Need some advice and also some answers to an embarrassing ?
damnedtiredofbeingFAT
Posts: 8 Member
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!
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
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Throw out the scale. Take progress pictures/measurements every 2 weeks or so instead.0
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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.0
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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.0
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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!0
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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.0
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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!0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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.0
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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!0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.)0 -
Literally an apple a day should help with the toilet problems...0
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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 accountable0 -
You can weigh daily. Put it on an excel graph, add a trend line, and watch overall progress.0
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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).0
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Fiber, fiber, fiber....
Try adding fiber supplements, chia seeds, flaxseed, apples, bananas, etc.
That, and lots and lots of water.0 -
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.0 -
I weigh myself daily, it gives me a better idea of how natural fluctuations operate so I don't fall into the trap of weighing myself one week at the lowest water retention then weighing myself next week at a high water retention and think that I haven't lost any weight.
If you still can't make peace with it, just give it to a relative and visit 2-3 times a month to weigh yourself.
I actually read an article about it a few days ago which made me smile (because that was my relationship with the scale a few years ago)
http://www.fitocracy.com/knowledge/taming-the-scale-why-do-we-get-emotional-about-our-weight/?utm_source=Fitocracy+Users&utm_campaign=bb11f15456-Content_Taming_theScale_08_04_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c1f25ec28f-bb11f15456-2475502210 -
I'm one of those people who weigh themselves daily (or two, three times a day, actually). For me, this helps me stay in check, otherwise I might let myself go and not see this until the next weigh-in. That, and I'm desperate to see results real quick (don't be like me, lol).
Daily weigh-ins help me and many people, so there's nothing wrong with it per se. But, if it's making you uncomfortable, most of the advices above should help (I particularly liked the one where you give the scale to someone who lives not far away, so that you have to visit them when you want to weigh yourself).
Good luck with everything!0 -
an alternate to weighing in all the time, is to also take a tape measure one a week (Different than your weigh in day) and see how you've changed on your hips, waist, and anywhere else that you wish to look for changes in. It would give you an additional way of tracking changes, and isn't as harsh for the psyche. 0
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If you find it hard to stay away from the scale,you could use it to your advantage by logging every gain and loss till you get a good view of how your body fluctuates. That way in the future you can judge when you may stall or gain and not get disheartened.
Using a tape measure, photos and how your clothes feel can be better motivators when the scale isn't making you happy too.
ETA: if you can, replace the laxatives with plenty of fibre and fat in your diet (it's pretty bad for you to use these regularly).0 -
According to some research, weighing ones self daily is correlated with weight loss. I lost a hundred pounds in 2012 and weighted myself daily. I logged it in a spreadsheet. It really motivated me to see that spreadsheet, still does. One thing daily weigh-ins do it let you see the ups and downs of how your body deals with weight. Since it is impossible to lose weight every day, you will learn that it is just a number. What counts is the overall trend.
For those with a tendency to be compulsive, stepping on the scale every day may be an issue. It really comes down to a personal decision. For me measuring my weight every day was a tremendous help.0 -
Have you tried Activa Yogurt it really works, and if you have a juicer there are cleanse recipes that help you go naturally and increase your veggie and fruite intake. Good luck0
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I look forward to weighing every morning. There's always hope that I've dropped some weight.DAY 2 of my diet and I've already went against the decision I made to NOT weigh myself daily.
But like others, I only do it first thing in the morning, after using the toilet, naked.
Write it on the calendar.
That way when I feel stuck I can look back a month & see how I've improved.
If it bothers you, go for once a week. Put the scale someplace inconvenient (rafters of the garage?).
The more you use things like that, the more your body will depend on them.causes me to get constipated quite frequently ... 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).
As others have said, increase your water, fiber, and exercise. More fruits & veggies, whole grains, beans, lentils.
If you're going to use a laxative, use a bulk-forming one (like metamucil), not one that affects the motility of your intestines (senna).
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/senna-uses-and-risks
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/laxatives-topic-overview
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/nonprescription-medications-and-products-bulking-agents-and-laxatives0 -
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.)
^^ This
The magnesium supplement I haven fallen in love with is Natural Calm- you can pick it up at almost any health food store or Amazon. I have the lemon raspberry and it is pretty yum. You scoop a little (start with 1/2 dose) and add pour hot water to drink like a hot tea at night before bed. It is calming which helps me go to sleep and stay asleep- aids digestion (too much if you are not careful). One other amazing bonus- it helped decrease my menstrual cramps by about 75% a total win win!! I have tried MANY things to help with digestion and I am skeptical about any product- but this is something that really works and I will use long term.0 -
I weigh myself everyday, so I'm no help there.
When I stopped eating all the junk food I used to eat, I had the same issues as you are having. I have found that an apple every day has kept me "going". If I start getting backed up, a salad usually takes care of the problem. My husband says that coffee has a laxative effect for him - I don't know, I can't drink the stuff.
I have read that whole fruits/veggies are better than juices, because juice doesn't have the fiber that fruit/veggies have.
Also, keep in mind, that when you eat less, you poop less. It took me awhile to get used to that!0 -
Firstly it is great to read that you understand that weighing yourself everyday can sabotage your big efforts....
I weigh in at the same time once a week.. usually in the morning after I have gone to the toilet. I would advise the same.. find a system that works for you and keep the scales where it takes effort to get them (for example at the back of your closet.. or even your car boot). if you live with anyone even get them to hide the scales..
Some people can weigh themselves everyday and are happy doing this, but just think of how inaccurate it could be for you. for example if you have not been to the toilet there could be 200g sitting there.. and the scales could tell you that you had gained 200g where it's just umm stuff waiting to come out. the amount of water you drunk could effect your weight on a daily basis.
If you can cope with watching the scales go up and down most days I would say go ahead and weigh everyday.. but for an overall look at your weight I would personally say once or twice a week
Hope this helped 0
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