To Weigh or NOT to weigh...

sarahg148

So! I decided a few days ago to ditch the scale for a while and just focus on how I feel after eating and working out and not letting the numbers dictate my mood for the day. HOWEVER, after a few days I'm jonesing to find out what it'd read if I hopped on it. I guess I'm afraid that if I don't weigh in, that I'll gain a lot of weight and not nip it in the bud before it gets out of control. I'm tall (5'11'') so can hold weight pretty well...but something about SEEING those numbers on the scale seems to keep me in check.

So here's my question to you...do I just give it a few more days/weeks and see how I do, or just take the scale out from hiding and face the number and have a plan of attack from there? Sometimes I won't FEEL like I've gained weight, but it creeps back on. I don't want to be a slave to the scale either, but I don't want to think I'm maintaining and then get on the scale and all of a sudden I'm ten pounds heavier...err...what to do...

rockingallovertheworld

I guess its down to personal choice but I have to weigh or else I know that the weight will just go back on . I usually weigh once a week on the same day. Even though I track all my food if I did not weigh I know I would pop a few snacks in my mouth and not record them! This is what works best for me.

topshopperwantabe

I took a break from the scale (three weeks) to do the same thing, to monitor my food intake and log in all my exercise. Before the three weeks were up, I had to hop on because the new pants I just purchase were falling off. I only lost 1.5 pounds but a whole size. The scale is a good point of reference but nothing feels better then buying new clothes the next size down.

TurningBackTheScale

I think for me personally I know when I'm doing good and when I'm doing bad. I use my scale for motivation where its when I feel like going to eat something bad or when I'm doing well and just need a reason to smile.
Ill go through times when I dont need to weigh myself cause I am totally holding myself 110 percent accountable and I am in the zone but sometimes we can get discouraged and need to step on. NOT to BEAT OURSELVES UP but to REMIND ourselves to how far we have come. I remember how I felt when the scale reached 304, I remember how I felt defeated, and how I teared up. And I am NEVER going to allow myself to get to that point again!
So I remember the past, remind myself of the present and look at the beauty of the future.
The scale does that for me!

catpow2

I very rarely weigh. As of right now, I think the last time I weighed was about 4 weeks ago--I'm not sure. But 1) I'm not trying to lose weight; and 2) I go by how my clothes fit--if they start to feel tight and I've been slacking on diet, I reel it in fast. As long as my clothes fit--my skinny clothes!-- that's all I care about. That said, if the scale helps you keep yourself in check, do it. Once a week is probably good. I tend to get obsessed so I don't even own a scale.

jenborn0730

I went the route of not weighing in for 30 days so I could concentrate on my food choices and logging everything I ate. Today was the 30th day. I was so eager to see the numbers on the scale but also terrified enough that I had my husband look and log them for me.

I was feeling great. Eager to see them. To see the progress I felt I had made. I'd being wearing a couple of shirts I hadn't been able to wear. Made it through an entire day in a pair of pants that use to almost cut me in half. I was ready for my 'reward'

Got to work - logged in to enter my breakfast - I had lost 5.6 pounds in that 30 days.....I was devastated. I almost quit. Seriously.

The scale is a wicked witch that will destroy you. We must learn to depend on it only for a guide - not for the concrete evidence that we're making positive changes.

Rant over. Good luck to you.

sarahg148

Thanks for the replys! I know it's a personal decision but curious as to what others think/do. I try to go by how the clothes fit...but that can also be deceiving for me. Maybe I'll give it a few days more and see what happens. My dad passed away suddenly on July 27th and I think I've been eating emotionally and such...trying to get back on track.