Afraid to step on scale

mwopm3
mwopm3 Posts: 21 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I go through a weigh gain- weight loss cycle every few years but am especially frustrated with myself now. I let life's challenges take my focus off my own health for two years. So here I am. The app is great- I've been tracking for week. However I'm scared to death step on the scale so really don't know what starting point is. Any advice?

Replies

  • Godsgirl42
    Godsgirl42 Posts: 3,490 Member
    Just do it! It won't be as bad as you think it will be!!
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    Don't be scared, it's just a number! You are here and that's what really matters! I am curious how you calculated your calorie requirement without a weight?
  • mwopm3
    mwopm3 Posts: 21 Member
    Lol in my mind I'm afraid it'll be worse. I'm going to set that as my goal this weekend. I just have to deal with it!
  • k8mcminn
    k8mcminn Posts: 49 Member
    I avoided the scale for a long time. I finally stepped on and do so every day to keep myself honest. I've lost 22 lbs since April. You can do it!
  • mwopm3
    mwopm3 Posts: 21 Member
    I wish it wasn't such a barrier. Thanks for encouragement!
  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
    I'm the same way. I think I'm going to step on the scale before and after my upcoming vacation, just to *SHOCK* myself into getting more serious about my weight loss.
  • frankieb1990
    frankieb1990 Posts: 10 Member
    Scales are not really even the best tool though when it comes to weight loss, as I assume like most people you are interested in losing fat? Muscles weighs more than fat so if you are exercising and gaining muscle then the scales won't tell you everything you need to know :)

    Scales are the sad step ;)
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    I still don't knwo what my starting point is and really - I am not interested either. What I am interested in is gettign to where I want to go and not looking back. Did I fear that thing? Yes I did, but more than that I was am not interested in that number I am interested in how I feel about my myself and I. The scale at that stage was really more a (mind) barrier than helpful,
    I started using the app and my first goal therefore was quite simpel Fit back into my clothes. As for the intiial weight - I have always put a goal weight there as a work around :smiley:

    I know what I weighed a few weeks back as I still do not weight myself more than once a month. My goals have shifted (I am on my fifth and sixth goal at present)
  • emiliem9958
    emiliem9958 Posts: 11 Member
    I totally know how you're feeling!! I havent looked at my weight in THREE YEARS! I'm terrified to do it for the first time!! You can do it though!
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
    Give yourself some time. As long as you are happy with the progress you have made on the app -- & starting IS progress -- don't push yourself until you feel comfortable.

    Yes, you will eventually need to know this info to accurately track your progress but if it's gonna make you that upset, don't do it right now.

    Another option would be to get on but have somebody you love & trust write down the #. They shouldn't tell you but then next month you can look on the scale yourself & see how far you have come.
  • RelevantGains
    RelevantGains Posts: 83 Member
    Think of it this way, you will want to know how much weight you lost!

    A lot of people (myself included) regret not having many "before" pictures. Nothing to compare to and nothing to gauge progress with.

    So don't think of it as something shameful, just think of it as one data point used to track your success!
  • iluvnufoods
    iluvnufoods Posts: 45 Member
    There are other ways to track your progress. Some full body photos (only you have to see them, you do NOT have to share them) will be valuable towards the end of your journey. Measuring your waist, hips, etc. (as another poster suggested) is also good.

    Practice thinking of the measurements as just numbers. They do not define who you are, just what your body looks like. Numbers do not tell a person how moral they are, their likes or dislikes, if they work hard or not, etc. It's just a number. Practice letting go if any deeper meaning in how much you weight. Do not let it hold power over you!
  • mwopm3
    mwopm3 Posts: 21 Member
    Great ideas! I agree that what is more important than the actual number is how I feel in my body and clothes. I will really know when improvement is occurring based on that. It is silly when you think about it. Thank you all!
  • mwopm3
    mwopm3 Posts: 21 Member
    Oh I calculated calories based on a guess. I probably guessed low which is why I'm in denial and don't want to see the actual number. Ok - time for courage!!

  • Liz6843
    Liz6843 Posts: 29 Member
    Yeah I'm with the other commenters here, no need to step on the scale if you really don't want to. I did because I wanted the "before," but numbers on a scale mean much less to me now. I have plenty of clothes I can use as my "before" and "never again" :)
  • Myki3012
    Myki3012 Posts: 152 Member
    Do it once a week. The biggest motivator is a cold hard fact.
  • MoonKat7
    MoonKat7 Posts: 358 Member
    Lately I've been weighing every morning. If it's over I change my meal plan to make sure the weight will be less the next morning. If it went down I'll stick to my meal plan and aim to lose more. I stop drinking water, tea at 7 pm so the reading next morning will be accurate without the water weight.
  • stylistchicky
    stylistchicky Posts: 561 Member
    I was weighing everyday...which is a bad idea for women since we can fluctuate because of freaking water retention. I hop on the scale once a week on Wednesday...so I know if I need to rangle things in for the weekend for a cheat day or if I deserve a cheat day. I have to tell you I am a vegetarian that does very little Dairy, so I eat more natural carbs which slows down my weight loss quite a bit. So I track measurements and even though the scale might not be moving very much my inches are going down quite a bit. Hope that helps.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Just do it. You gotta start somewhere.
  • 2snakeswoman
    2snakeswoman Posts: 655 Member
    It doesn't matter. The way your clothes fit will tell you everything you need to know.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    do it first thing in the AM, nude, after using the bathroom. Get it over with. I mean I really do know the feeling.
  • RNZLR44
    RNZLR44 Posts: 574 Member
    edited August 2016
    Step on the scale. You can't measure what you don't know
  • philbanet
    philbanet Posts: 73 Member
    I'm less worried about the actual number than the fact that I can now see it going down! You can do it.
  • gdelarosa13
    gdelarosa13 Posts: 1 Member
    Marcellemiles dont be scared, the number on the scale is just a NUMBER. What you should really focus on is on your overall health and how you and your body feel everyday. Waking up and feeling full of energy and ready to make and eat delicious and nutrinional meals is the best thing ever!
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    @marcellemiles

    Here is a great post by @ninerbuff that you might enjoy.

    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10196160/scale-stress-syndrome/p1

    The scale is only one tool in your goals, use it as you see fit.
  • jimb0200
    jimb0200 Posts: 11 Member
    While the scale is just a number it can be quite motivating. You need to know where your at to know where your going. While measurements and bmi are truly better measurements they are not very accurate down the road. Your fat loss will be a lot faster then muscle gain in the beginning (if your even doing weights). My last venture with weight loss I dropped 30lbs just by diet change. I weighed every day only because I like to see my "diet working" nothing better to reinforce the need for a 1500 calorie diet then seeing almost every day a little decline in weight. Even .1lbs difference made me smile. Even a small drop like that adds up. That's 3lbs a month. At .3lbs your at 9lbs a month. Some people don't like the scale because they feel it can be disappointing if your expecting a big drop. A .5lbs drop on a scale, to me, is more motivating then measuring your waist and not seeing it there.

    There's my opinion. Good luck with your goals.

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