Learning not to trust the scale...Its an evil box!

2

Replies

  • 80lbgoal
    80lbgoal Posts: 1
    WOW! YAY YOU! I just started using myfitnesspal on Saturday and lost 4 lbs. already. I cried...My goal is to loose 80 lbs. I want to wear "normal" sized clothes, not search in the PLUS size section. I have gained 100 lbs, after quitting smoking, two boys, and getting an office job and sitting on my butt for 16 years all day. I am NOT a dieter, nor do I have any interest in exercising, but THIS I CAN DO! Of course, I cannot see a difference yet, but the sweet box did show me it's working after only 3 days!!!

    I see your point and you look great, I will continue to use the box..for a short while, just as a booster until I can start seeing/feeling a difference.

    After all, it doesn't matter what you weigh as look as you are comfortable and feel GREAT!

    Congratulations girl!
  • deedzzz
    deedzzz Posts: 220 Member
    awesome results! and great example to why the scale lies!!
    Keep it up, great job
  • khgraves
    khgraves Posts: 54 Member
    Thanks for your inspirational post and congratulations on your success! You look great! I love that you showed yourself now and then in the same clothes- that really drove the point home. I'm 4'10" and have struggled with weight for a long time. This was very inspirational to me. Thanks again.
  • gensteele1
    gensteele1 Posts: 60 Member
    Wow! Congrats on the success. I am finally reaching that stage myself. People keep asking me how much more weight I want to lose and I say I don't know. Its about how I look and not the number. I'm weight training like a BOSS and the inches (not really lbs) are just melting off and its crazy how invigorated I feel. keep it up and kick that scale out of the bathroom and hide it for a while. lol
  • wapan
    wapan Posts: 219 Member
    Thanks to your stories and other stories on MFP, I'm learning to let go of the number and to focus more on my accomplishments in the gym - deadlifting 110 lbs! - and to how I feel and how much better I feel eating healthy food.
  • SoBodyMazing
    SoBodyMazing Posts: 159
    You look great & your right about the scale!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    You are so correct! I have been busting booty for 18 months, and *only* lost 34lbs of the 85-90lbs that I have to lose.

    here is a good pic. I'm wearing the same shirt in both pics
    8213431311_eecd2df7b1_s.jpg
    gray top pics by crochetmom2010, on Flickr
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    You look great. Your weight loss has made you look so much younger, too.
    I agree about the scale. It is losing all of its importance to me.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    Thank you for posting this, and all the great before/after photos. You're right, I need to worry less about the number. My problem is I look in the mirror and even though I wear a size 2 or a 4 now, I still see me as a size 12. How does one get past that????
  • wcg6084
    wcg6084 Posts: 3
    I can only mirror what everyone else has commented here...congratulations and thanks for sharing! You have definitely changed my perspective on the scale and losing weight. Thanks again and keep us posted throughout your journey! :)
  • vickilowell
    vickilowell Posts: 37 Member
    This one of the most inspiring posts I have ever seen. Cannot thank you enough for taking the time to post the pics and your journey. You look AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • mayonie1
    mayonie1 Posts: 296 Member
    Thanks about this post...Ive been hearing a lot of people telling me I'm looking good and slimmer but the scale ain't moving no where.
  • krc99080
    krc99080 Posts: 147 Member
    Thanks for sharing! I'm trying to convince myself the scale is not the all important measure of progress. Currently I weigh 195 pounds and am 5'7" tall, but am starting to fit back into my size 10s I wore when I was in the 170s last time. I'm in that between sizes point where my 12s are getting lose and I need a belt but the 10s aren't completely a perfect fit.

    Anyway this is a huge difference in weight from the last time I was at this size and I still can't see it in myself unless I look at photos. Then I start to see the difference. People tell me I look great and look smaller but I have the hardest time seeing it in myself.

    I originally wanted to get down to 155 but have come to the decision that this may not be an obtainable goal if I don't want to be too skinny. It's difficult to look back and decide you're going to be heavier than you'd ideally like.
  • Wow thanks so much for your post it is truly inspiring and a wake up call for those of us that judge our progress with the numbers on the scale. Of which I am guilty of.
  • mdn15
    mdn15 Posts: 145
    Thank you for sharing. I really needed to read this today. My gym partner (guy) had asked if I was losing weight because he thinks I eat "rabbit food" and he knows I training really hard. I had lost a couple pounds. But my "skinny" clothes are loser. He did not see that as a "success".

    I think it is time to dump the gym partner.

    Thanks again.
  • DaniDC28
    DaniDC28 Posts: 83 Member
    Awesome! Thanks for sharing - it's true! The scale does not tell the whole story. :)
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Thank you for posting this, and all the great before/after photos. You're right, I need to worry less about the number. My problem is I look in the mirror and even though I wear a size 2 or a 4 now, I still see me as a size 12. How does one get past that????

    I think it takes time.

    For months people have been coming up to me telling me they can see changes. I don't see it most of the time. It seems like my eyes are drawn to my worst flaws. I decided the handful of people ( some regulars at the gym, but not people I usually talk to...) who have approached me have no reason to lie to me, so there MUST be something they see :D

    Last week I had a really interesting dream, and it was along this line. I don't remember ALL of it, but the parts I remember really stuck with me. I dreamed that I was at the gym and I was standing at the mirror. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a lady in a sports bra, she had a little definition in her abs, and I thought " wow. I would love to have abs like that!"...then I turned to get a better look, only to realise that it was MY stomach I was looking at!
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
    Good job Melissan84. I'm 5ft 1" tall as well.
  • jacklis
    jacklis Posts: 280 Member
    Your post is the most compelling argument for why we should not base our results solely on the scale. You deserve a prize- not only for your tremendous success and focus, but also for compiling everything so succinctly to make your point. Great job! Thanks!
  • melissan84
    melissan84 Posts: 487 Member
    You are so correct! I have been busting booty for 18 months, and *only* lost 34lbs of the 85-90lbs that I have to lose.

    here is a good pic. I'm wearing the same shirt in both pics
    8213431311_eecd2df7b1_s.jpg
    gray top pics by crochetmom2010, on Flickr

    Looking great., keep up the great work! ;)
  • melissan84
    melissan84 Posts: 487 Member
    Thank you for posting this, and all the great before/after photos. You're right, I need to worry less about the number. My problem is I look in the mirror and even though I wear a size 2 or a 4 now, I still see me as a size 12. How does one get past that????

    I think it takes time.

    For months people have been coming up to me telling me they can see changes. I don't see it most of the time. It seems like my eyes are drawn to my worst flaws. I decided the handful of people ( some regulars at the gym, but not people I usually talk to...) who have approached me have no reason to lie to me, so there MUST be something they see :D

    Last week I had a really interesting dream, and it was along this line. I don't remember ALL of it, but the parts I remember really stuck with me. I dreamed that I was at the gym and I was standing at the mirror. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a lady in a sports bra, she had a little definition in her abs, and I thought " wow. I would love to have abs like that!"...then I turned to get a better look, only to realise that it was MY stomach I was looking at!

    ^What she says, it definitely takes time. Seriously I still see my fat self when I look in the mirror but when I compare pictures, I know I am different. Plus I have went from a size 16 to a size 7. There is no greater feeling in the world then to try on clothes and they are too big. ;) I absolutely love shopping now and my husband not so much. lmao
  • melissan84
    melissan84 Posts: 487 Member
    Thanks everyone for all your praises and good words. It means alot to me.
  • hannamarie88
    hannamarie88 Posts: 231 Member
    I really need to break up with the evil box. You look incredible!!! :D
  • JGT2004
    JGT2004 Posts: 231 Member
    Great job! Very Inspiring
  • luckyjuls
    luckyjuls Posts: 505 Member
    Amazing work. You just got narrower all over in the past year and you look GREAT!
  • mrspolee
    mrspolee Posts: 2
    I'm new to this site. I want to say , first of all that your post is very inspiring. I am 5'5, and currently at 194. Like you use to do, I still do weigh myself once a day in the morning. It does get discouraging because you are expecting to see a smaller number and when you don't see it you feel like "What's the use."

    When I look back at my high school pictures I was as thin as a pole. I have to stop looking at my prom picture because it discourages me, but I have to remember that was a different stage of my life.

    With my last pregnancy, twins, I started at 188, because I didn't lose the baby fat from my first child. I ended up being 203 by the time the twins were born. Since I had to stay in the hospital for a month before the twins were born I was able to get down to 176 after their birth just from the hospital portioned meals.

    Since then I've been battling to get to my 160 goal. Mind you, I love food and sweets, so it's been very hard. Because of your story and my lack of energy I am more determined to stick to a routine and reach my goal.

    So congrats and wish me luck.

    Nina Polee
  • melissan84
    melissan84 Posts: 487 Member
    I'm new to this site. I want to say , first of all that your post is very inspiring. I am 5'5, and currently at 194. Like you use to do, I still do weigh myself once a day in the morning. It does get discouraging because you are expecting to see a smaller number and when you don't see it you feel like "What's the use."

    When I look back at my high school pictures I was as thin as a pole. I have to stop looking at my prom picture because it discourages me, but I have to remember that was a different stage of my life.

    With my last pregnancy, twins, I started at 188, because I didn't lose the baby fat from my first child. I ended up being 203 by the time the twins were born. Since I had to stay in the hospital for a month before the twins were born I was able to get down to 176 after their birth just from the hospital portioned meals.

    Since then I've been battling to get to my 160 goal. Mind you, I love food and sweets, so it's been very hard. Because of your story and my lack of energy I am more determined to stick to a routine and reach my goal.

    So congrats and wish me luck.

    Nina Polee

    You CAN do it. And I still talk myself out of sweets and bad food. So its do able to have self control! ;)

    Thanks to everyone!!!!
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
    Well done! Congratulations on all your hard work! :smile:
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
    Thanks for sharing your story, it is inspirational! Congratulations on your success, you look great.
  • Khushi22
    Khushi22 Posts: 47 Member
    Nice comparisons with Pictures & Clothes...!!!

    You look great.. and may I say, even younger than before pics... thanks for sharing.
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