Throw away our scales

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2

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  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Sorry can't complain about my scale, its been good to me the last 29 months but it doesn't dictate anything I do. I am in charge and nothing will deter me from the goals I set in front of me.....
  • 4HealthyMe
    4HealthyMe Posts: 34 Member
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    Sorry can't complain about my scale, its been good to me the last 29 months but it doesn't dictate anything I do. I am in charge and nothing will deter me from the goals I set in front of me.....

    WOW!! That is some impressive weight loss. You are definitely in charge. :smokin:
  • 4HealthyMe
    4HealthyMe Posts: 34 Member
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    You scale seems to be very good to you too. Awesome weight loss! :drinker:

    This is to the OP, btw.
  • anyonebutmehaha
    anyonebutmehaha Posts: 174
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    I'm convinced our scales are evil and out to hurt us.
    I don't have proof but I believe this is a creation of the devil.

    I'm going to try and use measurements from now on.

    i have your proof for you!
    2 days ago my scale said i had suddenly dropped 20 pounds since last weigh in- 20 pounds? huh? i stepped off, let it reset and got back on- still 20 pounds down. i had 1 cup of coffee w/ skim milk and went back in bathroom i re-weighed myself and i had gained back all 20 pounds. from one cup of darn coffee. bummer.
    then the next day (since the day before had gone so wrong i decided to break the once a week weigh in rule) i weighed myself again...and my scale told me i weighed ZERO. wow, way to ruin my self worth~i felt like i didn't even exist.

    see? evil. pure evil.:laugh:
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
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    In the short term the scale can lie and make us feel horrible. In the long term it will show the results of our hard work. I'm just saying I know too many people, myself included that can have a mood ruined by a demonic scale.
  • tidmutt
    tidmutt Posts: 317
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    In the short term the scale can lie and make us feel horrible. In the long term it will show the results of our hard work. I'm just saying I know too many people, myself included that can have a mood ruined by a demonic scale.

    Have to agree. Nothing worse than working hard all week and doing all the right things only to get on the scale and find it's gone up. All the rationalizing about retaining water, gaining muscle etc. doesn't help, just makes me feel like *kitten*. Sadly I do need the scale to gauge progress, I'm not quite a the point where I can just focus on body composition, to reach a lower body fat % the scale will need to move down. I've often wished I could find a scale that would weigh me, not display the weight but would log it and then once a month give me the overall trend, as long as it's down then I'm all good. Ideally it would calculate a moving average to smooth out those annoying fluctuations.

    I have used this site before to track my stats and it it shows a trend line, calculates moving averages, weighted moving averages etc. but sadly you still need to weigh yourself but if you can focus on the information the site gives you rather than the number on the scale it might help especially for someone with a lot of weight to lose.

    Check it out:
    http://physicsdiet.com/Charts.aspx?t=WeightLoss
  • nikicrin
    nikicrin Posts: 40 Member
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    My best scale are the people I see once a month...those are my biggest fans..."you just keep shrinking" if it wasn't for them I would have been a wreck by now. they really do notice the difference overall. scale can be tricky at times.

    too true!!
  • CallmeSbo
    CallmeSbo Posts: 611 Member
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    I agree, i am throwing mine away for the next 4days especially considering i am 3kg heavier this morning- all thanks to my monthly period.
  • CallmeSbo
    CallmeSbo Posts: 611 Member
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    Sorry can't complain about my scale, its been good to me the last 29 months but it doesn't dictate anything I do. I am in charge and nothing will deter me from the goals I set in front of me.....

    Wow, impressive. Well done. The scale sure has been kind to you. Keep it up.
  • jplucheck
    jplucheck Posts: 275 Member
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    Taking measurements takes forever vs jumping on the scale and seeing your hard work pay off.

    True this could take forever, but if you are like me and not seeing any changes on the scale its good to take measurements, I have gained 2 lbs in the past 3weeks but have lost 2 1/2 inches around my waist! I'll take the 2lbs!
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    I agree. The scale is the devil. Back in my gaining weight days, when I would try to diet, and it wouldn't budge, or at least not budge much, it would put me in such a bad mood for the rest of the day that my husband finally took it out in the backyard and killed it with a sledgehammer. Best thing that ever happened to me.

    I have lost weight without owning a scale. It's been gradual, healthy, and, for the most part, stress-free. I go by my clothes and always have a pair of jeans that I can't fit into that I try on once every week or two to see how I'm doing.

    For awhile, I was going to a weight loss support group at a friend's house and weighing in once a week but I found that frustrating as I always hoped for more of a loss than I was getting. So, now, I'm back to doing it randomly when the mood strikes at the gym, about once a month or so. That way I always see a downward trend and that's what matters.

    It probably also helps that I have no specific weight goal in mind. I have a pants size goal and not an unrealistic one. My goal is a size 8 jean. Once I get to that size, I'll reassess to see if I want to try for a size 6 but I'm not real hung up on that. Since I started out in a size 24, even my current size 12's feel like skinny jeans to me.

    But my real goals are activity-related. I want to do a 200-mile, 2-day bike event next summer. I want to run in a 5k and then a 10k. I may make a half-marathon my real running goal (no desire for a full marathon). I want to do some intense, multi-day hikes carrying what I need in my pack. And, finally, I want to summit Mr. Rainier. I have to be in good shape to do these things. I figure, if I get into good enough shape to do all of these things, I will be fit and trim and that's all that really matters.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
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    I've also had people who were so desperate to lose "weight" that they told me they don't care if they lose muscle. We put far too much emphasis on what our weight on the scales says versus the way we look and most importantly feel.

    I know people that starve themselves to lose weight and that only serves the Scale Demon, because they feel miserable and personally I don't think the "skinny fat" look is all that appealing.
  • ambuney83
    ambuney83 Posts: 47
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    Such a great concept! I recently decided I am going to try not to weigh myself. I have been weighing myself nearly every day and I just end up frustrated and thinking about that stupid number. For example, last week I worked out and ate very heathfully, and was down a few pounds. The weekends are generally harder for me and I didn't keep the best track of calories but I know I did not eat those few extra pounds back that showed up on the scale this morning. I could not have possibly gained two pounds of fat over the weekend, but that is how I felt this morning. I know when I am doing something healthy for my body, and I know when my clothes fit...or don't fit! Instead of focusing on numbers I am going to go on how I look and feel as I think that is a better indicator. This will be a real challenge for me but it sounds so liberating! Good luck to all those getting rid of your scales! I may still hide mine in the closet just in case, but I will definitely not be using it daily! :smile:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Taking measurements takes forever vs jumping on the scale and seeing your hard work pay off.


    Here is proof to why scales are meaningless and weight doesn't equate to fit or healthy.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat&page=3#posts-5788685
  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
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    I've also had people who were so desperate to lose "weight" that they told me they don't care if they lose muscle. We put far too much emphasis on what our weight on the scales says versus the way we look and most importantly feel.

    I know people that starve themselves to lose weight and that only serves the Scale Demon, because they feel miserable and personally I don't think the "skinny fat" look is all that appealing.

    exactly!
  • SarabellPlus3
    SarabellPlus3 Posts: 496 Member
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    I believe the're helpful (or at least useful) for the truly obese, where there's no question they just need to lose "weight". But once you're even approaching a healthy range, body composition (BF%, measurements, how one looks in the mirror) becomes the standard to go by.
    I totally agree.

    The scales shows me things like if I'm holding on to a little more water right now than I was the other day. That's not useful in any reality, only mind games.

    I like watching how my clothes fit, and measuring once in a while! I'd love to do fat analysis more often, but I haven't found a real practical yet reliable way of doing it yet. So for now, I'll just want to look and feel great-- the scale has never been one iota of helpful in that way to me.
  • mdelcott
    mdelcott Posts: 529 Member
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    I'm convinced our scales are evil and out to hurt us.
    I don't have proof but I believe this is a creation of the devil.

    I'm going to try and use measurements from now on.

    Hahahah! Yes they are!

    Had the same conversation with my nutritionist a couple of days ago, she told me "Get rid of your scales. Buy a pair of jeans that are a size smaller and try it on from time to time". I think I may just do that!


    What a fantastic idea (the jeans) I had desided to get rid of the scale just the other day, not forever but I have vowed not to get on the scale till Feb 1st
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I'm convinced our scales are evil and out to hurt us.
    I don't have proof but I believe this is a creation of the devil.

    I'm going to try and use measurements from now on.

    Hahahah! Yes they are!

    Had the same conversation with my nutritionist a couple of days ago, she told me "Get rid of your scales. Buy a pair of jeans that are a size smaller and try it on from time to time". I think I may just do that!


    What a fantastic idea (the jeans) I had desided to get rid of the scale just the other day, not forever but I have vowed not to get on the scale till Feb 1st

    I am doing this as well. I have two really nice pairs of dress pants (size 34) i am working to get to. Also, working to get to 8% body fat, but I am not so concerned with my weight. I rather have more lean muscle to burn more calories.
  • kimberly0416
    kimberly0416 Posts: 123 Member
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    I avoid the scale at all cost since I am not losing any weight at all just inches.
    Measuring doesn't take to long when you are getting ready. ><
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Mine broke, like, 2 months ago and I never bought a new one. I only weigh myself at the doc's or a friend's house, every 3-4 weeks or so. I'm all about measurements, clothing, and mirrors now.

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