Has anyone had success throwing the scale away?

bkk40in2011
bkk40in2011 Posts: 72
in Health and Weight Loss
So i have been doing fantastic and I will lose then a couple of days later the scale will go right back up. Look up my questions - they are always "is there a set point?" etc. I am seriously thinking of throwing out the scale or at least only getting on it once a month. If I am tracking in MFP, eating good foods, exercising, sleeping well and managing stress then why wouldn't I lose weight. It may get rid of the ups and down emotion wise of the scale.

My idea - what if I used an outfit for each step down in "weight". If I have a pair of shorts I can't wear comfortably yet then they are my goal. Then I will pick something else for the next.

Has anyone done anything like this? Please tell me what got you to that point and how it worked for you. Thanks for the comments!

Replies

  • JeanMachine41
    JeanMachine41 Posts: 14
    Well I am on this site because the battery in our scale died two years ago - two years and twenty pounds!

    I do agree that it's not the number but how your clothes fit. You can always pick something that you know will fit if you lose a certain amount of weight and go by that.
  • lalawaterlala
    lalawaterlala Posts: 56 Member
    I've never thrown my scale away but I do keep it under my bathroom sink which makes it harder to get to so I don't weigh myself as much as I used to. I used to weigh myself like 7+ times in a single day. I'm going through a rough patch right now so I weight myself a couple times in the morning but that's it.

    I think it's a good idea not to weigh yourself everyday, like you said, because it causes an emotional rollercoaster. Seeing my weight fluctuate a couple of pounds really discourages me and I feel like their could be benefits to only weight once every week or every couple weeks.
    But also, I feel like weighing myself makes me remember to stay on track and eat healthy. :)
  • Veil5577
    Veil5577 Posts: 868 Member
    Yes, I am doing this. I am going by clothing size rather than scale. I had a scale once and all it did was discourage me.

    I have a pair of size 14 "test" jeans I'm using. I can wear them but it's a struggle to get them on. So my first goal is having them slide on with no effort at all. Then I have a smaller size 12 jeans hanging in my closet; that's the next goal. And so on and so forth. When I meet the goal I call it a 5 lb weight loss.

    I'm also considering getting a tape measure and doing measurements.
  • BrotherBill913
    BrotherBill913 Posts: 662 Member
    I have. I threw mine away and went by how my clothes fit and how I felt. It wasn't til after I threw it away that I lost 7 belt loops......
  • KaterinaTerese
    KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
    I put the scale away in November and haven't looked at it. The only reason I know my weight is the doctor.

    Everyone is a little bit different, but if you're willing to give it a go, it can be very freeing to let go of the number on the scale for a while. It's only one indicator of health.

    Now, my food scale, on the other hand... I put that away over Independence Day weekend and it was not a great experience.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    So i have been doing fantastic and I will lose then a couple of days later the scale will go right back up. L
    These are normal daily fluctuations weigh less often and they wont bug you as much. the average persons body can vary plus or minus 5 pounds a day. Just follow the trends
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    I haven't thrown away my scale but I don't stress over it either. I weigh myself once a week and look at the trend every 4 weeks.
  • KornishPiskie
    KornishPiskie Posts: 25 Member
    It sounds like a good idea to me. I haven't done it myself but you might find more success in measuring your waist, hips and arms. I havent lost anything in 6 months according to the scales. What I was doing is now not working. But I do look better I know that. I keep meaning to take my measurements but when I wake in the morning it's not the first thing I think to do. Good luck with it!
  • StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach
    StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach Posts: 83 Member
    I am in maintenance now, and although I do continue to weigh every few days to keep an eye on the numbers I mostly rely on my jeans. They are not stretchy, they are size 2 Tommy Hilfigger Jeans, and they tell me the absolute truth every time I put them on especially straight out of the dryer LOL.

    Muffin top=time to get serious.
    No muffin top=I'm doing a great job maintaining my 150 pound weight loss.
  • Iishasears84
    Iishasears84 Posts: 23
    Honestly, I am doing this right now. Well, I am going to do it for 2 weeks I would like to see if I lose more weight not focusing so much on the number, but focusing on what I am putting in my mouth and my level of activity. Then on July 28th I will weigh in and see what is going on. I found that I was also weighing myself all day! I don't want to be like that so I am trying something new. I am not saying DONT weigh yourself, but focus on another aspect of the journey.
  • media2law
    media2law Posts: 13
    I kinda do that. I weigh in once a week on a Monday but I am also using a pair of size 6 pants as a guide - no matter what the scale says.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I was really successful a couple of years ago with diet and exercise and weighing myself every week. But, I also never really fixed my relationship with food and the scale and when I stopped dieting I put some of the weight back on. I avoided coming back to log my calories and lose the weight again because I'd had such an unhappy relationship with calorie counting the first time around.

    So, second round I decided some things. These work for me, maybe you'll find some wisdom for yourself as well but maybe not. One, I'm taking it slow and steady this time. I'm still losing about a pound a week, but I'm not unhappy if I lose a little less. Two, I'm weighing myself once a month this time around. I know that my plan is working and I know that my weight is going to stall and fluctuate throughout the month so weighing myself every week doesn't mean a lot to me anymore. Three, I have my calorie goal set to my approximate maintenance (2200 calories). I aim to eat 1700 calories a day for 1 pound per week weight loss, but if I log 1800 or 1900 calories then that's okay too. Something about not having those red numbers at the end of the day makes me feel better this time around.

    tl;dr version: I weigh once a month and I'm happier for it. Try it out and see if it works for you.
  • secwife47
    secwife47 Posts: 29 Member
    Not thrown away, but have punted it across the room a few times. I agree with most people on here. If your clothes are fitting better, your doing something right.
  • chandainwv
    chandainwv Posts: 4
    My trainer - who is now also a best friend, told me that weighing ourselves is counter productive and I think he is right. he trained many celebs too.
    What happens is that if you do not see change on the scale daily, you freak.
    so if you go by FIT OF CLOTHES - you are way ahead of the game.
    I was just g90ing to text him and tell him I made a new hole in my now too big belt.

    Training is paramount to healthy mind and life.
    Do what you can, make it regular and remember results are LONG TERM not just around the corner.
  • marchellaz
    marchellaz Posts: 70 Member
    I don't use the scale. I wont obsess where I want to be with a number. I can tell by dropping sizes right now and can see in the mirror. When I look in the mirror and I am where I want to be I will stop. I will weigh myself then and try to maintain that number.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    I'm thinking about it. Or at least switch to weekly weigh ins. This high fiber diet and new exercise routine is really messing with my numbers. I shouldn't let those numbers mess with my head, but it happens.
  • chandainwv
    chandainwv Posts: 4
    I am in maintenance now, and although I do continue to weigh every few days to keep an eye on the numbers I mostly rely on my jeans. They are not stretchy, they are size 2 Tommy Hilfigger Jeans, and they tell me the absolute truth every time I put them on especially straight out of the dryer LOL.

    Muffin top=time to get serious.
    No muffin top=I'm doing a great job maintaining my 150 pound weight loss.

    Size 2? Make sure you are healthy please. that is usually not a heathful thing for anyone.
    Congrats on the 150 though that is very hard. good job
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    I am in maintenance now, and although I do continue to weigh every few days to keep an eye on the numbers I mostly rely on my jeans. They are not stretchy, they are size 2 Tommy Hilfigger Jeans, and they tell me the absolute truth every time I put them on especially straight out of the dryer LOL.

    Muffin top=time to get serious.
    No muffin top=I'm doing a great job maintaining my 150 pound weight loss.

    Size 2? Make sure you are healthy please. that is usually not a heathful thing for anyone.
    Congrats on the 150 though that is very hard. good job

    In America clothes are so vanity sized that now a 2 is more like a 5-6 or even a 7-8 when I was young.
  • bkk40in2011
    bkk40in2011 Posts: 72
    Thanks so much for the quick input. I am thinking I will put it away until the end of July. I already know a pair of capris that I bought that are too tight to feel comfortable in so I will use that as my goal. I already feel relieved.
  • StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach
    StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach Posts: 83 Member
    See next post, I forgot to "Quote"
  • StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach
    StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach Posts: 83 Member
    I am in maintenance now, and although I do continue to weigh every few days to keep an eye on the numbers I mostly rely on my jeans. They are not stretchy, they are size 2 Tommy Hilfigger Jeans, and they tell me the absolute truth every time I put them on especially straight out of the dryer LOL.

    Muffin top=time to get serious.
    No muffin top=I'm doing a great job maintaining my 150 pound weight loss.

    Size 2? Make sure you are healthy please. that is usually not a heathful thing for anyone.
    Congrats on the 150 though that is very hard. good job

    Thank you for your concern. I'm not sure what you mean by "that is not healthy for anyone". I am 5 foot 3 and my BMI is 22. A current size 2 is what used to be a size 6, 10-15 years ago. It's called vanity sizing. And I hope it doesn't freak you out that I have a few dresses in a size 0, and they fit also.
  • StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach
    StacyPhillipsTSFLcoach Posts: 83 Member
    I am in maintenance now, and although I do continue to weigh every few days to keep an eye on the numbers I mostly rely on my jeans. They are not stretchy, they are size 2 Tommy Hilfigger Jeans, and they tell me the absolute truth every time I put them on especially straight out of the dryer LOL.

    Muffin top=time to get serious.
    No muffin top=I'm doing a great job maintaining my 150 pound weight loss.


    Size 2? Make sure you are healthy please. that is usually not a heathful thing for anyone.
    Congrats on the 150 though that is very hard. good job

    In America clothes are so vanity sized that now a 2 is more like a 5-6 or even a 7-8 when I was young.

    This is correct.
  • bkk40in2011
    bkk40in2011 Posts: 72
    OK that made me laugh about the vanity sizing. I didn't know that. That is really cool that you know that and own it! I bet you look great and feel great!
  • vcharmergirl
    vcharmergirl Posts: 5 Member
    nice job!
  • danaaae
    danaaae Posts: 13 Member
    I ditched the scale. For me it was making or breaking my day and once I started lifting weights it went up a few pounds and stayed up...and I was/am in a caloric deficit. So I had my daughter hide it from me almost an entire month ago and I feel good about it. I find that I watch what I eat a lot more closely and I'm keeping an eye on how my clothes fit. Nothing has gotten tighter, and people have recently started commenting that I look like I'm losing weight. I'm wearing a shirt today that I haven't worn in a few weeks and it seems looser, and I'm starting to see some increased definition in my bicep! I will weigh probably sometime in late August. I say give it a try. It has been a good thing for me.

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