Ditching the scale to help maintain?
starbuckaddict
Posts: 38 Member
I know this may seem counter intuitive but I've been becoming obsessed with the scale. I started weighing in every day to every three days (instead of my usual once a week to once every two weeks while losing weight). I was having panic attacks over weighing myself because I was scared I was gaining weight while maintaining. My fears were unfound as I haven't been gaining any weight at all. I decided to ditch the scale for a while and just go by how my jeans are fitting and so far it's been working a lot better.
I've been having an easier time sticking to my calorie goal since I'm not as anxious around food. And I'm not obsessing or having panic attacks over weighing myself anymore.
Obviously there is no problem with using the scale when you want. My problem was it was making me panicky all day long the day before I was going to weigh in and also I was eating less than maintaining calories because I was scared I would gain.
I've been having an easier time sticking to my calorie goal since I'm not as anxious around food. And I'm not obsessing or having panic attacks over weighing myself anymore.
Obviously there is no problem with using the scale when you want. My problem was it was making me panicky all day long the day before I was going to weigh in and also I was eating less than maintaining calories because I was scared I would gain.
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Replies
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I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintian. But weighing every day is bad. I'm only allowed to use my boyfriends scale once a week. If I don't weigh I'll restrict too much again just to be safe0
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I'm off/on with the scale. (More off.) It sounds like you've found a good place to be - and I do believe that weighing yourself can become a very compulsive behavior. My SIL visiting from out of town insisted on weighing herself multiple times a day (at my in-laws house, not mine) and had an absolute fit that their scale was "off" by 1 pound. All that obsession is indicative of larger issues... but it was a bit disturbing to see.
Do what's right for you. I, too, like to go by how my clothes fit. (And squashing myself into them doesn't count - you do have to be honest with yourself.)0 -
KwonJiYong69 wrote: »I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintain. But weighing every day is bad. I'm only allowed to use my boyfriends scale once a week. If I don't weigh I'll restrict too much again just to be safe
I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintain. This would be true for me as well!0 -
KwonJiYong69 wrote: »I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintian. But weighing every day is bad. I'm only allowed to use my boyfriends scale once a week. If I don't weigh I'll restrict too much again just to be safeKwonJiYong69 wrote: »I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintain. But weighing every day is bad. I'm only allowed to use my boyfriends scale once a week. If I don't weigh I'll restrict too much again just to be safe
I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintain. This would be true for me as well!
Yeah I know it makes no sense but for some reason I can't take the stress of weighing myself lately even though I've been successfully maintaining for the last few months. I have no idea why weighing myself has become so stressful. When I was losing weight I had no problem weighing in.0 -
You have to do what works for you. If you log accurately, you shouldn't really need to weigh yourself, and you can go by how your clothes fit as well... I still do it every month to keep myself in check, and typically I feel relieved when I do, so it's kinda worth it to me (plus even if I know I've put on a bit of weight, it's more 'real' if I see the higher number on the scale).0
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You have to do what works for you. If you log accurately, you shouldn't really need to weigh yourself, and you can go by how your clothes fit as well... I still do it every month to keep myself in check, and typically I feel relieved when I do, so it's kinda worth it to me (plus even if I know I've put on a bit of weight, it's more 'real' if I see the higher number on the scale).
Thanks. I plan on just tracking my weight when I have to go to the doctor (which is pretty much every month or two for me)0 -
I think the whole 'scale debate' depends on the person. A lot of people can weigh themselves daily - and it's a helpful tool. Others - like myself - can't do that - for a variety of reasons. I had an ED - and while I'm basically over that hurdle - still -just seeing a number on the scale - can put me into a tailspin - and cause some really negative things to happen - so I use a pair of jeans instead. If they fit well - I'm good to go. IF they're getting tight - I know I need to re-evaluate things.0
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Why don't you mentally allow yourself a 3 lbs buffer?
Ex: You are at 130, set an upper limit of 133, but try to maintain at 130.
You will have daily fluctuations. Allow that buffer.0 -
I have a 5 lbs weight range. It keeps me in the same clothing size, but cuts down on stressing about one single number.
I have been maintaining for 6 years and go through weighing phases. Sometimes it's once a day; sometimes it's less than once a month. The latter is the phase I am in right now. Just keep forgetting to do it. Clothes are fine, look all right in the mirror so I don't worry.
Do what is best for you. There isn't a right or a wrong way.
Cheers, h.0 -
As long as you keep in mind that your weight fluctuates naturally then you should be fine.0
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I'm glad for you that you were able to identify it as your source of anxiety and put it right. It's no life when you suffer with anxiety. I do think it's a personal preference though. I weigh myself daily, first thing in the morning, just to keep an eye on my maintenance (just over 15months). The difference for me is that now I'm not particularly reactive about the numbers - but maybe that's because they've remained pretty stable so far. My husband initially worried that I was being obsessive by weighing daily (I had an eating disorder approximately 15 years ago) but soon realised that if I was a little over my 'usual' I didn't panic and start crazily restricting! When I was on holiday back in October I didn't weigh for 2 weeks and I was fine with that too.
I think it's natural to be fearful of gaining, we all know what it was like to be overweight and the often tough journey we faced losing the weight so it stands to reason we want to be vigilant and not gain again.
You're doing great, relax and enjoy the hard work you've put in.
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starbuckaddict wrote: »I know this may seem counter intuitive but I've been becoming obsessed with the scale. I started weighing in every day to every three days (instead of my usual once a week to once every two weeks while losing weight). I was having panic attacks over weighing myself because I was scared I was gaining weight while maintaining. My fears were unfound as I haven't been gaining any weight at all. I decided to ditch the scale for a while and just go by how my jeans are fitting and so far it's been working a lot better.
I've been having an easier time sticking to my calorie goal since I'm not as anxious around food. And I'm not obsessing or having panic attacks over weighing myself anymore.
Obviously there is no problem with using the scale when you want. My problem was it was making me panicky all day long the day before I was going to weigh in and also I was eating less than maintaining calories because I was scared I would gain.
I rarely get on the scale anymore. I have an easy time logging and sticking to my calorie goal and I just look in the mirror these days. You need something to measure against. It doesn't have to be the scale,0 -
I prefer to weigh in a few times a week, I just like to know that all is well. Clothes aren't a good measure for me for weight gain which I've found in the past - it would be easy to put on 5lbs and not realise they were on. I like to keep my weight within 2lbs of goal so I have less to lose should I put on...2 1/2 yrs on and I'm finding maintenance a breeze 0
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As someone who just recently hit their goal and working on the maintaining part of things. I find myself weighing every day when I never did that before while in weight losing mode. I have been in this exact place before a few times and I don't want to yo-yo on my weight anymore...So I think that is why I have been doing it. It is interesting to watch daily ups and downs on the scale that before I never knew about, but like you don't want to become obsessive about it. Wishing you much peace on the scale and off!0
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KwonJiYong69 wrote: »I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintain. But weighing every day is bad. I'm only allowed to use my boyfriends scale once a week. If I don't weigh I'll restrict too much again just to be safe
I'd be more freaked out NOT being able to weigh while trying to maintain. This would be true for me as well!
If I avoid the scale I will end up 45-50 pounds heavier. Avoiding the scale is what got me in
trouble. I will have to weigh each week and monitor gain to adjust my food accordingly before the weight gain is to much to handle..0 -
If I avoid the scale I will end up 45-50 pounds heavier. Avoiding the scale is what got me in trouble. I will have to weigh each week and monitor gain to adjust my food accordingly before the weight gain is to much to handle..
Oh man, I second this ....story of my life, got where I wanted to decades ago, thought I was "cured"..gained it all back and more. I still weigh in once a week, first thing Saturday mornings like clock work.
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I totally understand this. I was fine weighing frequently during weight loss and then got very anxious when I started maintenance. I settled into weighing only about once a week to keep me sane. So far I have maintained for 10 weeks now.0
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I'm not sure whether or not weighing helps. I gain weight when I don't weigh but in truth it may be more like I don't weigh when I know I'm gaining weight. I've learned to force myself to weigh and deal with what I see sooner than I used to so I don't go quite so far out of control as I have (had
) a tendency to yo yo 0 -
I'm not sure whether or not weighing helps. I gain weight when I don't weigh but in truth it may be more like I don't weigh when I know I'm gaining weight. I've learned to force myself to weigh and deal with what I see sooner than I used to so I don't go quite so far out of control as I have (had ) a tendency to yo yo
Exactly. And weighing every day makes weighing just a normal part of the day, nothing special to fear or celebrate once a week.0 -
+1 weigh every day, Make it ordinary. Keep a 2% range and don't freak out, just manage.
When I didn't manage for 15 years then I picked up 35# - takes multiple tolls on life.
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Different people are different. I weigh every day because I KNOW I'm going to bounce around. I expect to stay within a 5 pound range and am happy when I do. If I weighed less frequently, it would become big deal to me and I'd worry and wonder if I was on an up swing or a down swing the day I actually measured. By measuring frequently, I've learned my wobbles and just accept them.
Like looking in the mirror and seeing my hair looks good or it looks messy - it's not a permanent thing, it's just what it is when I see it.0 -
It's OK to weigh every day, BUT you want to do it with a scale that shows your percent of Body fat. If weight stays the same or even goes up a little, but your percent of body fat comes down, all is good!!! 0
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I've maintained for a year now, I can warn you its dangerous fixating on the scale too often. The way I see it, the scale was a tool to help me get a body I wanted. Now, checking I've not gained a lb twice a week doesn't make my body look any better, so I ditched it and focus on what my body looks like, isn't that the whole point of what we are doing? I work out too so the water retention in muscles can be off putting if I weigh too much. I weigh once a month now, just to keep tabs and I use my skinny jeans to gauge the rest! If they fit, im clearly fine! !0
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I weigh once a week on a Sunday.
If my weight goes below 120 or over 124, it's time to do something.0 -
Not weighing myself was one of the biggest mistakes I made. I can pack an extra 10 and not realize it.0
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I go a lot of my clothes now I'm trying to maintain my weight. I've had to buy smaller clothes and take others in. I'm not weighing myself as often but I am still logging what I eat. It's frightening how many calories can be eaten with a little taste here and there if you don't log it.0
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I used to freak out until I learned that if I REALLY stick to maintenance I won't gain FAT or MUSCLE.
I may gain WATER, FOOD, WASTE, GLYCOGEN, but these things are ever changing.
It's very peaceful when I jump on the scale nowadays. If I'm heavier I know why. This time it's because I ate my weight in Mexican food while in California for 2 weeks!!
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Keep the scale, but lose the anxiety over it. Find your natural variation in weight (for me this is 218 +/- 5 lbs) set a whiteboard showing this range and unless you go over, don't sweat it. If you do, tighten up on your logging and adjust accordingly. No worries and stay on you plan.
Clothing size is not a good indicator - too much variation and this leads to picking up bad habits and yo-yoing.0 -
I generally weigh one day a week. I am also maintaining my weight. I have been logging pretty regularly on MFP for now two years and that has helped me with food portions. I enjoy eating most things...all in moderation. Once in a big while I may splurge but then bring that balance the very next day. I usually weigh on Friday mornings. I'm glad you are away from the scale a bit. All the best to you.0
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runningforthetrain wrote: »Not weighing myself was one of the biggest mistakes I made. I can pack an extra 10 and not realize it.
So true!0
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