Ditching the scale.

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  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
    edited April 2017
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    I personally wouldn't last time I did that came back with more than a 10 pound gain. The scale is what helps me ensure that I'm on the right track and helps me make food choices!
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
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    I just find a circus and have them guess my weight. Close enough!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I ditched the scales years ago after seemingly having to diet just to maintain - shortly afterwards I hit my highest ever weight. :(

    I weigh daily, understand and accept that my weight fluctuates for many reasons.
    To me it's data and an accountability tool and holds no emotional baggage. The number neither makes or breaks my day or my mood.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I did not use a scale for long periods. I maintained or gained. I never lost weight avoiding the scale.
    You don't have to weigh daily. I weigh once a week.

  • pbbananacoffeechocolate
    pbbananacoffeechocolate Posts: 44 Member
    edited April 2017
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    I'm a daily weigher. I like gathering data frequently, it gives me information about how my weight fluctuates in response to many things. How my weight varies the morning after an intense exercise day vs a rest day, a few days of overindulging, TOM, etc. The more information I gather, the less surprised I am by the number on the scale.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    I know what I've been eating and just assign variances to water weight. 1-2 days before my official weekly weigh in I may lay off the salt and eat a banana. I don't lose exactly what MFP predicted over time, but it's close enough.
  • peacefulsong
    peacefulsong Posts: 223 Member
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    LucasWilland wrote: »
    The scale is one data point, but is not the be all end all. As I explained before, scale weight can fluctuate based on bowel content, water retention, intake of salty foods, menstrual cycle, etc.. A person can easily go up in scale weight 4 pounds a day without any change in fat-free mass or fat mass. It is also possible that females in their menstrual cycle will hold up to 7 pounds of water a day. This can add a lot of extra mass without any change in fat mass or lean tissue.

    If you are going to weigh yourself, don't do it on a daily basis. Take a weekly average first thing in the morning after using the toilet, and compare it to the previous weekly average. If weight is not going anywhere, then I would consider taking body measurements of the waist, hips, neck, etc.. this will determine if you are losing fat during times of extreme water retention.

    All of this is precisely why I DO weigh every day. My weight can fluctuate so wildly from one day to the next. If I weigh only on Saturdays, for example, I might spend the week doing everything right and see myself 2 pounds up from the previous week and get incredibly discouraged. If I weigh every day I might know that my weight was on a general downward trajectory for most of the week but then I had a big spike for whatever reason right before I weighed for the week. Then I won't be so concerned about it. I find daily weighing much easier and much less stressful for that reason.
  • JustDoIt987
    JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your help ! I decided to give myself a weight range , and not a specific number and use my Fitbit Aria and the Fitbit App to track my weight
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    No, not me! it would be too easy to gain several pounds if I didn't weigh regularly. I like to keep my goal range to +/- 5lbs so it takes me being on the ball most of the time to do that.

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