Scared to step on the scale

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Replies

  • tuddy315
    tuddy315 Posts: 11,627 Member
    Yes! I'm so happy for you. Just don't look at the scale as your enemy. I weigh myself everyday and keep a log of that. Then I can gauge by my food diary what changed if I happen to gain some and do better next time. I also only report my weight change on the last day of the month which makes me stay on track for the month.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    OK, I've been here before.

    One big thing is de-mystifying weight. YOUR WEIGHT IS NOT YOUR WORTH. Repeat: YOUR WEIGHT IS NOT YOUR WORTH.

    I know it's scary to actually look at your weight. But it also *is* the first step in just seeing really where you are. But what it is NOT is a judgement.
  • TheWaistBasket
    TheWaistBasket Posts: 56 Member
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    OK, I've been here before.

    One big thing is de-mystifying weight. YOUR WEIGHT IS NOT YOUR WORTH. Repeat: YOUR WEIGHT IS NOT YOUR WORTH.

    I know it's scary to actually look at your weight. But it also *is* the first step in just seeing really where you are. But what it is NOT is a judgment.

    My weight is the judgment of my actions. I see clearly now who I am, that's why I am here. I am heavily overweight, morbidly obese, almost housebound due to my overeating. I am not much worth feeling sick and unhealthy, hardly able to move.
    I am a big woman who is unhappy with the way she feels.

    What made you think you needed to give me the "weight is not your worth" speech. Was I too happy because I had a first big loss?
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    edited May 2021
    TheWaistBasket wrote: »
    I can't believe it. I have lost 14 pounds. I am so happy! It's working.

    14 pounds in the first 19 days! That's the motivation I was hoping for.

    Proud of you!

    Now, as you move forward and keep working toward your lifestyle change, remind yourself that this early success will not be typical for you. It is not reasonable to expect to see another 14-lb loss three weeks from now, so be prepared for that - don't let it derail you if you step on the scale again this time next month and see "only" a 3-4 lb loss. A pound per week is excellent progress. The glossy magazine cover promising that you'll drop 40 lbs in 40 minutes with this one weird trick or some bullsh*t like that is filled with lies, that's not how real sustainable weight loss works.

    Part of those 14 lbs was also probably water. I don't know exactly how much, but it's also important to keep in mind that water fluctuates much more readily than fat, which can mask fat loss on the scale. So, at some point, you will spend a week doing everything right - tracking every molecule of food you eat, sticking to your calorie budget, meeting all your exercise goals, generally rocking the pants off of living your life like the awesome human you are - and you'll step on the scale and see no change, or a slight gain. Do not panic. It's water. You retain water for all sorts of reasons, like repairing muscles after a good workout or because your electrolytes are a bit imbalanced or because you're due to start menstruating soon if that's something your body does. Trust the process. We're not trying to lose water, we're trying to lose fat, and we're trying to lose it for good so we gotta take it slow. IME, when I do everything right and see no change or a slight gain on the scale, I usually get a "whoosh" in the next couple of weeks where I suddenly see a huge drop (by "huge" I mean 2-3 lbs, I'm aiming for 0.5-1lb per week), because I was retaining water.

    Edit to add: On another topic entirely, if as you progress on your journey you find it difficult for your mental health to see the number on the scale, there are some Bluetooth/wifi-enabled scales out there that don't have a display at all, they just sync with your phone and log your weight on an app there. You could use one of those and then just not check the app or only check it when you feel ready to know.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,457 Member
    The_Movie_Chair wrote: »
    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.

    This. I didn’t take progress photos until about five months in when my then-new trainer started emailing them to me.

    It took two years or more before I could look in the mirror and see any changes. My brain and common sense knew and acknowledged there were changes on the scale, in the loosening clothes. My eyes couldn’t or wouldn’t see the changes, though.

    There were many months when those weekly photos were what kept me on the right track. Kept me sane.

    For whatever reason, I could clearl see change in photos, but not in that mirror. Crazy, right? Lots of people here mention the same issue.

    Don’t let your Fat Eyes mislead you.

    Good for you on the initial success! Keep punching forward!

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