to weigh or not to weigh

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sbear867
sbear867 Posts: 249 Member
in Motivation and Support
My batteries on my scale are screaming to be replaced and I'm hesitating to do so. I refocused and started making small changes after Christmas but the number on the scale hasn't changed as much as I would have liked it too. I weigh every morning to keep myself in check. I think I should let the batteries die. Anybody have any pros and cons for dumping the scale short term during their journey? I finally too measurements 2 days ago so I still have a way to track. I'm just scared that I won't have that baseline in my head everyday to keep me focused. Would love some perspective from those that have gone with and without the scale.

Thank you

Replies

  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,045 Member
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    I think it depends on where your headspace is in regard to the scale and what kind of emotional impact the number it reads will have on you.

    Several years ago I went through a period where I weighed myself infrequently because if the scale did not move it would discourage me, make me feel bad about myself and my efforts, and make me doubt my ability to lose weight.

    But over the past couple years that has changed, and now I tend to weigh myself daily because doing so allows myself to see what the direct and immediate impact of my dietary intake and exercise has on my weight, and since I have a more optimistic and positive outlook toward weight loss now, knowing that it is something I can achieve with time and effort, I can view what the scale tells me as useful data rather than a reason to get discouraged. Now I know roughly how many pounds of water weight I tend to retain the day after weightlifting, for example, or how long the scale tends to stand still around my period.

    So, weigh as often as you want if that number isn't going to start messing with your mind and you find the data useful, but if weighing regularly causes more problems than not, it's completely fine to go based on measurements and how your clothes fit.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    It depends on how good you are at logging I think. I have been doing this awhile. I use a food scale, I'm very good at eyeballing at restaurants, I understand my macro breakdown and know the calories and serving sizes of many foods down to the gram. If I put the scale away I KNOW pretty well if I'm in a deficit, maintenance, or surplus. So there will be some times I don't weigh because I know I'm retaining water and I would rather not see it.

    If you're new to logging and not losing, I think tightening up your tracking and keeping a weekly weigh-in to be sure it's working is ideal. Just my opinion.
  • scottish_laura_13
    scottish_laura_13 Posts: 69 Member
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    do you measure yourself too? if you are in the right head space maybe switch to measuring instead of weighing and see how you get on?
    I keep with a weekly weigh in but seeing a small change or no change one or two weeks wont deter me as im in it for the long haul so I just remind myself of the stats so far - I know it will shift eventually
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
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    Just try it. If you don't like what happens, go get batteries.
    This is a marathon, not a sprint.

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