what you need to know about your scale!!!!
dr_tina
Posts: 225 Member
Have noticed a lot of people getting freaked out and obsessing on the fluctuations on the scale. I used to do the same, as it is so hard to deal with the scale not moving or even going up when you are doing everything right. Took me 6 months of weighing myself daily to realized that the scale messes with you head if you let it. DON"T LET IT! These are some things you need to know:
-my weight has gone up 3 to even 5 pounds before and during that time of the month (females), and it has lasted from days to weeks. It always went back down and lots of times I showed a large weight loss afterwards (lower than start weight)
-on the days I splurge and eat more calories, espeically going out to eat where the sodium is high, I have been 2 up to SEVEN pounds higher the next day and it would often taken up to a week for the excess water weight to go down. I spike calories every Saturday, so this was a weekly occurrence.
-when I started lifting weights, I always weighed more in the days following a tough workout because repairing muscles hold water. It can be a real bummer when you work your butt off and the scale shows a gain!
-if you are weight training at all, then your body WILL change, and lots of times the scale will not. In fact, you could even gain some weight. Let me tell you, the difference between 137 lbs for me when I did not work out at all, and 137 lb now with daily workouts including weight training is HUGE! I was a size 12 at 137lbs when younger, and my 137lbs now is a size 8.
-you will stall at times regarding weight loss, but that does not mean that nothing is happening!!!!
-to gain or loose a pound you HAVE to eat or burn 3500 calories!!! This is hard science, and logically you have to keep this in mind!!
My point in posting this is that you have to learn to stop obsessing about the scale and let your logic override your emotional side that is locked into that number. Essentially, that number is often meaningless! Don't get me wrong, accountability and weighing yourself is a good tool, but keep this all in mind.
Focus on how you feel....Focus on how your clothes fit......Focus on the fact that you can carry out all your groceries with one hand and do not need a cart or the bagger to help you!!! Focus on the fact that you can walk the stairs at work and you actually prefer to do this rather than take the elevator. Focus on the fact that you can carry your child on your back during a hike and find it to be a great challenge. Focus on increased time or endurance running, walking, lifting, swimming.....whatever!
FOCUS ON BEING HEALTHY!!! FOCUS ON BEING STRONG.....NOT SKINNY!!! :-)
-my weight has gone up 3 to even 5 pounds before and during that time of the month (females), and it has lasted from days to weeks. It always went back down and lots of times I showed a large weight loss afterwards (lower than start weight)
-on the days I splurge and eat more calories, espeically going out to eat where the sodium is high, I have been 2 up to SEVEN pounds higher the next day and it would often taken up to a week for the excess water weight to go down. I spike calories every Saturday, so this was a weekly occurrence.
-when I started lifting weights, I always weighed more in the days following a tough workout because repairing muscles hold water. It can be a real bummer when you work your butt off and the scale shows a gain!
-if you are weight training at all, then your body WILL change, and lots of times the scale will not. In fact, you could even gain some weight. Let me tell you, the difference between 137 lbs for me when I did not work out at all, and 137 lb now with daily workouts including weight training is HUGE! I was a size 12 at 137lbs when younger, and my 137lbs now is a size 8.
-you will stall at times regarding weight loss, but that does not mean that nothing is happening!!!!
-to gain or loose a pound you HAVE to eat or burn 3500 calories!!! This is hard science, and logically you have to keep this in mind!!
My point in posting this is that you have to learn to stop obsessing about the scale and let your logic override your emotional side that is locked into that number. Essentially, that number is often meaningless! Don't get me wrong, accountability and weighing yourself is a good tool, but keep this all in mind.
Focus on how you feel....Focus on how your clothes fit......Focus on the fact that you can carry out all your groceries with one hand and do not need a cart or the bagger to help you!!! Focus on the fact that you can walk the stairs at work and you actually prefer to do this rather than take the elevator. Focus on the fact that you can carry your child on your back during a hike and find it to be a great challenge. Focus on increased time or endurance running, walking, lifting, swimming.....whatever!
FOCUS ON BEING HEALTHY!!! FOCUS ON BEING STRONG.....NOT SKINNY!!! :-)
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Replies
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Very well said0
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thanks...keep seeing people freaking out because they put on 2 lbs in 24 hours....impossible!0
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Thank you for that
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Everyone should read this!!0
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i needed this today... thanks
) 0 -
Great and True Post0
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I second that! Totally agree.0
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bump for when i feel like crap when i weigh myself hahaha0
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Thank you for that. Great Post!!:happy:0
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A mirror is more accurate than a weight scale.
People don't see numbers, they see you, yourself and whats in the mirror.0 -
Awesome lesson that we all need to keep in mind Thanks! 0
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Great post..one I need to always remember!0
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Love it. Thanks.0
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Well said.
I would also add that the widespread fear of the scale shouldn't be. Even a disappointing result on the scale isn't the end of the world. It's just information that tells you what the measure of the job is today. If we're working hard we're changing every day. The scope of work keeps moving. The scale helps us know what the current scope is.0 -
Wow nicely said thanks.0
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Very well said and great advice!0
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I needed this. I have weighed every day this week. I want to b in the 120s so bad it's killing me. Everything u said is absolutely correct & it's always what I tell myself when I see something on the scale. It's hard tho. But I need to kno that I'm doin great, working my butt off.0
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I'm one of those nuts who weighs every morning. It satisfies my curiosity. I don't obsess over the number though. It is what it is, and as long as I see a downward trend over time, I'm fine.0
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need this today...thanks for posting...0
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Totally agree! I weigh now about the same as I did about 10 years ago, but have a smaller body frame!0
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Amazing thank you for posting!0
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Thank You!
This post will be added to my wall of inspiration!
:flowerforyou:0 -
Great post. Scales are evil... :laugh:0
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Well said!
It's hard when you're impatient enough to wait a week or more to weigh in, but if that's the case you need to be understand and can't expect a loss EVERY time you step on it, that wouldn't be healthy either!0 -
bumping to keep me from freaking out about the scale!0
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Great post!! I have been up about 3 lbs this weekend, but I have started weight training and running... my muscles are sore and probably busy repairing themselves. Thank you for this post!!0
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-to gain or loose a pound you HAVE to eat or burn 3500 calories!!! This is hard science, and logically you have to keep this in mind!!
hey, hey, hey... be careful where you sling that science stuff! Haven't you read this board long enough to know that science only applies to some people?!
Good post, though!0 -
-when I started lifting weights, I always weighed more in the days following a tough workout because repairing muscles hold water. It can be a real bummer when you work your butt off and the scale shows a gain!
ugh, THIS! haha0 -
You are absolutely right. I don't have that monthly problem (being male) but my weight fluctuates also. The way I handle that is to always record my lowest weight although I notice my weight every day. Common sense tells me that as long as I consume less than my target calories I am making progress. Therefore I can claim my lowest weight regardless of when I fluctuate upwards because of water. :flowerforyou:0
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