Bought a scale - ugh

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SlimBride2Be
SlimBride2Be Posts: 315 Member
with only 7-15 lbs left to goal I decided I couldn't really carry on without a scale or I might be oblivious to small changes that are derailing my efforts from one month to the next. Weighing at the Dr once every 2 months is probably not going to help me manage maintenance!

I haven't owned a scale for more than 10 years after getting into a very sad and obsessive way with them at university which resulted in some disordered eating. So I am really very nervous.

I will restrict myself to weighing once a week only and put them out of sight the rest of the time. I was thinking a Wednesday or Thursday morning as I'm usually a little over carbs on the weekend and want a few days to recalibrate afterwards to get a true picture.

I also paid a bit more to get ones that show BF% and water retention (I know these aren't totally accurate) so that I could be reassured around TOM that I haven't just piled a bunch of fat on! and see how my weight training is going.

Anyone else have a problematic relationship with the scale? I will use all of the willpower techniques I have developed for not snacking/binging to stop myself from jumping on them 20x a day or allowing them to dictate my state of mind!

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Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    It is better for me if I avoid the scale. I had to change my mindset to one that says nobody knows that number but me, so it doesn't matter, fat loss matters, therefore inches are more important than weight. Our scale broke at Christmas time and I just replaced it last week. The daily fluctuations drive me insane. I try to stay off of it. I'm also about 15 pounds to goal.
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    edited May 2015
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    with the BF% it may not be 100% accurate, but it will always be the same amount inaccurate, so you'll be able to see trends.

    Judt make sure that you weight naked, clean feet, at the same time of day each time. They also say to weigh at the end of the day (6 pm ish) when you are fully hydrated. It will give you a more accurate weight and BF% than when you are dehydrated in the morning (your fat% will be higher in the AM)

    ETA: FWIW, my Aria scale is only .8% off the fancy professional one at the dieticians
  • Sk8Kate
    Sk8Kate Posts: 405 Member
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    I've decided my scale hates me. I was weighing Fridays, but thought I could trick it & weigh today. Well that didn't work either. Obviously I have issues with the scale also. Just wanted to let you know, you're not alone.
  • greenautumn17
    greenautumn17 Posts: 322 Member
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    Sk8Kate wrote: »
    I've decided my scale hates me. I was weighing Fridays, but thought I could trick it & weigh today. Well that didn't work either. Obviously I have issues with the scale also. Just wanted to let you know, you're not alone.
    Last time I checked, today IS Friday! :wink:

  • LawMJY
    LawMJY Posts: 42 Member
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    My scale only works on the kitchen floor, the carpet and laminate floor elsewhere in the house are too soft so the readings are off! So I can only weigh on a Wednesday morning when I go to work late and the kids are out of the house to avoid them walking in on me naked...
  • Sk8Kate
    Sk8Kate Posts: 405 Member
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    Oh hell, that's the problem then. Thursday must be where my "lint fairies" & "house cleaning brownies" are.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    I think one of the biggest problems for me was avoidance of the scale. I would not weigh for months and then be surprised when I gained fifteen pounds! I'm learning to be accountable to myself and weigh once a week.
  • fitter_happier94
    fitter_happier94 Posts: 63 Member
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    I hate scales and I almost never weigh myself. I want to start doing it once a month just to check that I'm not gaining (my goal is to maintain), but I always have such huge fluctuations. I'm recovering/ am pretty much recovered from an ED and I'm weight restored, but often the scale will say I weigh 3 or 4 pounds more than I actually do one day, only to drop dramatically the next. I find it really distressing sometimes (or used to, I wouldn't know because it's been a while). I'm careful to only bother on a morning, after I've "been", before I've eaten or had anything to drink, and usually a good 12-14 hours since my last meal, but even then I try not to put much stock in the reading.

    Do you take measurements with a tape/ pair of calipers? That might be a bit easier for you, that way you can rely on the scale a bit less. I've just started doing it and I find that it's the safer option for me in terms of sanity :-)
  • fitter_happier94
    fitter_happier94 Posts: 63 Member
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    And as @LawMJY said, I always make sure the scales are on a hard, level surface (the solid wood in my living room or the tiles in my bathroom). Mine has little "feet" for use on carpets, but I don't trust 'em
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
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    If you live with someone, have them hide it perhaps? My husband helped me out with that once when I was getting fixated. I was weighing 10+ times per day.
  • Jbarnes1210
    Jbarnes1210 Posts: 308 Member
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    Just realize that the numbers are going to fluctuate, there's nothing you can do about it, just stay positive and keep moving forward....
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
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    LawMJY wrote: »
    My scale only works on the kitchen floor, the carpet and laminate floor elsewhere in the house are too soft so the readings are off! So I can only weigh on a Wednesday morning when I go to work late and the kids are out of the house to avoid them walking in on me naked...

    Lol... How did I know I finally had stopped caring about my weight (because I was happy where I was)? I stopped worrying about the weight of my underwear or clothes when I got on the scale. Basically, I stopped weighing myself naked. So, I totally understand this one. I've been there.
  • kristenlarkin
    kristenlarkin Posts: 235 Member
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    FIT_Goat wrote: »
    LawMJY wrote: »
    My scale only works on the kitchen floor, the carpet and laminate floor elsewhere in the house are too soft so the readings are off! So I can only weigh on a Wednesday morning when I go to work late and the kids are out of the house to avoid them walking in on me naked...

    Lol... How did I know I finally had stopped caring about my weight (because I was happy where I was)? I stopped worrying about the weight of my underwear or clothes when I got on the scale. Basically, I stopped weighing myself naked. So, I totally understand this one. I've been there.

    This makes me laugh, because I will not allow the scale to give me credit for the weight of my clothes. lol I hope I someday get to the point that I don't care
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
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    I weigh naked at 5am in a cold garage. It's winter in a day or so. Brrrr.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
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    I weigh myself every day to stay accountable. Yes, I know there will be daily fluctuations, but seeing the number go down really keeps me motivated.
  • tishball
    tishball Posts: 155 Member
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    oh lord, I'm not alone so, :blush: , I weigh myself everyday, there was a time when I used to carry the scales around the bathroom to get the best reading. :blush: . However no I just weigh nekkid... boy thank god I can lock the bathroom door. I would love to be at that place again where I can weigh with my clothes on and not have a hissy fit about the number. Disgusted at the moment, the scales haven't moved a bit since I started this woe , before if I did low carb I would have some sort of drop in a few days this time nothing.
  • greenautumn17
    greenautumn17 Posts: 322 Member
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    One day, I just took some clothes and put it on the scale to see how much it weighed! And I always wish I could take my shoes off when weighing at the Drs office! What crazy things we do because of that scale!
  • Almoshposh
    Almoshposh Posts: 139 Member
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    I weigh myself every day to stay accountable. Yes, I know there will be daily fluctuations, but seeing the number go down really keeps me motivated.

    This ^^. And I'm a data and spreadsheet addict. Yes the number does jump up on occasion but I look at the big picture and see the trend on my graph. I did kick my last scale in anger once and it shattered into a million pieces. That was the last glass scale I bought. :D
  • totaloblivia
    totaloblivia Posts: 1,164 Member
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    I weigh myself every day to stay accountable. Yes, I know there will be daily fluctuations, but seeing the number go down really keeps me motivated.

    This ^^. And I'm a data and spreadsheet addict. Yes the number does jump up on occasion but I look at the big picture and see the trend on my graph. I did kick my last scale in anger once and it shattered into a million pieces. That was the last glass scale I bought. :D

    Lol! Hope you didn't hurt yourself!
  • keelybird57
    keelybird57 Posts: 63 Member
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    I can get obsessive with the scale. I keep it in a spare room under the bed so I have to be purposeful when I weigh. I've been doing well and stepping on just once a week....until.... This weekly weigh-in showed no loss. How dare it! And now I've weighed 4 days in a row, impatiently waiting for the number to drop (which I greatly deserve for my diligent effort). When will I be rewarded for my effort? Joking...I have plenty of NSVs, too. But it seems to always come back to the scale!