Tips to quit obsessing over the scale!

ksnegirl
ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been very diligent at working out and it is paying off. I am losing inches, clothes are baggy, more muscle, feel stronger.....BUT the scale hasn't moved and it's driving me crazy!! This isn't a question on diet, or fitness, but the mental part of not looking at the scale! Anybody have any hints or ideas on how to stop looking at that damn thing? Should I remove it from my bathroom? Only weigh once a month? Has anyone else had this problem? Any feedback would be awesome! Thanks!

Replies

  • madonifer
    madonifer Posts: 30 Member
    I am in the same boat... It's so hard not to weigh yourself!!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    put it away...
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    Don't keep one in the house
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,229 Member
    Remove the scale and replace it with a full length mirror. :)
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I say get a wifi scale that can log for you. Because it logs you don't want to risk weighing after you have eaten or drank anything. Get on it only once in the morning when you wake. Don't worry about the number just think of it as data. I like looking at the long term trends and it can give you feedback as to what is working or not. I realized that my weekend food choices were causing me to re-lose weight the first half of the week. I adjusted and the weight really came off fast after that.
  • melissa968
    melissa968 Posts: 57 Member
    I have the same problem. I weigh myself sometimes several times a day :neutral_face:
  • radiosilents
    radiosilents Posts: 223 Member
    I don't have a wifi scale, but I am with rsclause. I like to weigh every day because I am a geek for data – but I try to view it as strictly that. I do my best not to cast judgement on myself based on the numbers, but use the knowledge as a tool. I also like seeing the trends that happen.

    I know, it is really hard not to obsess! But if you do like to weigh every day, try to reframe its purpose for yourself.
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
    throw/give away use pics...but will you become obsessed with selfies? LOL j/K
  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
    Awesome everyone! thank you!
  • Malcreos
    Malcreos Posts: 8 Member
    Take your measurements. As you said, your clothes may get baggier but your weight doesn't go down as you lose fat and gain muscle. So the scale may frustrate you by staying the same, if your measurements improve, you still feel like you've gotten progress
  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
    ^^ YES :-) I think I'm just going to have to remove it from the house....I know me...I'll pull it out and weigh myself if I know it's there somewhere. LOL.
  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 721 Member
    Put the scale away!!! I use the way my clothes fit as well. I know if I get on the scale and see a change especially if I know I worked really hard, I sabotage myself by overeating. So continue what you are doing the scale is just numbers!!!
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
    dstupka wrote: »
    I have been very diligent at working out and it is paying off. I am losing inches, clothes are baggy, more muscle, feel stronger.....BUT the scale hasn't moved and it's driving me crazy!!

    Getting smaller, stronger, and gaining muscle while not losing overall weight is a good thing. It beats the hell out of getting bigger and weaker while not losing weight. So you're meeting or perhaps exceeding part of your goals. To get your weight to come down as well you'll probably have to make adjustments to what and/or how much you're eating.

    I'd suggest continuing to weigh yourself. Ignoring your weight won't change anything. Weigh yourself first thing every morning after a quick trip to the bathroom, before you eat or drink anything. Write down the number and keep a log. You'll see daily swings up and down of a few pounds in either direction. The daily bumps don't matter. You just want to see the trend over time. And once you see how your weight fluctuates daily, you'll know it's no big deal if you're up a few pounds one day.

    Your weight is just part of the picture. If your scale measures bodyfat, I'd log that as well. Bioimpedance scales are notoriously inaccurate, but over time should give you a good idea of whether you're improving or not. Other bodyfat measuring options are calipers for skinfold tests and tape measures. Both of those are pretty inexpensive.

    In short, I'm in favor of collecting data and measuring myself against it. By using different criteria you can tell where you're succeeding and where you need to focus to continue improvement.

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Haven't read the replies but IME it's either helpful to stop weighing for a good while OR to do it daily and monitor fluctuations and understand that a 2lb gain in 1 day is obviously not fat lol.
  • arrrrjt
    arrrrjt Posts: 245 Member
    Well you're killing it regardless of the numbers, but I'm not very helpful on giving advice as I am a daily weigh-er as well. I don't get obsessed about it persay, but I do enjoy seeing progress/fluctuations - and I also completely understand that they are normal and don't fret about it regardless.
  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
    I am fine now, but in the past I have had tendencies to become slightly obsessed with the scale and weigh every day (a very bad thing DURING a weight loss journey, not so bad for maintenance, IMO). I had my husband hide the scale from me and would only let him get it for me once a week. I found it once and weighed (I sound crazy), so I made him put it in his car and take it with him when he went to work!
  • Arekha
    Arekha Posts: 45 Member
    edited October 2014
    Here is one reason not to: I was weighing myself a lot, and whether it was a good day or bad depended on what the scale said. One day the silly thing broke, I changed batteries performed CPR and what not, but it just stopped working. Well, i replaced it the very next day, and the new one says i'm 3 lbs heavier...

    I've now broken up with the scale and am focusing on logging well and incorporating healthier habits which hopefully will result in a fitter, healthier, and maybe slimmer me!
  • beachbodyproject
    beachbodyproject Posts: 47 Member
    melissa968 wrote: »
    I have the same problem. I weigh myself sometimes several times a day :neutral_face:


    I do that too!!!! my bf laugh at me saying that he is going to hide that darn scale!!!!

  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
    LOL. That is awesome. ^^^^ - Thank you everyone...this is great.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    My scale gets action every morning, because I NEED to, otherwise I'd tell you to toss it. Try putting duct tape over the face for a week.
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    When I first lost weight I was obsessed as well. I would weight myself multiple times daily. I even bought two scales to compare one to the other! I had to remove them...I still have anxiety about weighing myself. I've cut it down to once every 2 weeks
  • dangie2002
    dangie2002 Posts: 71 Member
    My husband took them and hid them from me because I'm neurotic about watching my weight. So, Now I am relying on pics, measuring tape, and a once a month weigh. I am progressing and more relaxed! :wink:
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    You should probably ask yourself why you are checking a number on a scale. If your goal is to make that number go down, then you should continue to check it and eat less calories per day. If your goal is to look better by being more fit and skinny, than what is the meaning of that number?
  • MelanieRBrace
    MelanieRBrace Posts: 245 Member
    I can relate to the love/hate relationship I have with the scale. I'm reading for tips too!
  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
    Tilran wrote: »
    You should probably ask yourself why you are checking a number on a scale. If your goal is to make that number go down, then you should continue to check it and eat less calories per day. If your goal is to look better by being more fit and skinny, than what is the meaning of that number?

    Good point.

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