need advice: afraid of the scale

Just hop on there, you'd be surprised! Do you pray? Maybe try to pray before you get on the scale, pray that God would give you courage to get on the scale and peace within you over whatever the number on it is!

Here, I'll go first.

168.8

Ok, who's next?

Try and remember that you're CHANGING things in your life now - as painful as the scale may be now, imagine the fantastic number you'll see in no time at all.
And maybe again, that for calorie counting to be as effective as possible you do need to know your exact weight.
Imagine the beautiful numbers on your weight loss counter as well - that's one thing that motivates me.

And most of all - the weight isn't as important as your health - and by making healthy choices and exercising your health will definitely be getting better and better.

It took me two months to work up to getting on a scale, and when I did I weighed 20 pounds more than I thought I did. But guess what? I've now lost that twenty pounds and I'm working on the next twenty. Slowly.:mad:

But if I hadn't weighed myself, I might not have kept up with the journey, because I wasn't being strictly honest with myself about who I was (not that I identify only with my weight but it is part of who I am). I totally agree with the folks who urge you to take your measurements (weekly?) so you can tell if you are going in the right direction. Maybe after some reduction of inches, you'll get the courage to step on that scale and really get started with your journey towards fitness and a right relationship with food.

Good luck!

Christabeltoria (who has been where you are, and who was glad to get that jolt of reality, because it jumpstarted her progress).

Is there any reason why you have to get on the scale? I started getting on the scale because it helped me. I lied to myself without it. I didn't actually feel fat or think I was big. I needed the scale for a reason.

But there's no inherently good reason to get on the scale. If you can commit to exercising and counting calories, then, stay off of it. I see people on MFP all the time who get so demoralized by the scale. Who want to stop exercising or who want to run off and eat a dozen donuts because the scale isn't telling them what they want. So, if you can stay the course without it, at least for a while, why not? (I am now addicted to the scale, and wish I could stay off of it, but that's a tale for another thread...)

Give yourself a month to not get on the scale. To build your good habits and self esteem. Then you can re-evaluate your decision.

The scale is just a tool. If you don't find it helpful, don't use it!

Let me tell you a story.... I am ex weight watchers. I was extremely successful on the program lost over 50 pounds. I had plateaud according to the scale. Every week we had to go into weigh in and my pounds had slowed and had some weeks, they had stopped. I was working out twice a day, doing an hour of cardio and lifting very heavy weights. I knew how hard I had bee working, could see the muscles going on, and the definition. I could tell my body continued to transform. I began to dread the weigh in. The last time I went to a weight watchers meeting and weiged in, I was insulted by one of the employees. It was bad enough that I knew I wasn't "seeing" results in the scale form anymore, but she defeated me. On that last week I lost nothing, in fact I had put on a little over a pound. She said to me, "it's obvious that you are overestimating the exercise you are actually doing, and underestimating what you are actually eating." I walked out of that meeting defeated. Instead of going with what I knew to be true in my heart, that I was exercising and eating perfectly and that my body was gaining muscle weight and transforming in a new way, I let her defeat me. I quit. I gained every bit of that weight back, I stopped the gym and here I am. I am once again suceeding and I am accountable only to myself and not the a scale every week. I know that eventually, that scale will stop moving, and I will know exactly why. The scale is only accurate over time, we fluctuate daily....and women fluctate more than men. I will not let the scale or a person defeat my progress again. If the scale is your nemisis, then go on your measurements. Don't let something like that defeat you! I let that defeat me, when I should have just taken her ignorance and lack of knowledge for working out into stride. You know if you are doing well, who needs a number to define that? I weigh once a week or two. The more I start lifting again, the less I will weigh. I will know that my clothes are looser, and that my body is changing. I will know I am being true to the plan, and I will know when I cheat. I hope that helps to encourage you. Seriously a scale is only one way of judging your success!
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I admit I am the same way. I am exercising my butt off but still have a ways to go and I'm afraid that I will be discouraged if I know what my true weight is at this point. When I see more of a difference in how my clothes feel...well then maybe.

As long as you have clothes there is no reason why you need to step on the scale. You don't need to know that number in order to know if you are feeling better physically. You don't need to know that number to see if your cholesterol is healthy. That number really means nothing and if it causes you to get off track throw the scale out.
HOWEVER there is a bigger issue here to address. No one should ever measure themselves, their value, their self worth, on outside factors. Instead of working on getting over the fear of the scale, work on recognizing you as a valuable person at any size.

Just realize that you're going to weigh the same whether you actually know what you weigh or not. I used to hate weighing myself too, but once you start doing it, the numbers are just that--numbers.

Remember that you are the same person no matter what that number is. Most people hate the scale, but we all must overcome it if we want to know our true weight loss success. I have always hated the scale as well and at times knowing the number has been a discouragement to me rather than an encouragement because I know that I have well over 200 pounds to lose. But only you can determine your mindset and how you will feel when you see the number. No matter what that number is don't beat yourself up over it. It does not matter what the number is today because it will be changing as you work the program. A person's identity is not the number reflected when they stand on that scale. You are who you are no matter what your weigh. Look inside to determine your beauty, not at the number on the scale. The Serenity Prayer is a great help in these moments