Anyone else not own a scale?

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tgraves9875
tgraves9875 Posts: 16 Member
in Getting Started
I have been watching my weight for as long as I can remember, eating fairly healthy and stepping on the scale EVERY SINGLE DAY. I remember being so scared on vacation, for example, if I did not have access to a scale for a week. About a year ago,( during a potentially hormonal moment;) I buried my scale in the trash. Miraculously my pants still fit!

Although, I have been doing great without my little morning bathroom judge, I am tempted to get another one now that I am seriously recording my input #'s in to this process. I acctually don't even know what I weigh right now within 10 lbs. or so, I just estimated on my profile.

I seriously doubt if I do decide to get one I'd be able to use it only weekly. Any thoughts?
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  • kjurassic
    kjurassic Posts: 571 Member
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    I don't own one. I weigh maybe once every month or two. (I've lost about 60 lbs since last October. Between doctor visits and the local grocery store having a fine scale - I can weigh more frequently, just choose not to since this is my lifestyle now - not a diet. I don't want the scale to dictate or "sabatoge" the lifestyle. Seems to be working for me. You can always tell if you're gaining/losing by measuring and/or the way your clothes are fitting.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    It really depends on psychologically how you'll handle it. That data is useful to have but if obsessive can cause problems. I'm a daily weigher I weigh every day log the amount in a spreadsheet then get on with life. The daily fluctuations really don't worry me as I'm concentrating on the overall trend. If though your going to panic every time the scale moves up a pound (remember your weight could vary up to 5 pounds in a day) maybe owning a scale could be bad for you. I know of many people who just weight monthly at the Doctors or a pharmacist or even a friends house. you really just need to think about what will work best for you and what you will do with the information once you get it.
  • SlimSharonSlim
    SlimSharonSlim Posts: 85 Member
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    Just bought one........and so glad I did......YOU NEED ONE LADIES :)
  • IcanIwill1
    IcanIwill1 Posts: 137 Member
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    Just bought one........and so glad I did......YOU NEED ONE LADIES :)
    I totally agree.
    How else will I know if what I may consider a blip is just the thin edge of the knife called "regaining"
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
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    We don't have one in our house. I have access to a scale at work and weight myself maybe every 2-4 weeks. I usually know what the number is going to be even before stepping on it, but it's good to periodically check in. Most of my clothes are tailored and well fitting, so if I'm gaining I know it.
  • EvelineUK
    EvelineUK Posts: 97
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    You really don't. You can measure yourself once a week and do occasional weigh-ins at the doctor's or friends if you're that worried. For a lot of people, daily (and sometimes twice- or more daily) can become obsessive, which doesn't help at all.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    I weigh myself daily, only to see the daily fluctuations and to see my average for the week. If you think you can handle that without being obsessed with the number, it's fine to weigh every day. If you want to get one again, a good digital drug store model will do the trick.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    Well--my problem with the scale started many years ago. I had one but refused to step on it. I was so bad that even when I went to the doctors office I would tell the nurse not to tell me how much I weighed, but my doctor made sure I did.

    So basically because of my refusal to get on it---I let 25 pounds sneak up on me.

    A scale is a must to have--that's the only way you can determine your BMI, and it's definitely the only way you can chart your progress on this site--(MFP)
  • california_haley
    california_haley Posts: 220 Member
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    Sometimes i wish i didnt own one. however i havent weighed myself at home in the past 9 months, just at my prenatal check ups
  • MscGray
    MscGray Posts: 304 Member
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    I don't....i probably should, but so far I have been having ok to good results, so I'm gonna keep on trucking until I stall out....when that happens I will likely tighten down and weigh over measure food...I tend to eyeball stuff, and I tend to air on the side of caution and estimate a little higher then actually consumed to help offset errors....like I said, so far so good!
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    I don't....i probably should, but so far I have been having ok to good results, so I'm gonna keep on trucking until I stall out....when that happens I will likely tighten down and weigh over measure food...I tend to eyeball stuff, and I tend to air on the side of caution and estimate a little higher then actually consumed to help offset errors....like I said, so far so good!


    How do you keep track of your progress on myfitnesspal if you're not weighing yourself? How were you able to determine the amount of calories you require on MFP without weighing yourself first?

    I know it's hard to look at the scale--but hey--you can't expect to actually know what you're doing without weighing yourself. Guesswork doesn't cut it.
  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
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    I thought you meant kitchen scale initially. Gotta have one of those
  • MscGray
    MscGray Posts: 304 Member
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    bwah hahahah...i'm so dumb! I really should start reading things better...i thought you meant a food scale!
    not the "body" scale! :blushing:
    I do in fact have one of those....it is hard not to get obsessive with its use. I generally do step on it once a day, but I try not to get worked up over the numbers because I realize that I have a huge swing (between 5-9 lbs) through out the day. Someone lse on here once told me that its nice to keep yourself accountable, and have some verification that your doing it right.....maybe take measurements instead of weighing? You will be less likely to see fluctuations, and keep the faith a little better.


    *edited because it is now clear to me that I should just shut up, its gonna be one of THOSE days*
  • KayBallin
    KayBallin Posts: 111 Member
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    I don't own a scale. I weigh in at the gym. Honestly, I like it better that way. I can tell my weight loss is working by how loose my clothes fit now.
  • kdbnmd
    kdbnmd Posts: 16 Member
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    I don't own a scale because I KNOW I would be weighing myself too frequently. There is a scale at my work so I hop on that a couple times a week which I think is too much. Even though I know about water weight and how my weight fluctuates daily because of that I still get a little disappointed if I'm up even a pound from a couple days before. SO I think not owning a scale is a good thing if you think you'd be obsessive about it.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    Well at least you're weighing yourself twice a week. The point is everyone needs to know where they're starting at before they can begin.

    While some people may get obsessive about weighing themselves several times a day, most people aren't like that. There are people like me that get on the scale first thing in the morning and leave it alone the rest of the day. Others only weigh themselves once a week--to check their progress.

    And then there are others that don't weight themselves at all, and it's those people that are shocked and horrified by how much they weight when they have to be weighed, (usually at the doctor's office.)

    So it's a great idea to have a scale at home. Don't stress--weigh yourself at least once a week--and shove it in the closet--where it's out of site out of mind--if you have too.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
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    I just started less than a month ago, I input my last known weight from last time I was at the doctors office, which was about 7-8 months ago. Went to the doctor yesterday and got weighed. I expected more weightloss, even though a 3 lbs weightloss would be about 1.5 a week which is my goal, I feel like I've lost more than 3 pounds since I began on MFP, so I figure I must have gained from my last Dr. visit to the time I began on MFP and my SW was actually higher than my last known weight.

    I don't know and have to make assumptions and speculations, all because I don't have a working scale. I've been researching scales on Amazon, will probably make my decision soon

    edited to clarify my gibberish writing.
  • akscharaswak
    akscharaswak Posts: 8 Member
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    I don't own a scale either. I have fairly regular checkups due to fluctuations in the meds I have to take, and I also am able to weigh myself at work once a week if I want to. I prefer to use my waist measurement as a tracker (or my pants). If I have to adjust my belt, I'm losing. There was a point last year where I could jump up and down and my pants would fall off, even when my belt was on and cinced as tight as it would go. That was the best day ever, and I totally went out that weekend and bought new pants a size smaller!
  • Janalynrenee18
    Janalynrenee18 Posts: 11 Member
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    I used to but i dont now. I drove myself crazy with it. I try to use the one at the gym - the medical one- so that I weigh in once a week- maybe two weeks... otherwise i go by how my clothes fit ... :)
  • needabeachbod14
    needabeachbod14 Posts: 6
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    I used to own a scale and would get so low evey time in crept up or even down by just a lb - moved into a new home, scales not included and going to weigh myself in 4 weeks and see how i have got on - i am measuring my body instead

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