should I get a scale?

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blissfulbutt
blissfulbutt Posts: 33
in Health and Weight Loss
I havn't owned a scale in the past 15years! I'm now trying to lose the last little bit of baby weight from my last child, and have no way to 'weigh in' or check my progress. Should I buy a scale, if so what kind do you reccomend? Also how often should I weigh myself?
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Replies

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    No. buy a tape measure instead. Or a camera. Pictures and measurements are a far better measure of progress than a scale.

    Scales are good for instant gratification if you are losing, but also instant frustration if you're not.
  • Cali212
    Cali212 Posts: 20 Member
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    Yes, buy a scale and hold yourself accountable.

    A no-frills digital one would work fine. Something where you can step on, it tells you your weight, and you step off.
  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
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    No. buy a tape measure instead. Or a camera. Pictures and measurements are a far better measure of progress than a scale.

    Scales are good for instant gratification if you are losing, but also instant frustration if you're not.

    This. I weigh in a couple times a month (I don't own a scale either, so I do it when I visit my parents.) The tape measure and pictures tell a lot more than a silly scale does. It's interesting to check in a see how much I've lost, but it's not really my focus.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    No. buy a tape measure instead. Or a camera. Pictures and measurements are a far better measure of progress than a scale.

    Scales are good for instant gratification if you are losing, but also instant frustration if you're not.

    ^^^This.

    I don't know my weight loss exactly because I didn't weigh it. I do, however, know I lost 5 clothing sizes, and several inches around my .... everything.
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
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    Of course you should have a scale. It is a reference tool.
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    I vote for measuring tape instead of scale. Scales can be helpful to see progress however they can also be a bit demotivating as regardless of our efforts the scale doesn't always show progress.

    I am trying to get away from weighing myself to see progress and instead go based on measurements and how clothing fits. I have some jeans in my closet that will fit at my goal weight so that is what I am using as showing progress... how those jeans fit.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Of course you should have a scale. It is a reference tool.

    But what exactly does it reference? total body weight is such an ambiguous number. Water retention alone can fluctuate by more than 5lbs daily. So what looks like a loss or a gain may be nothing of the sort.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    I think mirror is way better than scale... if you are doing this to look and feel good. If so then your weight really does not matters, you will know you are thinner by looking at mirror and you will notice that you feel better. Scale is a must for people who are competing in some kind of contest but definitely not for average peep. You can if you want to tho, but it will just mess with your mind...
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    The scale haters have come out. Weigh, measure, take pictures, there is no reason not to do all 3.

    If your going to use a scale I recommend a beam scale, the kind doctors offices use. Yes it will cost you a little more but it should be accurate and consistent. Even the better digital scales will fluctuate. Don't believe me, weigh yourself twice on a digital one. A properly calibrated beam scale is very accurate and at least is consistent. Yes your weight is going to fluctuate but at least this way you'll know that it's not the scale.

    I weigh every day it doesn't bother me to fluctuate. If your the kind of person who is going to freak out over being up 3 lbs overnight then maybe daily weigh in's aren't for you. For me it's just another data point and the frequent weighing helps me to understand how what I eat affects my weight.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
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    Yes, buy a scale and hold yourself accountable.

    A no-frills digital one would work fine. Something where you can step on, it tells you your weight, and you step off.

    This. I couldn't do this without daily weigh ins.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    No. Scales screw with your head. Take a picture now. Get your BF% tested. Buy a measuring tape. Measure arms, waist, hips, thighs every 2 weeks. Eat at a deficit (but not to large of one, workout your BMR and TDEE, DON'T EAT UNDER YOUR BMR) and workout 3-4 days a week. Log EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth - eat high protein, lower carbs. Keep your macros around 40% Carbs/30% Fat/30% Protein.

    Keep up with this regime and you don't need a scale.
  • jrmartinezb
    jrmartinezb Posts: 147 Member
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    IMHO a scale is a good investment. One of the thing's I've enjoyed the most about this getting healthy process has been getting to know my own body much better than I did before. The scale does not paint the whole picture, but it does give a valuable reference.

    That said, if you are going to weight yourself, I think It's important that you learn as much as possible about what body weight actually means and how it behaves.
  • BCSMama
    BCSMama Posts: 348
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    I totally think it's a personal preference thing and how having a scale will make you feel. I don't have one, but am seriously considering getting one now that I'm maintaining. For me, I have weighed myself at my parents house and when I have to go to the doctor or occasionally at the gym, so really only weigh myself at the most every 2-4 weeks. I also measure and go by how my clothes fit. The reason I'm thinking of getting a scale now though is so I can monitor my weight more closely since I'm upping calories towards maintenance. Personally, I think if I relied on other methods, it could get out of hand before I realized. I don't want to realize I've upped calories too much after I gain inches or my clothes start getting tight. That said, I'm giving myself a 5 pound range and will use the scale in combination with the other tools. Now, if you're the type of person who would get upset at a 3-4 pound "gain" or fluctuations, I wouldn't recommend it.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    I didn't have one at the beginning. I went to my mom's every 2 weeks or so and weighed in there. I bought the EatSmart Precision digital scale last month when three weeks in a row, I went to her house to weigh and had no change and wanted to be able to follow up the next day in case of water retention. I now weigh daily because I like to see how different things affect my daily weight. I only weigh in the mornings, pre-food post-bathroom.

    But, I'm of the opinion it's only one of many tools to measure your progress. I also take pictures and I meaure myself once a week (sometimes only every 2 weeks). If I had a reliable way to measure body fat percentage I'd do that too. And then there's the other stuff like the pair of pants I couldn't button that now fit perfectly. It's good to have back up methods so the number on the scale doesn't make you think you're failing.
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
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    I would.
  • one15ts
    one15ts Posts: 91
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    whatever helps to measure your progress. i got a scale (easier for me to just hop on 1x/week) and barely ever measure myself (although i probably should).
  • hmanley66
    hmanley66 Posts: 57
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    Just remember that if you do go with a scale, your body weight can fluxuate by up to 5 lbs in any given day. Think about the weight of all of the water you consume, heavy foods that are still healthy like veggies, etc. If you do get a scale, it can be quite addicting and you will find yourself (like me) weighing yourself at least once a day. I would recommend trying to refrain to just once a week. Try to pick the same time of day, for example you allow yourself to weigh in every saturday morning when you wake up.

    I def think that taking measurements is another GREAT way to track your progress, and I highly recommend taking pictures.
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
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    Of course you should have a scale. It is a reference tool.

    But what exactly does it reference? total body weight is such an ambiguous number. Water retention alone can fluctuate by more than 5lbs daily. So what looks like a loss or a gain may be nothing of the sort.

    There is a lot about our bodies that are ambiguous, and that is why doctors often have difficulty in making accurate diagnosis.

    A scale shows a trend. You must admit the medical community recognizes the value of referencing such when it is one of the first things checked when having a physical. Weight fluctuations can indicate health issues.

    Body temperature & blood pressure fluctuates and we cant ignore referencing those values either.

    I dont have a problem with using a tape, it's handy in measuring results, but when checking overall health, its info cant be as useful as one's weight.

    Sure, the scale can disappoint, but so can the tape...and just as the tape can motivate, so can the scale.

    BTW One has to use a little common sense. I dont recommend jumping on the scale every day. Weight fluctuations are normal.
  • sandervan85
    sandervan85 Posts: 9
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    All you need is a mirror a number mean nothing. You can say u wanna lose 15 lbs then look at the mirror and still not be satisfied. Checking your bodyfat is the best way to check progression also everybody carries their weight differently. Just because you weigh 130 lbs doesn't mean your fit and just because you weigh 170 lbs doesn't mean your fat. Too many ppl get caught up in the numbers game the scale should be seen as a guide but not the be all end all.
  • Rum_Runner
    Rum_Runner Posts: 617 Member
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    No. buy a tape measure instead. Or a camera. Pictures and measurements are a far better measure of progress than a scale.

    Scales are good for instant gratification if you are losing, but also instant frustration if you're not.

    SO VERY VERY TRUE!!!

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