Need some advice and also some answers to an embarrassing ?

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damnedtiredofbeingFAT
damnedtiredofbeingFAT Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
DAY 2 of my diet and I've already went against the decision I made to NOT weigh myself daily. I tried hard to not jump on the scale, but in the end, I ended up on the scale anyway! Anyone have any tips to avoid weighing everyday? And, how often should I weigh? In the past, just getting on the scale daily has sabotaged my entire diet!!
Also, I'm on a prescription medicine(long term) that causes me to get constipated quite frequently-actually, I pretty much stay constipated. In addition to the medication binding me up, I would also eat a lot of foods that are well known for causing constipation(ie: cheeses, ice cream, Oreo cookies, etc...). I'm prettylucky if I go twice a week, and even then only with help from enemas (told you it was embarrassing) and otc senna laxatives (prunelax). Now that I'm on a healthier diet, and hopefully a lifelong lifestyle change, I want to be able to avoid these and go naturally. I know this is another one of the reasons I feel so bad all of the time, and gain weight quickly. Any tips that will help with this too would be greatly appreciated.

On a positive note, even though this is just day 2 of my low calorie, gluten-free diet, I am already feeling a bit better.

Thanks to any and all that have any input they feel may be helpful for me! :)
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Replies

  • KimMc60
    KimMc60 Posts: 112 Member
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    Throw out the scale. Take progress pictures/measurements every 2 weeks or so instead.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
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    Make a punishment system. If you must step on the scale then you have to do some exercise you normally don't like. Like a jog around the block. Or if you are of the heavier side push ups or whatnot. Whatever you kinda don't like. That way even if you don't stick to it you will get some extra exercise in. And since you don't like it .. odds are you need it.
  • CandySugar500
    CandySugar500 Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm freaking out because I don't have a scale I haven't weighed my self in over a month, and even though I lost some inches I don't feel like I've lost any weight but it might be a good idea to throw away the scale as some people don't use one at all and still have good results. Also my brother stays constipated because of the way he eats, he's very skinny though but still has that issue, so to keep regular he juices apples, carrots, and pears he also drinks prune juice and eats prunes at least once a day. Hope that helps.
  • alowry25
    alowry25 Posts: 19 Member
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    Hey, I'm lucky to go twice a week myself! Lol. And yes, I'll use an enema myself from time to time. I used to have a bad habit of weighing myself all the time but I just have to walk away from it. I have learned to not weigh myself a week before and after my period bc I will be 5 pounds heavier then I'll be depressed for the next week. Hide the scales.. out of sight, out of mind, right? Good luck!
  • lizarddev
    lizarddev Posts: 100 Member
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    Put the scale up and start measuring weekly if that is desirable. You usually wont see a change for two weeks and measure you see things that your clothes will see. I have been stale on the scale for two months (Not Worried) but I measure every two weeks and I see it in my clothes. I only weigh and post here so others can see what foods can hinder weight in sodium intake. It also holds me accountable for my mistakes if I don't stay on the eating regiment. In all Put up the scale and measure.
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
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    Make a punishment system. If you must step on the scale then you have to do some exercise you normally don't like. Like a jog around the block. Or if you are of the heavier side push ups or whatnot. Whatever you kinda don't like. That way even if you don't stick to it you will get some extra exercise in. And since you don't like it .. odds are you need it.

    I think this is a great idea!
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    You can weigh daily if you want. In fact there are a lot of good reasons to. What you can't/shouldn't do is pay any attention whatsoever to day to day changes in weight. Take 7 days worth of daily weights and average them. Then after a month goes by you can compare your averages and see a much more telling indication of your actual progress. A million things effect day to day weights, week to week is less volatile, month to month is less still. The more data points you enter (daily weights) the more accurate your averages will be. The only way this works though is if you pay no attention to the daily changes. I don't know how to make that happen for you other then to assure you that those day to day changes are 100% absolutely meaningless.
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
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    Put away or give away your scale. When a good friend of mine started trying to lose weight, she'd literally step on 3 times a day and then freak out as her weight went up. We lived a few blocks from each other at the time, so I literally took her scale away from her (we discussed it first). That way, if she wanted to weigh in, she had to pop over to my place, which also encouraged her to incorporate a little morning run/walk so she could weigh in before she'd eaten etc.

    If you have someone who lives relatively close to you, I'd recommend just handing it over. Make a date every week or two where you can pop over, and then the temptation is completely removed. Because do you really want to go all the way there and have to socialize with someone just so you can see what you weigh? Probably not.

    As per the other part: fiber is your best friend. Up the fruits and veggies and lower your fat intake and you'll likely find you get more regular.
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
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    How much fiber are you eating? It may seem backwards, but there is some indication that idiopathic constipation (i.e. constipation without medical cause) can be relieved by bringing fiber down to zero. If you're currently trying to fix it with high fiber solutions, and that's not working, you may want to try removing all fiber from your diet for a couple weeks and see if that helps.
  • JoJoVan96
    JoJoVan96 Posts: 26 Member
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    Don't even keep a scale in the house! I've fallen into that as well....I resolved to only weigh in 'officially' on Tuesday mornings before my run, but I keep finding myself on there, sometimes two or three times a day! I'd completely chuck mine out the door, but dear hubby is able to control himself & only weigh once a week so I know he'd be madder than h*ll if I got rid of it!
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    i weigh myself all day long. i just be sure only to take seriously the first weight of the day which happens after i wake up and go to the bathroom, and i do it undressed (ever since i weighed in and out of clothes and discovered that with shoes and jeans my clothes weighed 9 pounds!).

    you don't mention fiber intake, but if you're not already, take a little psyllium powder around each meal with 8 ounces of water. start out low (1/4 to a third of a teaspoon) and work up only after your digestion has had time to adjust a little. it's helped me a lot.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    I, myself, weight every morning. For me it helps keep me on track.
    As far as constipation goes, I take 400 mg magnesium citrate tablets per day. I also eat lots of veggies, fruit, bran,beans and 1/2 cup prune juice per day. Also, lots of water!
    Check that the magnesium will be ok with your daily prescription. It really is quite effective.
  • feedmedonuts
    feedmedonuts Posts: 241 Member
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    Second putting away the scale. If you do decide to keep one, once a week is reasonable. I used to only weigh myself at doctors visits or when I'd go to the local Publix and use their in store scale. Doing so less frequently was so nice because when I actually did get weighed, I was pleasantly surprised. When I first started dieting and exercising my first trip to the doctor revealed I lost 15lbs, that was the first time I had seen my weight since trying so I was motivated even more.

    As for the second question, I'd always ask a doctor first. With IBS and pregnancy I am all too familiar with your pain. Perhaps some milk of magnesia would do the trick. A cup of coffee and grapefruit help too.
  • omsmom12
    omsmom12 Posts: 31 Member
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    Why not weigh yourself everyday and plot it on a chart? Daily you will go either up or down but the trend line should be sloping downward overall. Keep your eyes pointed toward the horizon rather than on the day. It's about what we do *most* of the time, not what we do only now and then. Make change gradual and as painless as possible. Otherwise, you will only tolerate so much discomfort before you give up on it all.

    As for your other concern, I have a similar reaction to my medication. Here's what really works:
    1. Drink more fluids. Preferably water. Quite a bit more fluids than you currently consume. It helps a lot.
    2. Exercise gets you moving in more than one way, if you know what I mean. Exercise daily. If you don't enjoy vigorous exercise, simply take a walk in some surroundings you enjoy (be it in nature or at the mall).
    3. I take a magnesium supplement. Be careful not to take too much as it works very well. I don't take it with calcium--it's recommended to take it with calcium to prevent the "side effect"--because the side effect is what I'm hoping for. I've experimented with taking less or taking more and 750 mg nightly seems to be the right dose for me to keep me regular. Might want to start with 250 or 500 mg. (If you have any health issues, ask a doctor before taking a magnesium supplement to be certain it won't interact with any of your current medications.)
  • Numberwang22
    Numberwang22 Posts: 213 Member
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    Literally an apple a day should help with the toilet problems...
  • Lindzpnc
    Lindzpnc Posts: 98 Member
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    I have two scales one in the restroom and one in the living room... it used to make me binge.. and sometimes I would get upset but now I just give my scale the finger when it tells me something I don't like and walk away determined to keep going until I can say "ha ha scale, im down'

    this is silly

    I need the scale to keep me accountable
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
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    You can weigh daily. Put it on an excel graph, add a trend line, and watch overall progress.
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
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    Heck no. Weigh yourself daily. Just don't freak out over little variances. Then maybe you'll find out that a chinese meal actually makes you accumulate 2 lb of water, and then it takes you 2 days (or whatever to go back to normal).
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    Fiber, fiber, fiber....

    Try adding fiber supplements, chia seeds, flaxseed, apples, bananas, etc.

    That, and lots and lots of water.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    It doesn't matter how much you weigh yourself, just figure out why it is sabotaging you and how to prevent that.

    For example, daily changes are meaningless. If you understand that, you shouldn't freak out because you are up or down on one particular day. IME, daily weighing can be a way to teach yourself that. I weigh daily but only count one day of the week (currently Sundays).

    If you really can't deal with the scale (it would be helpful to understand what the particular issues are in giving advice), maybe get some jeans of a consistent style and brand in your current size and the next three down and use them as a measuring scale, along with a measuring tape and photos. I can't ditch the scale personally as everything else is too gradual before you see the changes and I like seeing the official weigh-ins each week to confirm to myself that all is going well, but I have done the jeans thing as an addition to the scale.

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