Why oh why are we slaves to the scale?

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jstavix
jstavix Posts: 407 Member
in Chit-Chat
I have been on a new journey to really lose weight this time. I am the kind of person who always has great intentions and they always fall flat. I have been doing a little bit of soul searching as of late and I have come to the conclusion that the scale is mostly to blame for my downfall. I put way too much passion into seeing that number fall instead of noticing the way my clothes feel and the way I can feel my rib cage now.

So, why do we all put so much pressure on ourselves and weigh everyday? I am not going to do it anymore, I will put it away and maybe weigh twice a week. I will eat clean, work out and just trudge on and be dedicated. I didn't put this weight on overnight and it won't come off overnight either. I want to be proud that I did it this time. The scale is not the only measure of success, and it will not be mine anymore!

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  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
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    The scale is not the only measure of success, and it will not be mine anymore!

    The scale is actually a terrible way to measure success .. and for many people is a source of much emotional hardship. I recommend that people skip the scale .. if they are of the emotional type.

    I personally recommend measuring body fat % .. and taking measurements. Much better than the scale.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
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    I weigh daily, but don't feel the pressure you're talking about. There are some people here that don't weigh at all. Just gotta do what works best for you!
  • CoolDad67
    CoolDad67 Posts: 324 Member
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    I "officially" weigh twice a week and take measurements once a week.

    Unofficially, I may step on the scale more often just to see how it's going. Sometimes it is up. Sometimes it is down. But I don't let it get me down.

    My wife, on the other hand, would rather not ever step on a scale.

    We're both actually happier with the other changes, like clothes fit.
  • brianpride
    brianpride Posts: 27 Member
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    For me I've found that when I begin losing weight (I've started far too many times) that the scale motivates me because I can see progress there that isn't immediately noticeable other ways. As I get thinner it transitions from the scale, to the clothes, to the fitness level. I think everyone has to find the measure that motivates and encourages them at the point they are in their journey but try not be a slave to any one thing. Tomorrow you may find a brand new motivator.
  • JimHM
    JimHM Posts: 24 Member
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    I know what you mean, scales can be depressing and cause problems with motivation. I’ve seen it loads!
    In my experience, its best to only weigh yourself once per 2 weeks as a rough estimate. You can put on a few pounds if you are hydrated and this confuses people. Also if you are training with resistance you will be building muscle and burning fat, so you may not lose any weight at all but your fat will be disappearing and I guess that this is the goal?

    Instead of using the scales, get yourself some tight jeans and put them on the first day of every month to see how they are fitting. You want to do this every month because fat loss takes time and if you are on the right track you will see a difference in this timescale.

    It sounds to me like you are on the right track anyway, good job so far and good luck :happy:
    Hope this has given you some ideas; let me know how you get on
    Jim
    Swapfat4fit.com

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