends (perhaps I should) but if I have a significant up, or down I can usually tell why.
IF I really took note, I might not have gained almost 30 pounds in the 2014-2016 years.

crewahl

It’s a feedback machine, but it still has some “friend or foe” to it.

I don’t consider the world to have fallen if I go up, nor am I King of the World is my weight goes down. Since I weigh daily - and occasionally multiple times some days - I’m very cognizant of the fact that the scale moves in ways and times that are not parallel to my efforts. Most of the time, it’s confirmation that I enjoyed a good meal the prior day, or that I was disciplined in the preceding days.

It does have some friend or foe to it because even though I don’t live or die on the results, they do have a small psychological impact. If I’ve gained weight, the best response is “oh, well”, but there’s no elation even if I was expecting it. Conversely, I know that if I have a large loss I’m more apt to be “liberal” in my choices that day.

misterhub

Once I learned the value of trend lines, and that a single data point is just that, the scale became a tool.

88olds

I haven’t done so badly with this lockdown thing. I’ve gained about 3 lbs but still comfortably under official GW. But I’m noticeable fatter, less flexible and less fit. The result of so much sitting.

The whole thing has reminded me of the limits of the scale. One day I figured out that what I was going to get from weight loss was a number on the scale. That number seemed to open some doors. But if I was going to get anything other that the number, I was going to have to take further action. At that point the scale became a feedback machine limited to my weight.

cakeman21k

Its definitly a feed back machine, but at the end of the day isn't the number on the scale the reason we are all here anyway? Sure we can get into the feel better, look better, live longer, be healthier, conversation but its the number on the scale that keeps us doing what we do. Some of us need the daily feedback even though we know of the fluctuations that life can throw into the mix but its the feedback that helps to understand if we are going in the right direction or not. Having said all of that its important to not let it become a dominating factor in our life, after all its JUST A NUMBER!