Weighing yourself!?.

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cieradowning
cieradowning Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone!!!!. yesterday I was told I've been losing weight, and it's a large amount according to the people that talked to me, I was so happy because I haven't stepped on a scale yet. I was wondering how often you should you weigh yourself???. I'm so excited to hear that people are noticing I'm losing weight and I do see it myself but the scale is my hardest judge im worried it'll give me a number im not happy with even though I'm so happy with myself and the changes I've made in my life. I do feel a big difference... Just worried the scale will set me mentally back rather than push me forward.. Word of advice anyone. Thank you!!!!.
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Replies

  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    You know, I started MFP in August feeling a lot like you and over the course of about a month I changed a complete 180 direction. Why would I not want to know? Why is one number 'good' and another number 'bad' if my physical weight is constantly fluctuating? I realized I was getting in my own way by reacting emotionally to data that should just make me mildly curious at worst. So I got an aria and I've weighed every day since. I don't say any single daily weight is my weight; I use the average weekly weight Aria calculates for me. I see the trend go down 1-2 lbs each week this way without any stress, unless I'm doing maintenance for a trip or something. I'm done being emotional about little numeric 'snapshots' of all my various weights. I've had a complete change of heart. And the first day I see some new lowest weight yet? Woot woot! Happy dance, even if it disappears. I know pretty soon it will be the boring old weight I can't wait to get rid of! LOL
  • toe1226
    toe1226 Posts: 249 Member
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    The national weight registry that looks over the habits of people who have lost weight AND kept it off for 5+ years shows that successful weight losers weigh themselves frequently. The data says: weigh. I just got kicked back in gear and I am choosing not to weigh until January 15- This may be silly but I know I don't want to see the number right now, and I know I can get those first couple pounds off without the scale. I'm worried that if I get on the scale now, I'll find it discouraging, even though I'm feeling great. Once I'm a bit more back in gear, I do intend to use the scale quite regularly.

    So I suppose we're all different on this one, and you have to listen to yourself, though the data is fairly clear.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10296894/how-often-does-everyone-weigh-themselves
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    If the scales are upsetting to you, then by all means don't. Go by your measurements and how your clothes fit.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    If you are happy with your progress, the scale is irrelevant. I weigh daily, but fluctuations don't bother me. You don't have to weigh at all, if you don't want. Set a size goal and just aim for that. Scale weight is not the best measurement of success.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    If you are happy with your progress, the scale is irrelevant. I weigh daily, but fluctuations don't bother me. You don't have to weigh at all, if you don't want. Set a size goal and just aim for that. Scale weight is not the best measurement of success.

    I agree with this. I have had to learn that the scale is not the best way to measure success for me. I still weigh myself, but I promise myself I won't let the numbers get to me if they're disappointing. Instead I go by measurements and how my clothes fit and how I feel - those things are all more important than a number that simply displays your relationship to gravity.

    I think it's a good idea for everyone to keep track of their weight, but if you think you wouldn't be able to mentally shake it off, it's definitely not something you have to do. I weigh myself twice a week so I can see the little weekly fluctuations and also look at the bigger picture over the long term.
  • cieradowning
    cieradowning Posts: 10 Member
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    Thank you guys!. All meant a lot. I do plan on eventually weighing myself I think I just need to build more confidence in myself and remember that it's just a number despite how I may feel. I've notice a difference in my clothes and just looking in the mirror I'm so proud of the progress I've made in a little over a month but I know I need to buck up and just man handle the scale. Even if I'm weighing once a month, it's a start lol.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    cieradowning wrote: »
    I was wondering how often you should you weigh yourself???.

    As often as you feel necessary. There are literally a bazillion threads about this
  • triddering
    triddering Posts: 81 Member
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    cieradowning wrote: »
    Thank you guys!. All meant a lot. I do plan on eventually weighing myself I think I just need to build more confidence in myself and remember that it's just a number despite how I may feel. I've notice a difference in my clothes and just looking in the mirror I'm so proud of the progress I've made in a little over a month but I know I need to buck up and just man handle the scale. Even if I'm weighing once a month, it's a start lol.

    I weigh myself daily, some days it stays the same, some it goes up and most it goes down. The way I see it is that my total weight loss keeps getting larger, so progress is measurable,but weight is just part of it. I set small goals, so the total is less intimidating. I also measure myself and compare how much more I can do and the strength I have gained. Measuring progress is useful in encouraging oneself, and also being able to determine if small changes are needed (such as changing calories or workouts, etc).

    At first, I would say 10 lbs lost was a great start, then 20 lbs was great consistency, then 30 lbs was proof of new lifestyle change and great progress, etc... When I lost 40 lbs, a friend told me to go buy 40 of something! So I did! I bought 40 Quest protein bars! I have lost 70lbs so far. My remaining 55lbs feel achievable, not intimidating like the 125 did when I started!

    Keep it up and be encouraged.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,039 Member
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    I weigh weekly. Every sunday evening. IMO that is often enough to keep track of things.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    Weekly. Unless I feel bloated, then I wait for that to go away first lol.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    @scolaris if you haven't opened an account on www.trendweight.com I think you should. It smooths out your fluctuation data, gives you some nice charts, a trend line and extrapolation
  • 13bbird13
    13bbird13 Posts: 425 Member
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    I usually weigh twice a week, and I use the scale at the gym because mine at home is so stupid. And by "stupid" I don't mean that it tells me stuff I don't want to hear; it just won't move at all until a pound or more has been lost so I don't get incremental encouragement for a week or more, and it also runs two pounds "heavy" compared to both the gym scale and the WW scale when I was on WW. I might as well drop the thing off at Goodwill.
  • ZeroDelta
    ZeroDelta Posts: 242 Member
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    Every morning. Metrics are good. :smiley:
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,038 Member
    edited December 2015
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    ZeroDelta wrote: »
    Every morning. Metrics are good. :smiley:

    This.

    It is interesting to watch the fluctuations up and down. :) Plus I'm a numbers person. I find the numbers motivational

  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
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    I think it's a personal choice. I lose more weight weighing twice a day.
  • Tblackdogs
    Tblackdogs Posts: 324 Member
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    My scale infuriates me most days. But on the days that it says that I've lost weight, I love it. I weigh myself every morning and I am learning to accept whatever it says. I don't have a lot to lose and I'm not trying to lose it quickly but I'm still surprised when the scale shows me that that's exactly what's happening.
  • Matt71Fleming
    Matt71Fleming Posts: 68 Member
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    At the gym they have a digital scale that's pretty accurate.Saves me buying one. ;)
  • bisky
    bisky Posts: 1,000 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I am in a small group here in Italy and we weigh ourselves once a week together for accountability and will be taking measurements once a month. We started this 3 weeks ago...I did not put the data in MFP yet. The scale we use...my friend who is a physical therapist has this expensive scale....it tells us not only overall weight but water, bone and fat. the first two weeks i lost "weight" but fat and water were almost the same...last week I did not lose much (0.2 lbs) but I lost FAT!!! It is really a positive feedback! It kept me from getting discouraged as I had done some big hikes and walks.
  • breathebelievejen
    breathebelievejen Posts: 83 Member
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    I used to be pretty scared of the scale to be honest (especially after a binge) and it'd often send me into a panic and a period of restriction that just led to another binge and.. well you get the picture. I bought a fitbit aria recently and I've been weighing myself each morning and whenever I feel like it (after a workout etc etc). The more I weigh myself the less emotionally triggered I've become each time. I still take measurements frequently because I find them and the fit of my clothes to be more important now that I'm in maintenance but looking to reduce my BF%. Weighing myself more often is allowing me to release the fear of the scales and accept fluctuations as normal and not frightening. I can also start to see hormonal trends which has been helpful so that I don't freak out each time I gain 5+lbs water weight before my cycle. I'm glad that I did weigh and measure myself in the past when I didn't want to because the data is interesting and looking at graphs over several years is like a big pat on the back and a motivational factor to stay healthy and fit.

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