Anyone else not own a scale?

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  • tgraves9875
    tgraves9875 Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks. I think I'm going to foregoe it for now and just use the one at the in-laws here and there. I've noticed I feel really positive lately, eating "good" and exercising. I'd hate to bum myself out by stepping on the scale if it's not moving quick enough for me. I did weigh myself yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by a -5 lb. Thanks again!
  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
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    Why are you on myfitnesspal.com if you don't own a scale?
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 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"

    You can take photos of yourself in the mirror... same as for progress pics, just you compare them to check you're not gaining. Weight can fluctuate, but a muffin top where there didn't use to be a muffin top is a sure sign of fat gain. How your clothes fit is another way to tell, but you can with some kinds of clothes gain quite a lot of fat before you notice... but taking pics in the mirror e.g. on a monthly basis and comparing them can tell you if fat gain is happening. And a tape measure as well. Gaining inches around your waist is nearly always a sign of fat gain. Alternatively, you can get skinfold callipers like the accumeasure ones.

    While I think it's probably a bit OTT to throw scales in the bin (although I understand it if they're messing with someone's head that much) and scales are a good tool to use so long as it's put into the context of body composition and an understanding of day to day water weight fluctuations, it is certainly possible to assess progress while losing fat, and ensure you're not gaining weight without owning a scale. And if the OP finds it's messing with her head that much, then there are plenty of other ways she can be sure she's not gaining fat.
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
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    Many years ago I got rid of my scale because I had an unhealthy obsession with it. I allowed it to tell me whether I should feel good about myself or bad. When it became mostly bad, on the advice of a therapist I was seeing, I got rid of it.

    Fast forward many years and many added pounds (which I gained due to overeating, not because I didn't have a scale), I decided to buy one. This was after I had been logging here for about a year, and had lost about 30 pounds (The first year I would only weigh when I went to the doctor). I am in a much better mental state now, and while my intention was to only weigh once a week, I tend to get on it daily. Now, rather than feeling bad if I see a weight gain, I simply see is as feedback. Maybe I had more sodium the day before and it's water weight. Maybe I haven't been sticking to my calorie deficit and it's weight gain. Maybe I lost weight in which case I log my loss here on MFP. Sometimes I even get on it after a large meal, just for amusement and to prove to myself that it isn't something to be feared.

    I also take pictures and measurements once a month.
  • needabeachbod14
    needabeachbod14 Posts: 6
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    Why are you on myfitnesspal.com if you don't own a scale?

    To sustain a healthy lifestyle - just like you.

    Some of us go by how we feel rather than what we weigh - just like you I imagine - you know when you look good and when you don't - why feel good, step on a scale and relaise you have not lost any weight due to muscle gain for example but you are physically looking better and then feel shoddy instantly becuase of a scale.

    MFP also offers a great support network and keeps track of your calories alongst other great things

    Thats why! :)
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
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    I seriously doubt if I do decide to get one I'd be able to use it only weekly. Any thoughts?

    I use mine daily. It only takes about 15 seconds--no big deal.

    You should have some consistent way to measure your progress. I track my weight, body fat %, and various tape measurements. The scale is a leading indicator--the first indicator of any change in my body. Before my girlfriend began weighing, she sometimes imagined she'd done well when she was off-track.

    It sounds like to you get obsessive about your scale.. In that case, I might consider checking if any local stores or friends have one you can use weekly or so. That would take more than the 15sec/day it takes for a daily reading, but would prevent you from making a big deal about it on a daily basis.

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