Help! I'm addicted to my scale

KrissyD70
KrissyD70 Posts: 92
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been counting calories for a week and have lost 5.5 lbs. I KNOW I won't continue to lose so fast but I can't seem to stay off the scale! I know I will be dissapointed if I have an increase in weight due to a bad day or water weight, but I can't stop weighing myself. Anyone else with this problem or any suggestions?

Replies

  • amyday1
    amyday1 Posts: 35
    I weigh myself everyday... But I DONT let myself get upset when it doesnt move or it goes up a .5 pound. I look everyday but focuse on the sevend day results the most..... when your working so hard its difficult to not want to see... : ) good luck
  • minnamarie
    minnamarie Posts: 14
    I had to remove the scale from my house, once a week I weigh myself at work. Can you do that, or maybe weigh yourself at a family members house?
  • canroadrunner
    canroadrunner Posts: 203 Member
    Actually, there is a school of thought that weighing yourself daily is actually good for a weight loss program because you can immediately catch any problems and adjust. Just don't let yourself get discouraged.
    Give yourself permission to weigh yourself daily and don't worry about it.
  • lreed
    lreed Posts: 348 Member
    I weigh daily, but really it's because I go up and down 3-5 pounds per day. Knowing this it helps me, if I only saw once I week and it was a high day I would freak out, now I know logically I can't gain 5 pounds of fat a day, so I don't freak out! :wink:
  • knittygirl52
    knittygirl52 Posts: 432 Member
    Some newer studies indicate that people who weigh themselves daily are better able to lose weight and keep it off. For one thing, it keeps you honest. If you have a binge you can't say, "Well, I don't have to weigh myself for another week." Additionally, you get used to the natural ups and downs.

    What I do is weigh myself every day, but only RECORD it once each week. I've been surprised at how it sometimes goes up when I've been really good, and sometimes goes down when I've not been so good. Those are the natural ups and downs. But the recorded weight has been showing good results. I'll take it.
  • canroadrunner
    canroadrunner Posts: 203 Member
    Excellent point lreed.
  • marybethbeech
    marybethbeech Posts: 181
    I weigh myself multiple times a day, whenever I walk by the scale. I don't think there's any harm in it, I don't let myself get too worked up. I just like to see what's going on. My weight can, and does, fluctuate by as much as 5 lbs some days, and always by about 3.
  • losingnow
    losingnow Posts: 82
    I step on the scale about every time I pass it. But just like others have said I don't worry about the ups and downs anymore. I used to but then realized my weight can fluctuate up to five lbs a day either way. I weigh and record my weight every Tuesday at 6:00pm. that way it is a consistant day and time and it helps me to see my progress.
  • tcac
    tcac Posts: 211 Member
    I weigh myself every day. I am like others here, I fluctuate a lot and so I need to see a trend. I try not to get too upset when I go up, but it is a little disheartnening when I see a 3 lb gain and no I haven't eaten any differently.
    linda
  • KrissyD70
    KrissyD70 Posts: 92
    Thanks for all the comments. I don't feel quite so bad about my obsession with the scale. I guess there is no right way to weigh, and it's just what works for you.
  • ieatstickers
    ieatstickers Posts: 51 Member
    Weighing yourself daily isn't so terrible, as long as you remember that weight fluctuates from water retention or after eating a heavy meal. If you have to weigh yourself every day, try aiming for the mornings after you pee maybe. I use to do that, but now I only weigh myself twice a week ( once mid-week, that way I can see if I need to step up my game, and then my official weigh in on fridays ).
  • a1schwei
    a1schwei Posts: 617 Member
    I weigh myself multiple times a day, whenever I walk by the scale. I don't think there's any harm in it, I don't let myself get too worked up. I just like to see what's going on. My weight can, and does, fluctuate by as much as 5 lbs some days, and always by about 3.

    i do the same thing...i can't resist! every once in a while it makes me feel a little crazy but overall i think it helps keep me accountable :) i don't count it as a 'loss' until i've seen the same number for a few days and the same goes for a gain :)
  • ❤B☩❤
    ❤B☩❤ Posts: 634
    OH YA! I go to a meeting every Monday night in the basement of a church and stand and say, "Hello. My name is Donna, and I weigh myself everyday." *Group* " Hi, Donna.....!" LOL!!!

    I sometimes wonder how some people can go a month *CLEW* without weighing themselves. They are a MUCH stronger person than I. So, you are NOT alone! It's OK. Like another poster mentioned about all the hard work you've done and you want to have something to show for it!
  • LastFighter
    LastFighter Posts: 175 Member
    The wife and I weigh ourselves everyday. It helps keep you motivated. I sometimes weigh myself after meals and good rounds of exercise but only for fun. I have seen my numbers fluxate as much 10 lbs in a 24 hour period.

    The only time I weigh myself for my records is 10 minutes after I wake up and before I eat - drink anything. This is the best way I have found to keep track, you obviously gain during the day but its been fairly consistent for me.
  • Sillybunni
    Sillybunni Posts: 61 Member
    I also weigh myself daily- I love when it goes down but I don't beat myself up about a slight gain. I know that even at the end of the day it is normal to see an slight increase from the morning. I know that my weight WILL fluctuate during the day and even more so during the TOM.
    It's only unhealthy to weigh yourself so often if you are going to bring yourself down over normal fluctuations.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    I have been counting calories for a week and have lost 5.5 lbs. I KNOW I won't continue to lose so fast but I can't seem to stay off the scale! I know I will be dissapointed if I have an increase in weight due to a bad day or water weight, but I can't stop weighing myself. Anyone else with this problem or any suggestions?

    Yes, designate one day per week where you will have your weights and measures day. It doesn't matter what day it is, but have the same day, same time, same scales, preferably naked, first thing in the morning, so don't choose the scales at your local chemist for your weigh-in days!

    You are totally correct in that your weight loss will slow down, at first weight loss is lots of water, then it slows and by the third week it is usually, on average, 1lb to 2lb per week, because now the excess fluid has gone, it is getting down to using up the excess fat.

    Then we have the beloved *not!* fluctuations, sometimes people have spotted a 4lb GAIN in one day only for that 4lb plus some more to come off by the end of the week.

    If you only weigh yourself once per week, you will miss these fluctuations and also miss getting possibly despondent and then depressed. Give yourself the best chance you can, make your weight loss programme enjoyable - if you are depressed because of it, that is not enjoyable and you most probably would not continue. xxx
  • ebearit17
    ebearit17 Posts: 10 Member
    Actually, there is a school of thought that weighing yourself daily is actually good for a weight loss program because you can immediately catch any problems and adjust. Just don't let yourself get discouraged.
    Give yourself permission to weigh yourself daily and don't worry about it.

    That's what I do! I weigh myself daily and after making allowances for water and such, I know whether or not I need to correct something. I don't get discouraged because I know I will eventually take off the weight:)
  • SayRah
    SayRah Posts: 104
    My weight can flucuate as much as 10 lbs within an entire day. Try to weigh yourself once a week, in the morning, before you've eaten anything....if you must weigh yourself everyday, do it before you eat.
  • peggy1952
    peggy1952 Posts: 46
    every morning before I shower I step on the scale, I think it helps, but I'm sure most people would say not to weigh everyday.
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    My spouse and myself each weigh ourselves each morning after waking, after going the bathroom, nude, before showering. Because it is under the same circumstances every time, we know what our true weight is. Now on days I do not drink 8 cups of water, sodium causes me to retain water and I weigh more the next morning. If I drink between 9 - 12 cups of water, my weight goes back down. And if I do heavy exercising, sometimes my weight will not go down, but as soon as I take a week off from exercising, the weight drops right off. Our muscles retain water after exercising. There were some great videos posted by someone on here about the science behind weight loss. They were REALLY interesting. They basically showed that even though you burn x amount of calories while exercising, you continue to burn much higher than x for the next 24 hours. Pretty cool!
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