Scale alternatives...

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CinnamonScallop
CinnamonScallop Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey there, I'm new here, and excited to get going with MFP, nice to meet you all! I've paired the program with my Garmin and am enjoying cross-referencing the two. My only dilemma is that I don't have a way to weigh myself. I had to guess at my weight when I was building my profile. And unfortunately I can't spend $$ right now on a new scale... When my work hours pick back up, I can look into it. What are some options for keeping track if I am unable to check my weight? Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • brittanynicholex
    brittanynicholex Posts: 34 Member
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    i know things are tight right now, but if you do end up with even $20 extra, walmart has some very affordable scales, i think as low as 15 honestly, but its been a while since I looked.

    Until then, you can always take measurements, or if you dont have a tape measure, pictures is honestly going to be your best bet, but can take some time to show results.

    Or maybe even if you have a friend that has a scale you can borrow, or come over once a week or once a month to use depending on how often you want to weigh.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Measurements, how clothes fit, the mirror, photos, workout performance
  • CinnamonScallop
    CinnamonScallop Posts: 11 Member
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    harper16 wrote: »
    Measurements or taking progress pictures.

    Progress pictures- I hadn't thought of that. I had thought of a measuring tape, and might even do both, thank you!
  • CinnamonScallop
    CinnamonScallop Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    brittanynicholex wrote: »
    i know things are tight right now, but if you do end up with even $20 extra, walmart has some very affordable scales, i think as low as 15 honestly, but its been a while since I looked.

    Until then, you can always take measurements, or if you dont have a tape measure, pictures is honestly going to be your best bet, but can take some time to show results.

    Or maybe even if you have a friend that has a scale you can borrow, or come over once a week or once a month to use depending on how often you want to weigh.

    I'll definitely stop in at Wally world and take a look. I've never had to count my pennies as I am right now, and at this moment each one is definitely counting.
    Good call on the other options, I like the pictures idea as it will take time but show changes.
    I appreciate your taking the time for a response! Appreciate the advice!
  • CinnamonScallop
    CinnamonScallop Posts: 11 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    Measurements, how clothes fit, the mirror, photos, workout performance

    Good call on the how clothes fit aspect. I have that one pair of jeans that's just always out of reach size-wise. I'll pull them out and keep trying them lol, that will tell me pretty quick if what I am doing is getting me anywhere. Thanks for the response!
  • Carmen_TX
    Carmen_TX Posts: 39 Member
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    Another idea would be to join a local “buy nothing” “freecycle” or “Fred gift economy” group in your area (on Facebook) and post a request there if anyone has a scale to give away. Might not yield anything, but worth a try. You’d be surprised how much stuff people have laying around that they don’t use. I bought a new scale recently and gave the old one away to someone who didn’t have one.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    CinnamonScallop wrote: »
    brittanynicholex wrote: »
    i know things are tight right now, but if you do end up with even $20 extra, walmart has some very affordable scales, i think as low as 15 honestly, but its been a while since I looked.

    Until then, you can always take measurements, or if you dont have a tape measure, pictures is honestly going to be your best bet, but can take some time to show results.

    Or maybe even if you have a friend that has a scale you can borrow, or come over once a week or once a month to use depending on how often you want to weigh.

    I'll definitely stop in at Wally world and take a look. I've never had to count my pennies as I am right now, and at this moment each one is definitely counting.
    Good call on the other options, I like the pictures idea as it will take time but show changes.
    I appreciate your taking the time for a response! Appreciate the advice!

    The same is sometimes true of a scale. Some people have to wait 3+ weeks to get their first sign of loss.

    However, the scale is better at capturing the odd losses. The first place I noticed weight loss was in my feet which I would not have noticed in pictures or in measurements. I might have missed it except one was deflating faster than the other. The same thing happened with my hands months later. My left one deflated before my right one did. Weight loss has many upsides but getting through it can have its moments.
  • CinnamonScallop
    CinnamonScallop Posts: 11 Member
    edited April 2020
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    NovusDies wrote: »
    CinnamonScallop wrote: »
    brittanynicholex wrote: »
    i know things are tight right now, but if you do end up with even $20 extra, walmart has some very affordable scales, i think as low as 15 honestly, but its been a while since I looked.

    Until then, you can always take measurements, or if you dont have a tape measure, pictures is honestly going to be your best bet, but can take some time to show results.

    Or maybe even if you have a friend that has a scale you can borrow, or come over once a week or once a month to use depending on how often you want to weigh.

    I'll definitely stop in at Wally world and take a look. I've never had to count my pennies as I am right now, and at this moment each one is definitely counting.
    Good call on the other options, I like the pictures idea as it will take time but show changes.
    I appreciate your taking the time for a response! Appreciate the advice!

    The same is sometimes true of a scale. Some people have to wait 3+ weeks to get their first sign of loss.

    However, the scale is better at capturing the odd losses. The first place I noticed weight loss was in my feet which I would not have noticed in pictures or in measurements. I might have missed it except one was deflating faster than the other. The same thing happened with my hands months later. My left one deflated before my right one did. Weight loss has many upsides but getting through it can have its moments.

    Hey! Sorry for the delay, I hadn't turned on notifications for responses on here so missed it completely.
    Haha on the one-sided body changes. I get that completely. I'm seeing some changes, in my face (my face seems a little less round, ha), but will keep an eye on my feet! It's incredible they way our bodies respond to changes (positive or negative...).
    Going without the scale, just keeping an eye on the physical, letting goals and momentum drive me.
    Thanks again, hope you and yours are well and healthy.
  • Danp
    Danp Posts: 1,561 Member
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    The problem you're going to face is that your calorie intake uses your weight in the calculation so guessing at your weight is going to have an impact on how effective the tool can be.

    You don't need an expensive fancy scale. In fact I reckon those fancy scales are a total waste of money for the most part. A $15-$20 scale will be just fine if you can swing that, really any scale is going to be better than no scale at all.

    In the meantime chemists/pharmacies usually have a scale you could use as would most doctors, hospitals and clinics. Failing that visit your local gym and ask them if they'd mind you quickly jumping on to at least get a starting point. As a last resort go to a department store and see if they have any display models you can stand on.
  • CinnamonScallop
    CinnamonScallop Posts: 11 Member
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    Danp wrote: »
    The problem you're going to face is that your calorie intake uses your weight in the calculation so guessing at your weight is going to have an impact on how effective the tool can be.

    You don't need an expensive fancy scale. In fact I reckon those fancy scales are a total waste of money for the most part. A $15-$20 scale will be just fine if you can swing that, really any scale is going to be better than no scale at all.

    In the meantime chemists/pharmacies usually have a scale you could use as would most doctors, hospitals and clinics. Failing that visit your local gym and ask them if they'd mind you quickly jumping on to at least get a starting point. As a last resort go to a department store and see if they have any display models you can stand on.

    Dan thank you, you just explained a whole lot to me. My calories have been off, and now this explains it. I've been able to pick up a second job to put some of those pennies back in place. I'll get out and get a scale in the next couple days. Things are still so displaced up here, even hotels and motels are still closed, gyms, you name it.. But hoping I'll find a $15-$29 range one at Walmart or Target! Thanks for your advice and input. Much appreciated!

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