Scared to step on the scale

Tomorrow it's 2 weeks since I signed up here and I haven't stepped on the scale. I am scared. I have ignored the scale for years and now I am terrified. I am so motivated, what if the number will crush me?

What if I didn't lose enough to keep me going. What if I gained? What if I only lost 1 or 2 lb?

How often should someone like me weigh anyway? I want to be under 350 lb. badly. How long will it take to lose 12 or 13 lb?

I am weighing my food, I am logging. I stay mostly under 1800 calories/day. I must have lost weight. (But what if not?)
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Replies

  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I would suggest measuring yourself, and that will take out some of the fluctuations mentioned by Yirara

    There are two ways in my opinion to go about the scale, and which one is best really depends on you.
    1. Get an app like Libra, and weigh yourself every day. The app will smooth out the daily fluctuations and give you a better idea of the trend, hopefully downward, which is all you actually care about. This makes it a lot easier to make adjustments to your intake to get the rate of loss that you want. This is what I do, because I like data, and I don't let higher days bother me especially when I see that trendline pointing down.
    2. Weigh yourself once a month (or less!). Actually every 28 days, at the same point in your cycle. This takes the anxiety and crushing disappointment out of the every day fluctuations, but also gives you less data in the case that your calories aren't set correctly. Focus on NSVs (non scale victories), like eating a bit less and a bit healthier, logging, exercising, fitting better in your clothing, and feeling better

    Either one you go with...the NSVs and measurements are important to keep up your motivation when the scale is being dumb. Scale loss is always nonlinear, especially if you are changing your eating or exercising habits a lot.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,808 Member
    Get a mirror and tape measure. Keep a journal.
  • The_Movie_Chair
    The_Movie_Chair Posts: 112 Member
    Why didn't I think about measuring myself? It makes so much sense. I am going to do it right now (after typing this) and I will start a measurement journal. Such a good idea. Thank you.
  • The_Movie_Chair
    The_Movie_Chair Posts: 112 Member
    I decided to take the daily fluctuation out of it and I will step on the scale once a month but measure myself (neck/chest/waist/hip/arms/tights/calves) every week.
    I will also take pictures in the same outfit once a week but will blur my face.
  • TinaLeigh67
    TinaLeigh67 Posts: 669 Member
    I track both weight and measurements. In the past I would get so frustrated with putting so much work into eating right and working out and not seeing the scale budge. A friend suggested I take measurements each month and I was surprised by the differences that didn't show up on the scale. A measurement journal is an excellent way to see progress
  • mholl15
    mholl15 Posts: 139 Member
    this is something I cannot speak on or about. my ex had this same issue where she was afraid to weigh herself and I just could never understand. Me, personally, I may not want someone else's eyes on the scale while I'm weighing myself but I have no problems knowing what I weighed and etc, i wish I could help but it has to be some sort of mental thing going on
  • tradercourt1
    tradercourt1 Posts: 19 Member
    edited May 2021
    If you weighed in before starting the program and feel nervous about weighing again, I think you should hold off for now. Focus on your health and sticking with the good habits. Your clothes will tell you the story - and your knees and body will start to feel better. Then jump on the scale - but make sure you feel good about the progress so the numbers don't get you down. Congrats for sticking with it the first two weeks- you are well on the way to forming new habits.
  • bigblues11
    bigblues11 Posts: 203 Member
    All great advice!

    I used to let the scale influence my emotions. After taking a lot of advice from successful people here, I decided to weigh daily and input it into the Libra app. A year later (and 70 pounds down), I simply see it as data. Fluctuations are normal. With that data, I can see when I'm indulging a bit too much and hop back on track. I have also learned much about my body and how it reacts to certain macros like high sodium, way too many simple carbs, and processed sugar. That's all temporary water weight :)

    Taking measurement is also super helpful! When the scale isn't budging as anticipated, I can see my progress here.

    Baby steps :) You've got this!
  • Jeffit_170
    Jeffit_170 Posts: 148 Member
    @TheWaistBasket I know this feeling soooooo well. Over the years, I have tried to see it more as a data point. The scale gives me a number that informs me a bit more if what I am doing is working or not working. That allows me to make more informed adjustments (if needed). I can't stress enough that one weight in is not enough information to change course. But you can get a sense of the trend over a little time.

    Having said all that.. the scale is not 100% necessary at first (although helpful). You can judge weight loss on measdurements, how your clothes fit, mirror test, etc.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    I am on team daily-weighing-for-data, but I understand that emotionally you might not be there yet. You might be a LONG way from being there. We have been bombarded for so long that our self-worth is somehow tied to our weight, and it can take a while to unlearn that message.

    So... What happens if you get on the scale and you see something that disappoints you? I really hope you see something that makes you feel accomplished tomorrow, but what if it doesn't? Are you going to quit? What will quitting accomplish? It will just set you back more time that you could spend working on finding a path forward. What's the point in that?

    Unfortunately I can guarantee you that at some point in this process there will be a week where the scale shows a number that bums you out. Your weight loss will eventually slow. You might weigh in on a day with a big upward fluctuation. I think it's important now to start getting your head around the idea that the scale is just one tool. It's just one way of tracking your progress, and it's probably not the most important one. Here's a few things to consider on a disappointing scale day:

    -You're gaining knowledge about how to nourish your body properly! You didn't learn everything about algebra in two weeks. You probably had a year of it. So think about what you're learning now, and what you want to learn, and what you WILL learn if you stick with it.
    -How do you feel? Are you less bloated? Fewer days of discomfort from overeating? More energy? Fewer aches and pains?
    -Look at your skin and hair - sometimes people say these look healthier, more radiant.
    -If you've started exercising, is that exercise getting a little bit easier? Did you try something new, learn how to do something new?
    -I take measurements monthly. Its worth doing. Do you see progress here?

    No matter what happens, you've got this.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    Give yourself a pep talk right before you step on that scale(I do it every Monday morning when I weigh myself). And tell yourself you'll accept what it says as far as numbers go but that it's only a small part of the picture of who you are. Don't use those numbers as a reward(I did great, I deserve treating myself!) or a punishment(Well, I only lost x amount, might as well give up and eat.). Those would've been my typical thoughts back when because it all felt so overwhelming. Set small goals for yourself but don't set yourself up for disappointment with expectations of so much per week.
    Recognize that it'll be a slow and continuous learning process to retrain yourself to eat healthier, move more, drink more water.....all those things that make perfect sense to us but can be challenging to do all the time.
    And please don't think of an off day is a reason to give up. Mindset has so much to do with changing our bodies; I truly think as much as anything else. Positive self-talk has helped me many times. Try to substitute all those don't/can't/won't words with can and am and will words. And mean them.

    Wishing you the very best of luck!!!
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
    My scale says I’m up 2 pounds. That tells me allergy season is winding down. Nothing else.
    If you weigh every day, in the morning, after you go to the bathroom, before you eat or drink, you can learn lots of things you never would have expected.
    The reason I know allergy season is winding down is that the last time I mowed, I gained 4 pounds overnight. This time I only gained 2. No worries. It goes away by itself in a few days or overnight if I take an allergy pill.
    I never would have known that without the statistics I get from daily weighing.
    I also eat a lot more one day every so often. I know that my weight will go way up the next day, but if I haven’t eaten over my tdee, it will come back down all by itself.
    I know it can be scary. But it’s really just statistics. Just numbers. Just helpful information to help you along the way.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
    There are talking digital scales on Amazon that go over 400 lb if u don't mind spending something like 50 bucks.