How do you stay motivated when the scale doesn't like you?

Losingthedamnweight
Losingthedamnweight Posts: 535 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I got on the scale yesterday fully expecting to see a certain lower number and I'm 2 lbs heavier! Same today. Not seeing any loss even though I know mathematically, the numbers work. I know I ate at a deficit numbering in the thousands but I'm not seeing the results.

How do you stay motivated when you see crap like this? What do you say to yourself? Not too long ago, I would've gotten so frustrated I would've said "screw it. I'm gonna binge for the next couple days because of this". But I'm not going to this time. I'm not even tempted, so that's like a little non scale victory right there right? I'm just de motivated.

Replies

  • TheSatinPumpkin
    TheSatinPumpkin Posts: 948 Member
    Measurements. General wellbeing
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    I'm too lazy to take my measurements but pictures help to see progress when the scale doesn't move (I've been at the same weight for almost a yr now).
  • mrsmcmo
    mrsmcmo Posts: 109 Member
    Have you been drinking enough water?

    If I see only a very small amount of weight loss, or a gain on the scale and I *know* I have been eating at a deficit, I usually convince myself that it is either a) my scale is inaccurate (this has happened to me when my battery was getting low) or b) I was retaining water from not drinking enough a couple days prior to weighing myself, or having a too much sodium. That at least keeps me motivated to keep eating at a deficit and then by the next time I weigh myself (usually a week to 10 days later), I will see a loss. :)

    It can be so disappointing, but keep at it!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I am so used to the scale going up and down that I don't much care about the fluctuations.

    My goal has always been to get healthier and be thinner. If I had no scale, I'd still do it. :)
  • fallenangel316
    fallenangel316 Posts: 16
    I used to be all about the scale but then i found myself getting depressed if it went up a pound or even half a pound. So i try to limit myself on the scale (for example i am not weighing myself for the whole month of October)

    Instead i look at other indicators. Do my clothes feel looser, does my arms/theigh/tummy/butt whatever look smaller (pictures work great for that) Can i walk up those stairs and not be out of breathe when i get to the top. Do i need to raise the pounds on my weights.. that kind of thing
  • Stripeness
    Stripeness Posts: 511 Member
    Step away from the scale.
    Either weigh less frequently, or find a way to not have the daily variations drive you crazy. I've found if I handwrite the daily number on a calendar, the fluctuations don't bother me like they do if recorded in MFP or a spreadsheet. I have NO explanation for this (OCD+early onset dementia??)

    But good for you, not letting it drag you down like before! NSV!! (and eventually, it will be a victory that shows up on the lying *kitten* of a scale, too!)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    You just keep going, no matter what! And let me tell you that scales sucks more often than not!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    make it about more than just the number on the scale...
  • EHubbman
    EHubbman Posts: 3
    Argh!! It's such a pain in the *kitten*, I definitely know the feeling.

    Big big cheers for you for sticking with it, that's a really big victory. Have to second what Mrsmcmo said, since it's pretty clearly not about calories, are you drinking enough water? My number goes up when I'm bad about water. Especially if you're staying active, definitely gotta make sure that water intake is also high.

    Stick with it. Little crap like this is frustrating, but just notice all the other good little changes you've had (like not choosing to binge, etc) and celebrate those.
  • bshot1
    bshot1 Posts: 44
    Step away, give it a week and check again. If its still an issue, evaluate what you've been doing. Are you measuring your foods properly? Snacking and not tracking? Ask yourself a lot of questions.

    From there, make adjustments and experiment. Figure any goal you have is long term and don't allow small things negate your efforts.
  • mom2_4gr8kids
    mom2_4gr8kids Posts: 74
    You could throw the scale, but that could get expensive...

    I just tell myself that I'm healthier and happier than I have felt in a long time, that I didn't put the weight on overnight and I have to be patient. Sometimes it works, sometimes I still think the scale is out to get me. Just keep doing what you have done to lose that 23 lbs, it will go down soon!
  • michaelaeryn91
    michaelaeryn91 Posts: 24 Member
    F the scale if it's being a jerk. I weight myself when I started because obviously I had to put down a starting weight. I weighed myself a week after just to see if there was a difference in weight- and there was but not much. I decided to just forego the scale for a while (plus mine was screwed up my dad ended up buying an electric one). I don't take "selfies" too often but I took one early in the morning (my current default), and one on Saturday before a wedding I went to. In both photos I noticed weight was lost in my face. That made me decide to check my weight today, I had lost 7lbs since the last time!

    So basically what I am saying is, what kept me motivated was those little changes I noticed. Your weight is just a number, your pants size is just a number, your happiness and self confidence can't be measured!
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I remember that fluctuations are normal and that excess will go away. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

    OP, just be glad you're a male and don't have to expect a gain every four weeks or so :laugh:
  • pscarolina
    pscarolina Posts: 133 Member
    I needed to read all this today! I'm following plan & working out like crazy (always did, but more weights now than before) & had a measly 0.5 lb loss after 2 weeks of gaining 1 lb. Yes, my clothes feel looser & people are commenting & all this is wonderful, but honestly my knees want me to weigh less so I can do more intense work.

    I am going to stay calm & follow the plan. Hopefully I will see some results on the scale this week!
  • ASH2038602
    ASH2038602 Posts: 215 Member
    I just accept that it sucks, but if I am eating at a deficit than its water weight. I drink a ton of water and stick to my routine over the next couple days to get it off. I was up 2lbs yesterday from drinking beer Friday night. A pound of that was already gone this morning. Drink lots of water and keep on truckin'.
  • bfergusonii
    bfergusonii Posts: 208 Member
    A little while ago I went two weeks with no loss but ultimately lost 6 pounds for the month.

    Hang in there!!
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    Well, I don't like the scale, so it's a mutual dislike and mistrust too. So when that ***** is giving me problems, and lying to me... I just say fine, your *kitten* is going in the corner and ain't no one stepping on you for a week. See how you like that.

    Usually persuades it to see the error of its ways.

    Or measurements, those work too.... :wink: :laugh:
  • kefryar
    kefryar Posts: 77 Member
    chalk it up to water weight and move on
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
    Change your mindset. Make the process your goal instead of the result. For me, a successful week is one where I'm at or under my calorie goal and I've gotten the number of workouts in that I wanted to... It's not dependent on the scale. If you're confident that you are in deficit... Then work on making sure you are getting enough water and step away from the scale for another week. Scales can be stubborn and so can our bodies. But they can only hold out against a calorie deficit for so long.
  • MissBlunts420
    MissBlunts420 Posts: 63 Member
    I stay motivated by reminding myself as many times as it takes, that this is not a short-term, temporary thing. This is a permanent life-style change. So what if the number isn't what I'd hoped to see this time? I know that with hard work and dedication that number WILL change, sooner or later. Another way to stay motivated when you feel discouraged is to look at all that you have accomplished so far. You've come too far to turn back now! No choice but to keep moving forward. :)
  • lpendleton58
    lpendleton58 Posts: 285 Member
    A lot of people already mentioned this but the scale just gives you a #. It doesn't know how you feel, how you look, if gotten stronger, how others see you, etc. etc..

    If I'm feeling healthier and happy with the results that I see in the mirror, then the # on the scale means little.

    Stay positive and good luck going forward.
  • mandylanerocks
    mandylanerocks Posts: 100 Member
    When the scale doesn't like me, we break up for awhile & just avoid each other. But usually after a week of the silent treatment we come back together & we like each other again! :flowerforyou:
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  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I say to myself, self, in a month from now what would you rather look back on? A month of trying hard and being healthy or a month of having given up because of something a machine did?
  • kendalslimmer
    kendalslimmer Posts: 579 Member
    It's definitely "a little non scale victory" - well done! :-) If you're working out quite a bit it's possible you're gaining muscle, which weighs more than fat. That's why some people on MFP prefer to take their measurements once a week/month, instead of their weight. They know that it's possible to slim down while gaining weight.

    I agree with the comment about water - drinking 2 litres a day is what was recommended by a website I consulted recently.

    Good luck this week, stay on track, stay motivated! :-)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I stay motivated because giving up is not an option, frankly.
  • shaw_d
    shaw_d Posts: 1
    I find that weight loss is usually delayed, so keep doing what you're doing and weigh in a week. Also, muscle weighs more than fat!!!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I like to treat my weight as a science experiment. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down, sometimes I have no idea what it's doing or why, but it's always very interesting to see.
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
    Change you're attitude towards weighing. Treat weight loss as a present you're giving yourself:)
    Think of the scales a bit like a homeless cat that comes to visit you now and then. It's mischievous, sometimes friendly, sometimes not. It's unpredictable.

    So what are you going to do about that? Change what you expect from it.

    Now, in order to take the guesstimating out of the equation. Someone above mentioned thinking "process".

    It will fluctuate. Accepting that the number will go up and down will calm you. Only if you see that it keeps going up, THEN you need to adjust. So keeping a tab on your trends are important for the peace of mind.

    NET AVERAGE DAILY INTAKE is the golden number you want to have a clear overview of.

    I made a calendar spreadsheet where I put in the numbers I get from MFP. Gross kcal intake, exercise burnt and then I calculate the averages for each week and month. Another column is my weight. So cause-effect is VERY CLEAR. No more surprises. If I ate too much over a week, I will see it and NOT expect a loss. Keep measuring too. When weight is stalled, sometimes your body is recomping... If you lost inches, but not weight.

    Furthermore. If I feel bad cause I felt I snacked too much...the daily avg. intake tells me I'm fine as long as I stay in deficit.
    No need to worry!

    Good luck:)

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