I'm shy..and don't want to hop on a scale...

djbeba
djbeba Posts: 7
in Introduce Yourself
Hello everyone,
I've been trying to loose weight all my life.
Nothing had worked out...but I guess also my lack of continuity does not help.

I hate scales...I think I weight around 85kg (1.70m tall) but I don't want to hop on a scale to find out i weight more than that. I do not even owe a scale!

Oh gosh...I hope that controlling my calories will help me in this journey.

Let me know if you have any advice!!!

Cheers,
Beba

Replies

  • schmenge55
    schmenge55 Posts: 745 Member
    Don't use a scale then. :) Get some friends (add me if you like). Make small changes. You need something you can stick with. After that small change becomes routine, make another small change. It's a journey not a destination. :)
  • Dreaminggg
    Dreaminggg Posts: 21
    hey that was me a few months ago. hop on the scale. not knowing is worse than knowing. you can't make the positive changes if you don't where you're at.

    trust me, i was terrified too.

    but here's the thing. ....... looking at the scale won't change your weight, it won't make you any more heavier than you already are (might sound harsh, but it's true, i was right there with you) you are what you are and to change that you have to accept the number.

    Good luck on your journey and yes controlling calories is a good way to start. :flowerforyou:
  • djbeba
    djbeba Posts: 7
    Thank you schmenge55. True, why would I need the scale for now? I think i'll wait a bit before buying one. :)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I always hated scales but weirdly enough I find them to be my favorite tool in tracking my progress.

    I have been out on my own since age 19 and didn't own (or even allow) a scale in my house until I was 36!!! March 25, 2013, the day I joined MFP!

    Honestly I think the thing I hated most about scales before was that every time I faced one (in a doctor's office for example) I felt unsure of what I weighed. I never knew if I was up/down 10 lb or far more. I love knowing!

    Good luck to you, whether you use a scale or not. Just wanted to give my two cents from a former scale hater.
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
    You never have to tell anyone what you weigh if you don't want to. Your weight is not the most important thing (your health is) but it's good to have something to gauge your progress.

    I have no clue what I weighed at my heaviest. I didn't weigh myself for years and didn't weigh myself until I knew I started to lose weight and that's what I use as my starting weight here. It doesn't really matter, but it would be cool to know what my real weight loss is.
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power.

    Scales are just a tool and your weight is just a number. The only thing the scale will tell you is if you are progressing and how fast. Is it important? Depends. You can get a similar effect with a tape measure, a camera or a mirror. Or just go by how you feel.

    You dont have to share anything, especially your weight. Hiding from it isnt going to help you. First step of solving a problem is admitting you have a problem, right?
  • mamacoates
    mamacoates Posts: 430 Member
    Being shy ... and not wanting to step on a scale ... are two different things. As for being shy, you don't have to share your information with anyone else. You don't have to post unless you want to. There is plenty to be learned from this website by reading other people's posts - both previous and current.

    As for not wanting to step on a scale, it sounds like you are not ready to face the honest truth of where you are starting out at. And if that's the case, you have two choices: Keep Avoiding the Truth (but you're not fooling anyone around you) or Get Over It and Move On. What will you choose? Only you know the answer ... but your long-term health depends on it!! Are you here because you are serious about bettering your own health, or are you here to dip your toe in the water and see whether or not the temperature suits you? If you are here because you want to change and improve, there are LOTS of people here on this website ready to help you, motivate you and give you their 2c to keep you going ...

    There are also lots of people on this website who have started out VERY HEAVY and have used the tools here to reach and surpass their goals. Success takes time, commitment, and perseverance. Scales, clothes sizes, and measurements are the best ways to track your success ... it is a combination of tools that will give you the best picture of how you are doing, what is working, and what needs fixing. Think of scales and measuring tapes as exactly that ... tools. If you don't own one, find somewhere where you could borrow one, if only for a once per month weigh-in. If you don't establish benchmarks, then you can't celebrate victories - both scaled and non-scaled.

    And again, read, read, read ... all the posts of other members here. It will boost your confidence that you are not alone in this journey. Best wishes to you ...
  • evilemma72
    evilemma72 Posts: 3 Member
    I have a pair of trousers I call my 'barometers' - if I can't do them up I need to lose weight, if they fit just right then I'm on track, if they become baggy I reached my goal .......no need for scales if you do this :)
  • Baykon
    Baykon Posts: 9 Member
    If you don't feel ready to invest in a scale, you could try using measurements to track your progress. Measure the parts you want to at intervals you feel comfortable with or when you decide you can see a difference you can whip out the old tape measure! At least until you feel comfortable enough to use a scale to track.

    Remember though that this is only the beginning and you're not planning on seeing that number again! Knowing your starting weight will make your efforts seem all the more successful when you reach your goals, too! But, track in whatever way you feel most comfortable with.
  • Laurayinz
    Laurayinz Posts: 930 Member
    Scales can be evil little bass turds, but you do need to have a general idea of weight so that you can estimate your calorie intake and burns. If you're off by too much, you might end up spinning your wheels.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Being shy ... and not wanting to step on a scale ... are two different things. As for being shy, you don't have to share your information with anyone else. You don't have to post unless you want to. There is plenty to be learned from this website by reading other people's posts - both previous and current.

    As for not wanting to step on a scale, it sounds like you are not ready to face the honest truth of where you are starting out at. And if that's the case, you have two choices: Keep Avoiding the Truth (but you're not fooling anyone around you) or Get Over It and Move On. What will you choose? Only you know the answer ... but your long-term health depends on it!! Are you here because you are serious about bettering your own health, or are you here to dip your toe in the water and see whether or not the temperature suits you? If you are here because you want to change and improve, there are LOTS of people here on this website ready to help you, motivate you and give you their 2c to keep you going ...

    There are also lots of people on this website who have started out VERY HEAVY and have used the tools here to reach and surpass their goals. Success takes time, commitment, and perseverance. Scales, clothes sizes, and measurements are the best ways to track your success ... it is a combination of tools that will give you the best picture of how you are doing, what is working, and what needs fixing. Think of scales and measuring tapes as exactly that ... tools. If you don't own one, find somewhere where you could borrow one, if only for a once per month weigh-in. If you don't establish benchmarks, then you can't celebrate victories - both scaled and non-scaled.

    And again, read, read, read ... all the posts of other members here. It will boost your confidence that you are not alone in this journey. Best wishes to you ...

    I think this is great advice.

    It can be hard to face the reality of where you started. Although once you are further along in your progress, you might wish you knew exactly.

    The highest weight I have ever seen on a scale was 307 back in 2008, but it's POSSIBLE I got even heavier before I started to lose. I don't know. I also sort of wish I'd taken photos then, or at least in March 2013 when I started using MFP. The first full-length photos I have of myself during my weight loss process are at about 235-240 pounds, and now I'm at 208. So looking at the photo I see a change but if I had photos of myself at 307, 280, or 262...it would be even more amazing to me, I'm sure!
  • djbeba
    djbeba Posts: 7
    Thank you.

    Thank to every one of you who ansered to my post I can look at this "problem" from other perspectives.

    I am thinking about buying one, because you are right. I need to keep track of what I am doing.

    Oh gosh...I just need a kick in the a** I guess.
  • KValmera71
    KValmera71 Posts: 82 Member
    I took photos of my starting weight 345lbs in October. I will continue to take monthly photos of my journey. Hopefully within the next few months, I will notice a difference.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    Also, the scale can help keep you from getting discouraged until you lose enough to be able to measure a difference in inches or find your clothes getting looser. I've lost about 25 lbs, and it took 15 lbs before I saw a change with the tape measure, and 20 lbs before I started noticing any change in how some clothes fit. I still can't see a difference in the mirror, and I've only had one person ask me if I was losing weight, so if I didn't have the records from the scale, I might be wondering whether I really was accomplishing anything, which seems like the first step toward abandoning my efforts.

    Also, in addition to scales to weigh yourself, you should definitely consider getting scales to weigh your food. It's so much more accurate than measuring cups, especially for solid foods. Features to look for:
    a reset (zero) button, so you can add one ingredient (e.g., your cereal), jot the number down, reset to zero, add another ingredients (berries or sliced banana), jot the number down, reset, etc.;
    accuracy down to the nearest gram;
    ability to weigh a substantial amount of food (mine goes up to 11 pounds, I believe) so you can use it to weigh a whole batch of food (chili, soup, etc.) when using the recipe function on MFP.
  • djbeba
    djbeba Posts: 7
    Thanks Lynn-glenmont,
    I have already started to use a scale to weigh my food. I find it very useful.

    Regarding the scale to weigh myself well...I am going to buy one this weekend!

    So far so good!

    Thanks guys, your advices really push me to do better!
  • rhondatime2chg
    rhondatime2chg Posts: 92 Member
    I agree with some of the other posters. I didn't step on a scale (and didnt go to my doctor, because I didn't want to get on the scale) for 2 years, because I didn't want to know. I didn't want to change. I wanted to keep eating what I wanted, and if I didn't know, then to me, it wasn't real. In those 2 years, I gained 40 pounds. Wow..... I finally got on the scale, realized what I had been doing to myself, and decided that this time I was going to change. Now, getting on that scale on a very regular basis is a big part of my weight loss.
  • wannehunter85
    wannehunter85 Posts: 133
    Don't use the scale at first. I agree with making small changes. I've lost about 60 pounds in the past 2 years. Mostly by just changing what I eat. I didn't have a scale at first because I just didn't want to see the number. But I know that I was heavier and am shorter than you are. You will feel more confident once you see your clothes becoming looser. Once you feel comfortable then get scale.....or don't! This is YOUR journey, and shouldn't be for anyone but YOU. :D
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    The entire time I was eating badly, and gaining weight, I never got on it. Since losing weight, I weigh daily. I have an Omron scale, and it tracks 7 different things. Gives me perspective on weight changes, and what is changing.
  • djbeba
    djbeba Posts: 7
    I did it.

    I have to be honest...I was in shock but now...I am even more determined to win my challenge! :)
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
    If you don't want to use a scale, use a measuring tape, that is another sometimes better indicator of how your fitness training or calorie reduction is going.

    Also:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Jenn842512
    Jenn842512 Posts: 41 Member
    Hi! I'm not a big fan of the scale anyway... it's more important how you feel. I struggled for awhile in my early twenties with healthy life choices but I think I've got it on lock now! Let me know how I can help. We can keep each other motivated because you never stop needing that, no matter your fitness level!

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