Dear scale - piss off

NuggetBrain

So I've been eating better for two weeks. Started Zumba this week. Counted calories. All that good stuff. I got on the scale today and am 2 pounds heavier. Now, LOGICALLY I know there's no way that I ate 7,000 calories over what it takes just to maintain my weight this last week. I know that. But EMOTIONALLY, I want to throw my scale through a window or at a brick wall. So can somebody help calm the voice in my head screaming profanities? Has this happened to anyone else? WHY is it happening? Water weight? Alien sabotage?

Pertinent facts - my BMR is 1,741 and my TDEE is 2,417 (that's the lightly active selection to cover my work outs). I eat at or around 1,800 - 1,900 a day. Zumba is twice a week, other than that I do some light walking but nothing I'd consider actual exercise.

chachadiva150

Top two tips:

1. Divorce your emotions from the scale. It's just a number. Not a judgment. You are more than a number.
2. Establish a weigh in day and only care about that number. My weigh in day in on Sundays. I also weigh myself daily and I see the ups and downs but I don't care. The only number that counts in the number on Sunday.

Why the scale moves up a couple of pounds could be many things. Salty food, your cycle, water retention, DOMS, etc. If it's not your official weigh in day, don't worry about. Keep pressing through.

Personal example. I dig some super crazy arm weights on Monday. On Tuesday, because of DOMS, the scale shot up 5 ponds. No biggie. I just kept doing what I knew to do throughout the week. By the next Sunday, when I weighed in, I was down 3 pounds from the previous Sunday. I lost 3 pounds during that week even though I had a huge spike up midweek.

zyxst

1. Divorce your emotions from the scale. It's just a number. Not a judgment. You are more than a number.
2. Establish a weigh in day and only care about that number.

This cracks me up every time I read it. "Ignore this number, but pay attention to this number instead".

Anyway, I know how you feel. I used my new digital scale this morning and learned I was 14# heavier. Logically, I still lost the same amount of weight, but emotionally, I'm fatter than I thought I was. Instead of being 12# to my mid-goal, I'm 26#. Just keep in mind that you're not the only person who feels like that.

stefizzle9109

Literally just posted a thread exactly like this. I zumba as well, I was doing it twice a day though. Learned my lesson because I gained 2 pounds as well. Needless to say Im pretty much done working out for a while.

KPainter70

More and more I rely on how I look in the mirror and how my clothes fit. Both of those things make me really happy, and as time passes, the scale has less and less hold on me. It's a journey when you're used to weighing every day like I was, but man, it's so nice to be free of that nonsense.

kiminikimkim

I have tried Zumba and I don't really get a good workout out of it. Try something else, like bootcamp. It is hardcore and I only do it twice a week.

amysol

Shake it off! Keep on keeping on!

chachadiva150

This cracks me up every time I read it. "Ignore this number, but pay attention to this number instead".

Anyway, I know how you feel. I used my new digital scale this morning and learned I was 14# heavier. Logically, I still lost the same amount of weight, but emotionally, I'm fatter than I thought I was. Instead of being 12# to my mid-goal, I'm 26#. Just keep in mind that you're not the only person who feels like that.

We live in a real world. Your body is real. What you weigh is real. HOWEVER, how you interpret and deal with that number is a CHOICE. You can choose to get all emotional over a number or you can choose to place it in proper perspective. YOU control your feelings.

If you can stand against a vertical measuring stick and see your height without getting all emotional, then you should also be able to stand on a scale and not get all emotional. That number is not a judgment on you or your self worth.

It's up to you. Feel bad if you want to. Me, I'll stand on the scale and regardless of the number, I won't get upset and I'll love myself unconditionally.

And yeah, it makes send to ignore mid-week numbers. The only numbers that should count are the numbers on your official weigh in day. Especially, if you choose to be on an emotional rollercoaster over 3 digits.

dlpnrn2b

I divorced my scale this morning too as it was up 5 frickin pounds since monday and there is just NO WAY thats possible..

ninerbuff

More and more I rely on how I look in the mirror and how my clothes fit. Both of those things make me really happy, and as time passes, the scale has less and less hold on me. It's a journey when you're used to weighing every day like I was, but man, it's so nice to be free of that nonsense.

THIS. The scale can fluctuate so much. Drink 8 oz of water, and you gain 8 oz on the scale. While it may be a tool to HELP monitor your progress, you're much better off with the mirror and how your clothes fit as well as your fitness level, how you physically feel, and how you physically look as better gauges of success.


A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

kateroot

Water weight, hormonal fluctuations, hell if I eat a pickle one day I weigh 2-3 lbs more the next day due to water retention. Daily fluctuations are nothing to stress about. What matters is the long-term. For me, if I weigh less today than I did 2 weeks ago, or even 3 months ago, that's a success.

Flippiefloppies

It is most likely water weight. If you feel better, that is all that matters. You have to give your body time to adjust. Once it does then you will really start seeing the changes. But don't keep your eye on the scale. That will only freak you out. Mine fluctuates everyday. I was 145 yesterday morning and I am 148 today. No biggie. I didnt gain 3 lbs. Its water weight.

ingfit

Definately water weight! The same thing happened to me today. I've been losing 0.5 - 1 lb a week for the last 8 weeks or so and this week up 1.5 lbs and not even on TOM. But this week I increased my weights during strength training and this causes water retention for muscle repair. Be patient and keep doing exactly what you are doing. Now if it keeps going up then you may have to examine your workouts and intensity. If you workout often and HIIT, sometimes the body revolts and doesn't have enough time to rest and repair and your weight loss can stall.

NuggetBrain

Thanks for talking me down, ladies. Super helpful!

Zumba is definately giving me a good enough work out - I'm drenched at the end of it and my heart rate is going the whole time. Bootcamp would be too much for me considering I didn't really work out before this, and I don't enjoy it. I'm not very likely to continue with an exercise that I don't enjoy.

TinaCleg_cancel

I wish I could divorce my scale but sometimes I need to see that number to keep me pushing forward...especially if I gain. Stupid scale.

EmmaM2211

I put on 3 lbs in my first 2 weeks - I wants to to throw the towel in and give up! BUT I didnt and now since then I've lost a stead 2lbs a week. I also lost 3 inches in the same time i put on those 3 lbs so that was a bit of encouragement.

It's just a shock to your body at first but it soon realises you're giving it what it wants and needs. It's just a game of trial an error until you find what works for you.

Just dont quit - you can do this!! Ignore the scales and take measurements instead! The big question is - Do you feel healthier??

xxx

calajane

I divorced my scale this morning too as it was up 5 frickin pounds since monday and there is just NO WAY thats possible..

I divorced my scale this morning as well! It was up 2 pounds (three days after my last weigh it Apparently I gained almost all my loss back), so I rebeled decided screw it, I'll wait and see what it will say on my weigh-in day.

colorlessgreen

If you must weight yourself daily, use a graph that records your trendline, and not just your day-to-day fluctuations! It's super easy once you download the tool; you just plug in your weight every day. My one and only blog post will explain all about it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/colorlessgreen/view/the-one-thing-you-must-do-if-you-weigh-yourself-daily-230276

BeautyFromPain

Water weight.

You could be retaining water due to working out, which is why I always have my rest day day before I weigh myself.
Or is your period due soon?

Stephanie2167

I feel ya. I stepped on the scale this morning hoping to be in the 134s and was 137. FU scale.

yepitsjen

More and more I rely on how I look in the mirror and how my clothes fit. Both of those things make me really happy, and as time passes, the scale has less and less hold on me. It's a journey when you're used to weighing every day like I was, but man, it's so nice to be free of that nonsense.

I am doing a variety of different workouts and eating between 1200 and 1400 calories a day. I weigh myself every morning right when I get up. One morning, I was 7 pounds lighter- the next day, I had those 7 pounds back and then some. But my clothes are all much looser and I *feel* better.

I'm going to try to stick to the "once a week" weigh in, as well.

chelseelovesyou

I don't own one anymore. That's how hardcore I was when I said I divorced mine. I just eat right, work out, & use my clothes as a measurement to success.

Screw the scale.

sehrler

Anyway, I know how you feel. I used my new digital scale this morning and learned I was 14# heavier. Logically, I still lost the same amount of weight, but emotionally, I'm fatter than I thought I was. Instead of being 12# to my mid-goal, I'm 26#. Just keep in mind that you're not the only person who feels like that.

Exact same thing happened to me when I changed scales last week--only a 2 lb difference but still, it really bugged me! Mostly because it meant I was over a certain weight when I started which for me was a sore point. But I made myself get over it, and the week long plateau afterwards...scale is now moving again.

I just kept reminding myself that lean muscle weighs more than fat and I've been working really hard, eventually it will HAVE to show up on that scale--and my measurements are changing so I know it's progress! I don't know why I get so bent over that stupid scale!

dlpnrn2b

I feel ya. I stepped on the scale this morning hoping to be in the 134s and was 137. FU scale.

^^^^LOVE IT^^^^

Josie_lifting_cats

So I've been eating better for two weeks. Started Zumba this week. Counted calories. All that good stuff. I got on the scale today and am 2 pounds heavier. Now, LOGICALLY I know there's no way that I ate 7,000 calories over what it takes just to maintain my weight this last week. I know that. But EMOTIONALLY, I want to throw my scale through a window or at a brick wall. So can somebody help calm the voice in my head screaming profanities? Has this happened to anyone else? WHY is it happening? Water weight? Alien sabotage?

Pertinent facts - my BMR is 1,741 and my TDEE is 2,417 (that's the lightly active selection to cover my work outs). I eat at or around 1,800 - 1,900 a day. Zumba is twice a week, other than that I do some light walking but nothing I'd consider actual exercise.

Oh, I remember these days....

Stick with it. It will shift. But in the meantime, keep it up. Take measurements. I did 30 Day Shred and didn't lose a pound, but lost 4 inches off my waist alone. Then I did Ripped and I lost a few more inches, and like 2 pounds. Now it's shifted though, and I'm losing pounds (but not so much in inches anymore!)

zambodiare

You know what? Go outside, find an unsuspecting person...and KICK THEIR *kitten*!! I'm kidding. Don't do that. I'm sure the scales in jail are a lot worse!

This happened to me recently and I was beyond pissed! Everyone says not to pay attention to the number, but when you obviously have enough weight to lose, you think that there's no way it could come back on! So I refused to weigh myself for two weeks....I scowled at the scale. It paid off. I think I needed to put it behind me and focus on what was important; actually being healthy. I'm not going to tell you to forget the numbers because I don't believe that is possible. Let's be realistic. I can just say that I know you can overcome this. You have the strength. If I can do this, anyone can.

Plus, I'm pretty sure it was aliens....

coffeebydesign

I'll agree with everyone mentioning the water weight as well as starting Zumba being a shock to your body. You should also keep in mind, that Zumba, while it is mainly a lot of cardio, you are going to develop muscles that haven't been used before, or perhaps not recently. That along with water weight and other factors, will most likely be an explanation for the two pounds. Instead of telling the scale to piss off, tell the two pounds to piss off. and keep doing what you're doing.

jovz10

seems like you just started... i would suggest to eat your TDEE # but don't eat your exercise back.... worked for a lot of people.... good luck!

BlueInkDot

Sorry about the scale. Scales are jerks. Stupid scales... <

But in all seriousness, the scale is only KIND OF a good measurement of how well you're doing. There are so many things that factor into that stupid number, you can only go off of it over a long term.. general... sorta kinda... trend.. type deal. Short term mini-fluxuations don't mean a darn thing.

If you're eating wholesome foods, fueling your body well, staying under your calories, and getting a good work out at least every few days, then you are doing it right! Don't let the jerk scale get you down and keep at it. Eventually the scale will be more lenient with you. :P

And like other's have said. Going by the mirror and how well your clothes fit is definitely a better indicator of your progress. It's just not as measureable. :P

Don't give up and good luck!!

acresfield

I put my scales in the attic a week ago and bought some body fat calipers instead.
We all need a number to focus on and weight can change for many reasons as some people have mentioned. Body fat is less complicated!

aknavychic

The number can go up for a while as your body transfers muscle for fat. I don't check once a week because of that. I do notice my clothes fit better and I have more energy and to me that means wayyyyy more than the numbers. Hope that helps.