Should I throw out the scale? Will it follow me back?

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whitneyrlester
whitneyrlester Posts: 9 Member
in Motivation and Support
My scale is the devil and I am CERTAIN it's out to get me. Every day is a new weight. How do I stop the madness? :sad:

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  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Stop stepping on the scale or do it once a week/bi-weekly/monthly. Take photos and measurements instead.
  • RushBabe_214
    RushBabe_214 Posts: 115
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    Don't weigh in every day. Try once a week instead.
  • JoshD8705
    JoshD8705 Posts: 390 Member
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    I have a tendency to step on the scale multiple times a day. I am interested in seeing how much water weight I take off in my work outs (1 to 2lbs usually). I know that my afternoon weigh in is slightly behind my morning weigh in 11 for morning, and 9 for afternoon currently. I'm now also able to predict when I will see a loss the next morning.

    All this can be stressful, but understanding it is a relief. I will be starting an official Wednesday, and Saturday weigh in though.
  • whitneyrlester
    whitneyrlester Posts: 9 Member
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    I definitely understand. I am finding out how different things I eat and drink show up on the scales. I just hate the habit I've gotten myself in by weighing every morning. It's affects my motivation sometimes to see the ups and downs.
  • JoshD8705
    JoshD8705 Posts: 390 Member
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    I'll be storing my scale under the sink, so I don't see it every day starting Sunday.
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
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    I've had a love hate relationship with the scale for years. More hate than love! When I started MFP last year I moved my weigh in day to Friday mornings and found the results were so much better. If you have a bit of a slip up or have saltier foods on the weekend you have Monday through Thursday to fix it! :-)
  • bostonlinda
    bostonlinda Posts: 6 Member
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    My daughter broke up with her scale after gaining back 10 lbs of the 50 she lost. A couple of months later she weighed herself and it was up another 10 lbs! It's a tool and should be used as such. I think the "cyclical" weight gain and loss means that your weight can fluctuate up and down 6 lbs and that is stressful when you want to see a consistent loss. I bought her a scale that syncs with my fitness pal! So then she can monitor on her computer the monthly fluctuations and KNOW that its caused by her cycle. And then also a polar heart rate monitor (for both of us) so we can more accurately monitor calories burned.

    We both use the scale, my fitness pal, fitbit, AND polar heart rate monitor as accountability tools. Trying to move away from the emotions and into the realm of science. The scale tells me that I need to be doing something different...
  • casarow
    casarow Posts: 7 Member
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    Yes !! Throw away the scale !! Literally !!! I will never go back to scale since I got the hydrostatic testng done. It is the most accurate BMI . A mobile hydrostatic fat testing clinic came to my place of work and inside the truck is a huge tank of water. I dunk myself for a few seconds under water ! No biggie !! There was a techie guy there and he ran my numbers after the test. It told me my percentage of body fat , muscle and resting metabolic rate. After 6 weeks of exercising and watching my diet I did a mid weigh in. I lost 8 lbs of fat and also lost 2 lbs of muscle. Yikes!! Since then I adjusted my exercise to adding more strengthening exercises instead of just all cardio and made sure I was eating enough protein. Right now I am going with 40% protein, 40% Carbs and 20% good Fats . I certainly don't want to lose muscle but If I want to lose weight.. I rather it be fat loss. Not muscle !!
    I am two weeks out before my next and final weigh in , in the tank ! Super excited !! I know now its not the number on the scale. We all know muscle is heavier than fat ! Hope the tank is in your area so you could give it a try. :smile: :wink:
  • apgabriel915
    apgabriel915 Posts: 53 Member
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    I have to agree that I have a love/hate relationship with my scale. I'm actually picking up a new one after work today because I can't see the numbers on my current one. I do try to use it as a tool instead of letting it run me. I, personally, like the sense of accomplishment as I see the numbers go down and I can see where I started. I did have a week period where I lived my life around it. I was on it ALL the time. Each bathroom break, you name it. I now weigh in on Wednesdays and maybe Thursday (I tend to lose another .5 lb the following day) and then that's it. I just felt like part of the weight loss/getting healthy battle was learning to have a relationship with my scale. As for BMI...yeah no, I think it's complete crap so I don't even pay attention to it. I monitor it, but that's about it.
  • Sjarkey15
    Sjarkey15 Posts: 57 Member
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    Put the scale somewhere other than the bathroom(Under the sink, guest bathroom, closet...). That way you don't see it and feel like you need to step on it. :)
  • DivineChoices
    DivineChoices Posts: 193 Member
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    I know how tempting it is to step on the scale every morning. Sometimes I do it too! But try not to, AND take some time to really reflect on WHY the number on the scale ties directly to your self-esteem and motivation.

    The scale can only have as much power over you as you GIVE it.

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