my new plan is to weigh only once a month.

bigrlv

For me, personally best practice is to weight-in every morning after I gas been to toilet, so it very well reflects my progress and it's additionnal motivator to keep it going, but if I am doing wight-ins like once a week, I time to time get sloppy, dont control myself so much, PLUS its so much easier to know if I am on right track and that I should change in my eating habits or workout program.

thejubster1

You've convinced me to join in the weigh & measure once a month. I have been doing a sneaky weigh each morning, but will accept the challenge to hold back for March. Had a new gym assessment at the weekend - want to see what impact the changes will make.

Thanks for the inspiration!

NatzC123

Imagine if you only weighed once per month and you lose nothing doing it that way either, that would be even more discouraging. However, if you had continued to weigh once per week, you would have been able to adjust your calories and exercise in order to continue losing.

Now, with this post, I have to say it is not MORE discouraging. If you are REALLY eating clean and exercising according to your goals for weight-loss and you HAVE been losing, maintaining or gaining a little bit isn't such a huge deal by the end of the month because A.) Muscle weighs more than fat and it's VERY possible that you've gained muscle while shedding fat B.) If you measure yourself and you find you maintain or gain a little, it's again, VERY possible you've lost inches. The scale number is not the only number that counts, but obviously is an important number nonetheless. But it's not everything.

For example, when I lost 115 lbs between 2011-2012, there were a few months where I didn't lose any pounds, in fact I even gained up to 7 lbs in one month and instead I lost 12 inches around my body and my legs were more toned. Perfect example.

Losing weight is a numbers game, but most importantly you have to watch what you're eating & actually DO the work and exercise, and I strongly encourage people to keep their measurements per month as well as your weight because you will notice a difference in one or both of them!!

Thank you, that was what i was trying to say!! And i do believe everyone is different and different things work for different people. This works for me and i am happy to weigh once a month and not get fixated on the number on the scales!!

Shellsmiley

For me, personally best practice is to weight-in every morning after I gas been to toilet, so it very well reflects my progress and it's additionnal motivator to keep it going, but if I am doing wight-ins like once a week, I time to time get sloppy, dont control myself so much, PLUS its so much easier to know if I am on right track and that I should change in my eating habits or workout program.

That's good that you know what works for you, but please just keep in mind if you are weighing daily that even water can make us weigh more or having that time of the month will make us bloated and such too, so don't be too hard on yourself if your weight does go up a bit because within a day, peoples weights can fluctuate from as little as 1 lb to 4 lbs easily in a day. (I tested it on myself a few times haha) <--- i know im a weirdo) Haha

ljmiller11

Hi there,

Sounds like a good plan to me.

I am also doing no scale March as I only have 10lbs to lose (currently 142lbs) and so seeing a lose of 0.2lbs or even nothing each week has been demotivating me! I know I am eating really well and exercising 5 times a week or more so I have decided to give the scales a rest and use the mirror and tape measure to track my success as that is what really matters right. We're all doing this so we look good and feel healthier, not for a number on the scale.

Let's do this

HERE HERE!! Good luck to you on your last 10 lbs!! I hear those are the hardest pounds to lose! :flowerforyou:

Thanks! Yes, it is just vanity now but hey, even if I don't lose the weight, if i look good in my jeans and I'm making healthy choices I'm happy

Stress is a diets worst enemy as it causes the body to release a chemical that makes us hold on to weight. Therefore, I have just chosen to take a more relaxed attitude and remember that it is not a race, it is how I want to live my life from now on and so thinking positively and making good choices will get me there in the end.

Good luck everyone at the no scales challenge. You'll feel better for it, promise

Shellsmiley

Imagine if you only weighed once per month and you lose nothing doing it that way either, that would be even more discouraging. However, if you had continued to weigh once per week, you would have been able to adjust your calories and exercise in order to continue losing.

Now, with this post, I have to say it is not MORE discouraging. If you are REALLY eating clean and exercising according to your goals for weight-loss and you HAVE been losing, maintaining or gaining a little bit isn't such a huge deal by the end of the month because A.) Muscle weighs more than fat and it's VERY possible that you've gained muscle while shedding fat B.) If you measure yourself and you find you maintain or gain a little, it's again, VERY possible you've lost inches. The scale number is not the only number that counts, but obviously is an important number nonetheless. But it's not everything.

For example, when I lost 115 lbs between 2011-2012, there were a few months where I didn't lose any pounds, in fact I even gained up to 7 lbs in one month and instead I lost 12 inches around my body and my legs were more toned. Perfect example.

Losing weight is a numbers game, but most importantly you have to watch what you're eating & actually DO the work and exercise, and I strongly encourage people to keep their measurements per month as well as your weight because you will notice a difference in one or both of them!!

Thank you, that was what i was trying to say!! And i do believe everyone is different and different things work for different people. This works for me and i am happy to weigh once a month and not get fixated on the number on the scales!!

:happy: :flowerforyou:

melissarina

VIRTUAL HIGH FIVE!!! ^5

I have recently made the transition from being weight obsessed with daily weigh ins, to weekly, and now to fortnightly weigh ins, with the aim to do monthly (it's hard for me to let go of the scale!)

I go by how my clothes fit, and what my husband says - he's very good at noticing my weight loss

And the best thing is, you don't ask yourself "where did 2 kgs come from in the last 24 hours???"

Shellsmiley

Hi there,

Sounds like a good plan to me.

I am also doing no scale March as I only have 10lbs to lose (currently 142lbs) and so seeing a lose of 0.2lbs or even nothing each week has been demotivating me! I know I am eating really well and exercising 5 times a week or more so I have decided to give the scales a rest and use the mirror and tape measure to track my success as that is what really matters right. We're all doing this so we look good and feel healthier, not for a number on the scale.

Let's do this

HERE HERE!! Good luck to you on your last 10 lbs!! I hear those are the hardest pounds to lose! :flowerforyou:

Thanks! Yes, it is just vanity now but hey, even if I don't lose the weight, if i look good in my jeans and I'm making healthy choices I'm happy

Stress is a diets worst enemy as it causes the body to release a chemical that makes us hold on to weight. Therefore, I have just chosen to take a more relaxed attitude and remember that it is not a race, it is how I want to live my life from now on and so thinking positively and making good choices will get me there in the end.

Good luck everyone at the no scales challenge. You'll feel better for it, promise

Hahah Yeah, exactly! I think we all start saying "I want to lose ___ pounds so I can look good" but then with time it changes a long with our attitudes to "I want to lead a healthy lifestyle" and doing just that will take the pounds off regardless if trying or not - and of course help to maintain! :bigsmile:

Ugh, I've been sooo stressed lately, I totally know that feeling. I feel bloated and not hungry a lot of the times and it used to be that I would BINGE on everything around me even though I wasn't hungry and I'd gain a ton of weight, but as of the past few months, it's been the opposite where I don't eat and I'm losing weight, the unhealthy way. Mind you, weight fluctuates and I've seen a couple ups, more down losses than gains... I need a good way to de-stress.. I used to be so good at it, now, not so much. Any ideas?

Shellsmiley

You've convinced me to join in the weigh & measure once a month. I have been doing a sneaky weigh each morning, but will accept the challenge to hold back for March. Had a new gym assessment at the weekend - want to see what impact the changes will make.

Thanks for the inspiration!

YAY!! Glad we could all inspire you!! Wishing you the best of luck with your journey!!! :drinker:

Shellsmiley

VIRTUAL HIGH FIVE!!! ^5

I have recently made the transition from being weight obsessed with daily weigh ins, to weekly, and now to fortnightly weigh ins, with the aim to do monthly (it's hard for me to let go of the scale!)

I go by how my clothes fit, and what my husband says - he's very good at noticing my weight loss

And the best thing is, you don't ask yourself "where did 2 kgs come from in the last 24 hours???"

Yes, the way clothes fit is a good way to judge too!!

lfergurson1

The scale currently runs my life... so I think this is a great idea but it wouldnt work for me because id just keep doing it anyway! UGH If you can do it thats awesome stay on track with mfp and put the scale away. I should try it for a month... Sadly Id be furious if I didnt get a 10 lb weight loss at the end of a month. Ive got a long way to go emotionally

BflSaberfan

Good luck everyone. I know I'd never last a month without checking!

karmahunger

So happy some of you have decided to join me!! Feel free to friend me. Thanks everyone

shano25

I don't own a scale because I know I would be on it every day. I weigh myself only when I'm at my mom's house or my mother-in-laws house. Sometimes that works out to be once a week, sometimes it works out to be once a month. In between, I just go based on how my clothes fit and how I look in the mirror. I know that I would be too obsessive if I had a scale. My mom is able to go without stepping on the scale at home and only at Weight Watchers once a week, she obviously has more willpower than I do!

KathleenC12

That would be too long for me but might work for you. I've lost and regained for decades. If I had a month b/t weighing, I'd figure I could slide and then "pull my socks up" the last week or so- except habits are not formed that way. It's day in, day out.

I weigh once a week or occasionally every 2 weeks; don't have a scale at home either.

kazitykaz

Has anyone else done this? Did it help or was it too hard? Thoughts? I don't habeas a scale at home right now anyway.

What a good idea. I weigh myself once a week and measure inches, BMI and body fat once every 4 weeks. Last 2 weeks been discouraged with weight (one week put on 0.5 lb and week after only lost 0.25 lb). Felt discouraged even though I feel more toned. Maybe I should only measure weight once every 4 weeks also to get a true indication.

Thank you for the good idea. Definitely something for me to consider :-).

TheShrinkingKween

This is what I decided to do from the onset. I just started this journey in the past couple of weeks. The only reason it shows 4 pounds lost is because I estimated when I first signed up with MFP. In the past, I have become really discouraged at the little to no difference on the scale when I was weighing weekly, and sometimes daily. The changes being so minor made me feel like it wasn't even worth it, and I would give up. I am determined for that NOT to happen this time. Feel free to take a look a my blog. I copied all my entries over to here from blogger today.

vspeight79

You are soooo right! I am one of those farking people! lol

stephanj

Hi there,

Sounds like a good plan to me.

I am also doing no scale March as I only have 10lbs to lose (currently 142lbs) and so seeing a lose of 0.2lbs or even nothing each week has been demotivating me! I know I am eating really well and exercising 5 times a week or more so I have decided to give the scales a rest and use the mirror and tape measure to track my success as that is what really matters right. We're all doing this so we look good and feel healthier, not for a number on the scale.

Let's do this

I have been wanting to do this for the same reasons, but I am so afraid I will go a whole month and step on the scale with no loss, or worse, a gain! I'm too chicken!!!!

chayleah

I am also not weighing for a month. I have found that putting the scale away actually helps me to stick to a new workout plan or way of eating because I get to focus on how I feel and how I look versus the # on the scale. So many people will change up their exercise/diet based on the scale while ignoring the way they feel, the increase in energy, their clothes fitting better. Putting the scale away let me realize that there are other benefits to exercise and my way of eating.