I'm afraid to weigh myself

bethanyweathers

As the topic of this thread suggests, I have yet to actually take an initial weigh in. I put down around what I thought was my weight, but then though it might be less that that, so I changed it. Now my ticker says I lost 25 pounds, but I haven't. For all I know I am 25 pounds heavier than my initial weight.

I'm just afraid to know what I actually am. I know I'm overweight. According to the BMI, I'm obese. I know that. But to know that I am a number, a huge, ugly, fat number? I already have little to no self esteem, I don't want to crush it completely. According to my height, I should be around 165 pounds. So I guess that is my goal weight. But what if my actual weight is 265? That would be 100 pounds that I would have to lose. I'm scared. I'm terrified.

I don't want my weight to be daunting to me. I can see myself getting overwhelmed and giving up because I can't possibly see myself reaching that end goal.

Is anyone else having these feelings? Did anyone go through this? Should I just weigh myself and get it over with? Help and encouragement would be lovely.

rileysowner

I think I can understand, but wouldn't it be better to know the reality so you know if you are being successful in what you are doing? Not that the scale is a great way to measure your progress, but it is one of them. Measure yourself, weigh yourself and then you can rejoice in your progress be it less inches or less pounds. Fear is a very unhelpful thing to give into, especially fear of something that in and of itself can't hurt you physically, but could help as you lose weight.

emilex

Well, I can't tell you what to do But for me, when I don't weigh myself....it's easier to convince my self that things are better than they really are. So in order for me to know what I am dealing with...and to be realistic...I need to weigh myself. But things might be different for you. Can I ask how you know your BMI if you don't know your weight? Honestly, I think if you just face your fear and weigh yourself...then you won't have that on your plate taunting you anymore. You will have done it and then all you can do is move forward. So I think you should just do it! Good luck!

ashleynicoleh04

Just do it. Then you know exactly what you weigh. You may even end up being happily surprised. Once you initially do it and get it over with then you can see exactly what you have to work with. This may help you set different goals too. Don't be afraid. It is what it is.

ksv123

Just take the plunge! You will then have a starting point and can rejoice in the great strides that you are making. Facing this fear will be the first step to conquering your weight issues......

Perfectlycrooked

To tell you the truth, it happened to me too. I was so afraid to find out how much I weighed. It might not have been to bad but I was still scared, it was just one of those fears I had to conquer! Because if you find out your current weight, you'll feel so much better when you can see it shedding off. You feel like your hard work is paying off!
and MFP works a lot better if you have the accurate info(:

thetrishwarp

Maybe just take your measurements and measure your successes that way? By inches lost.

Also, I know my friend lost weight by having her mom look at the scale (so the friend never knew her own weight) and her mom would just tell her how many pounds she had lost each week.

glendeb

I was scared too, but the only way I could improve me was to see the first number - which incidentally was worse than I thought it was going to be! - and then go from there.

I've only made small losses so far, but its in the right direction, and I could be stricter on my self, but this is my journey. The best thing is, I measured myself too, and the difference there is the real boost.

You can do it!

NightOwl1

You're here because you are unhappy with your current weight and looking to make a change. If you don't weigh yourself to start off with, you will have no baseline of where to start measuring yourself from. The people here come in all shapes and sizes. Some of us came here with only a few pounds to lose, others with hundreds. Whatever the number, it is doable. You will eventually get to your goal if you work hard and stay committed.

So the best thing for you to do is to clear the numbers that you originally put in, and then enter your new number fresh (so it doesn't effect your ticker). If it's higher than you thought, don't get discouraged. Just think about how awesome it will be to know you lost THAT much weight when you get to your goal. We are all here to support you and help you along the away. You are not alone.

suzooz

I think we've all been there -- afraid to step on the scale for fear of what it might tell us.

The "o" word is tough to hear -- I have been there. I remember the day when I first heard my Wii Fit cheerfully say, "That's Obese!" ACK! I didn't feel obese.

Then I remember the victory when I could consider myself "simply fat." I actually cheered.

Think about it this way -- that number is ONLY the beginning, and you will probably NEVER see that number again! I have resolved NEVER to see 209 again (or be in the 200's for that matter!) Once you know where you're starting from, you will know what your progress is!

Keep up with MFP -- we are all in this together.

tammyquinnlmt

I didn't have a scale when I start MFP and finally decided to get one. I was about 10 pounds heavier than i thought, but now I'm below that and know what I have accomplished. Its daunting, but maybe it can motivate rather than discourage you? Wishing you luck!

olyrose

I understand that confronting it is hard, I've felt the same way. What I've found for myself, is the only way I'll take ownership of my weight and my decisions is if I hold myself accountable. For me, that's weighing in daily. I am one of those people who weighs myself every day. If I don't, I don't feel the obligation to make the changes, and feel like I can avoid the reality of my consequences. I've been scared to step on before, but then I'll realize that my weight is a result of my decisions, and I can also make decisions to decrease that weight. Another thing I've found for myself, is that confronting it takes some of it's power away. I try to make myself more powerful than the scale.

I find it motivational to know my weight, so I can see the improvements. My suggestion would be, if you really aren't ready, then wait awhile. Once you are ready, set little goals for yourself so it isn't too overwhelming. Like for myself, I want to lose at least 50 pounds. That sounds so overwhelming and impossible to me. So I set little goals, like I want to be under 220, then my next goal is 212, then 199, etc.

Whatever your decisions, remember to stay positive. Giving up will not produce the results you desire for yourself. You get to choose the positive decisions for your life!

GreenTeaForDays

If you have 100 lbs to lose that is about 2 lbs a week for less then a year. It took a lot more than a year to put on that weight so in reality you don't have that far to go! After you lose the first few pounds you'll be so motivated it will keep you going. Use your loss as a motivator to keep going. You can do it!

elliecolorado

Look at it this way, you already know that you are overweight, so the number on the scale won't tell you anything that you don't know. Personally I haven't really set a goal weight, I put in a number that is about what I want to weigh, but I don't really worry about that number. I am changing my lifestyle to be healthier and more active I will be doing this for the rest of my life either way. Yes it's good to know your starting weight, but try not to focus on how much you need to lose, just focus on getting healthier. I weighed myself at the beginning and about a week in and haven't weighed myself in months. I've lost inches and am wearing a size smaller pants so, I know I am losing and I am getting more muscle tone, I just don't let myself focus on numbers.

sgiacherio

I'm conflicted on what to tell you. My first instinct is to tell you that you are too worried about the numbers. Don't focus on them so much. Just take care of yourself and start watching calories and portion sizes, and squeeze in any activity you can. Soon you will see differences in the way your clothes fit, the energy you have, and the way you feel.

But then I think this program can really help you. By knowing your true weight, it can tell you accurately how many calories you need to be eating every day. You do NOT want to starve or deprive yourself. If you do you will set yourself up for failure.

You are the only one who can make these decisions but hopefully I am giving you some things to think about. Be strong and know that you have the power to change your life. MFP is a GREAT support system. Take a look around and make friends with people. They will cheer you on and encourage you every day.

Also, try talking to your doctor. Maybe he or she can give you an idea on how many calories to eat every day right now.
Best of luck!!! You CAN do this!!

lukimakamai

I totally understand! This is where I was with taking my measurements. But I can tell you, I really wish I had taking my initial measurements so I could see how much I have improved and I'm mad at myself for not taking them! I think you should weigh yourself so you can start to measure how awesome you are doing!

rklein88

I would say weigh yourself, but do not allow that number to hurt you...just think about how big the number you lost will be when you reach your goal. Just by starting this journey, you are a stronger person. and for me, watching that number just keep falling makes me SO happy.

If you choose not to weigh, just choose a few sites (waist, hips, arms, thighs, calf, neck) and measure them every few weeks or once a month. These numbers can also be very motivating, and i wish i would've taken initial measurements!

alexbowser

I feel scared to get on the scale too, scared I'll have gained weight, didn't lose any or that I've already failed. Eventually you just need to step on the scale, numbers can't rule your life.

ehlertmartha

I have been in your situation before scared to look at the number for fear what it might be. The number on the scale is just a number. I get scared a little when i get on now but the way i look at it now is at least i am looking at that number and taking control i am not going to let that number get to me i am going to get to it first

Nailrep

YES - you should weigh yourself and get it over with. HAVING SAID THAT....I totally understand what you are going through. I used to be totally phobic of the scales. Still don't like the scales at all. But I know that in order to take control of my weight, I HAVE to have a measure. That measure for me is weight, not inches.

Maybe it will make you feel better if you think of it this way...This is YOUR body. Whether you are 165 or 265, ONLY YOU are accountable for that. just because you know what you weigh, it doesn't mean you have to share that weight with anyone until you are ready. ALSO, if you weigh 165, 265, or 365, you are still wearing the same jeans at the end of the day. If you want to fit in a smaller pair of jeans, you are going to have to get a handle on your fear of knowledge. Knowledge is power. You have ALL the power. Take that power and make yourself whoever you want to be. Hugs and greatest of luck to you!

kdouglas11

i started out at 256.... YIKES...

I'm now at 186.

You can do it. I have faith in you.

funkyspunky871

I say... Don't weigh! If you don't want to, you don't have to! Follow MFP's recommendations, and you will lose weight! Take measurements every two weeks instead. You don't ever have to know what you weigh. Just keep going and going and going until you're happy! Forget about the healthy BMI; you find where you feel healthiest when you get there, okay?

Much easier said than done though, you know? Good luck to you.

EDIT: And, now, I just remembered that to get the most accurate MFP calorie goals, you do need your weight entered correctly. Darnit. :grumble:

TAWoody

Everyone has good advice so far. I'd like to add to their comments that you should really not focus on how much you want to lose overall. Just start with you wanting to lose 10 or 15 pounds. It's much easier to reach that goal and is much less daunting when you think about it. Once you hit that goal then set a new goal of another 10 pounds. In the beginning you might be lucky for the first few months and lose 10 pounds a month. That will give you a LOT of motivation to keep going as you get back in shape.

Nailrep

Everyone has good advice so far. I'd like to add to their comments that you should really not focus on how much you want to lose overall. Just start with you wanting to lose 10 or 15 pounds. It's much easier to reach that goal and is much less daunting when you think about it. Once you hit that goal then set a new goal of another 10 pounds. In the beginning you might be lucky for the first few months and lose 10 pounds a month. That will give you a LOT of motivation to keep going as you get back in shape.

AWESOME advice! I never thought of it this way, but will from now on!!

bethanyweathers

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. Not long after I posted this, one of my friends texted me to see if I wanted to go work out with her. I felt that was a sign that I should just weigh myself and then try to work some of it off... And I was off, by about twenty pounds, but not in the right direction. So, right now I feel kinda icky, but let's hope I don't have to see that number ever again, right?

rileysowner

Way to go. Now you know where you are. You can enter the right stuff in MFP, and that fear has been faced. If nothing else, facing fear has resulted in you becoming mentally more strong so you can face other things in the future. Add to that the fact that you now have a weight to measure from and see your progress, and even with being heavier than you guessed, you have two pluses. I hope the workout goes well for you.

veganbecky

Kudos for getting the courage to weigh yourself! I think knowledge is empowering. Now when you follow your MFP recommendations for a week and work out, you should see a loss next week, and that will feel great! If you hadn't gotten a starting weight, you wouldn't know how much you lost each week and be able to celebrate it! Good luck to you, I am just starting out, too as of a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still figuring out how often I want to weight myself. At first I was weighing daily, because it was going down daily and it felt great! But now my weight loss has leveled out and I'm getting into that nitty gritty slow weight loss where I won't see much of a change from day to day, so I'm going to start weighing in once a week so I don't get discouraged.

Kjohnson2387

At least you took the correct step to get going in the right direction, and you're absolutely right... you'll never have to see that number again if you keep at it. I personally never thought I'd reach the number I did and boy--that got me off the couch to do something about it! I also agree with everyone else, set small goals and you'll be able to overcome anything.

b00b0084

I am on the same boat as you. I was afraid to weigh myself so I put the weight I was the last time I was weighed. I am afraid to weight myself for my first weigh in, but it helps that I have no scale in my house. I am 27 and I hate myself for 90% of my life, after months and months of theraputic groups I have learned that I am a pretty woman. I may not be happy with my weight, but I am pretty. Now I just want my body to match how I see myself. You took the right step by joining this site and I wish you so much luck in your weight loss journey. You every need to talk to someone feel free to message me.

JennaLee1486

I would imagine it's hard to stay motivated if you don't know what you've lost. You saying I could be 25 pounds heavier, takes away the feeling of success you should have!

AmberRose0319

I know the FEAR of the scale, but if you don't weigh now then you won't ever know if your making progress. I weight 224 and my goal is 140. I truly hate getting on the scale but when I do, I know I'm going to see progress. You'll feel better if you get it over with then start doing a once a week weigh in and you see the progress. Don't get discouraged if its just a 1/2 a lb you lose atleast your losing something right? Keep your head up and no that you have support on here. I know how you feel completely. I've been fighting with trying to lose weight for a while now and I am constantly getting unmotivated but I truly believe now with the help,advice and motivation of this site I can do it, as can you. Feel free to add me if you'd like to talk.