anyone else get completely depressed when they see the scale

i dunno why but last few months iv not been keeping the weight off im so worried ill start gaining it all back and im exercising like crazy till i have no energy and my OH has to help me up to bed lol.
if i see a 1-2lb gain on scales i feel so depessed i actually could cry some days then i feel like i spiral and dont eat has well and i see my body looking bigger, it only takes afew pounds for my belly to look like jelly and this really gets me down.

is anyone else like this? any tips to stop this happening?
i feellike i have 1-2 good weeks amonth then rest of time im just all depessed and horrible because i feel my body doesnt look good anymore etc etc
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Replies

  • iKapuniai
    iKapuniai Posts: 594 Member
    Um... I'd say a good tip is to GET RID OF THE SCALE. Or at least stop weighing yourself so often. If you really are exercising as much as you say, and hopefully complementing that with a healthy diet, then you need to trust that what you're doing is right for your body and not worry about it so much. The number on the scale fluctuates SO much in just ONE day that it means NOTHING. Keep exercising, keep eating healthy, trust your body, and trust yourself. Quit worrying about the scale, and just focus on your health.

    Love and Alohas,
    Ihilani Kapuniai
  • vacherin
    vacherin Posts: 192
    Agreed - get rid of the scales! Or at the very least, only use them very occasionally. I personally think weighing every week is too often, especially given that water, pre-menstrual bloat and a carb-heavy (although not necessarily unhealthy) meal can all add pounds. I only weigh once a month and yes, it is really tempting to step on the scales when they're just sitting there in the bathroom calling my name, but I know they have the power to either make or ruin my day so I avoid them.
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
    About 6 years ago I lost a lot of weight and kept it off for 3 years then it started creeping back when I got off my eating plan. I got so discouraged that it made me eat more. So when the battery went dead in my scales I put them away and didn't weigh for 2 years--big mistake. I weighed again this January and had gained way more than I thought. My suggestion is to weigh no more than once a week and maybe less than that, and stick to your eating plan. Good luck, I feel your pain.
  • I'm only weighing myself once a week, as previous people have said, they flunctuate SOO much in 24hrs that it's pointless.

    I have to tentatively say, however, that if you're exercising 'til your OH has to help you out of bed, and that seeing a slight weight gain is depressing you, that you are at risk of gaining a warped perception of youself (especially the comment about "it only takes a few pounds to make my belly look like jelly") - you're taking positive steps to make yourself physically better, don't jeopodise your mental health grrl. xxxxxx
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Don't weigh yourself everyday. Your weight changes all the time... best thing is to only weigh once a week or once a month. Can you get your OH hide the scale and only give it to you on your scheduled weigh in days?

    Are you eating enough? Drinking enough water? Counting everything properly?
  • thanks all ill try to hide the scales i do weigh daily but only mark it down once a week ill try to weigh in once every 2 weeks now
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Your profile says you recently had a baby and are planning a wedding-- these are HUGELY emotional events. I wonder if you might just be having general stress overload. I agree with putting the scale away and only weighing once every week or two weeks. Try to focus on the positive things you're seeing that have nothing to do with that number-- do you feel healthier? Have more energy? Sometimes it's good to take time to train ourselves to think positively about ourselves.
  • niknak2308
    niknak2308 Posts: 315 Member
    Hunny, I've watched you week after week consistently put in 200% every single day. You have done (and ARE doing) so amazing, but you really must try to enjoy what you have worked so hard for, and not obsess. You look fabulous and you've got a wonderful little family with many great things on the horizon. Don't let these last couple of pounds turn this all into a negative experience. xx :flowerforyou:
  • lou1618
    lou1618 Posts: 96 Member
    the scales have never really been a friend of mine.... I do a total body measurments and check it every 2 weeks or at least once a month. , seeing the inches melt away encourages me to stay on track. I once read somewhere that people cant see your scales , they can only see a smaller u. Dont let the scales destory everything u have work so hard for...keep up the good work.
  • missedout
    missedout Posts: 7 Member
    I could have written this myself. I am a newbie and only cc for a month, last weighin (Friday) I put on a 1lb :( I can understand the 3500 deficite to lose a 1lb and I work with it and look forward to weekly loss, even upping (and enjoying) exercise for the first time ever!! However I know I havent over eaten and even if I have on one day it wasnt by 3500 calories....it just really bothered me and I have avoided being on here and slowly slipped away to eat chocolate and crap again. I am glad I came back now because reading the replies I feel a lot happier. Think will try weighing every few weeks or monthly for a while :)
  • thanks all these comments have made me feel lots better! had a few good days and a massive healthy food shop now im feeling better about things :happy:
  • Antoher thing if you are working out, your building muscle, and muscle weights a lot more than fat! I agree with everyone else hide the scale! I actually use a friends scale, and I use it when I go over. I prefer to use measurement... I think its more accurate, but that is something I try to do only once a week also!

    Good luck!
  • Hoakiebs
    Hoakiebs Posts: 430 Member
    I don't know, I weigh myself EVERY morning, first thing, so it's kind of like Christmas to me; somedays you're going to get an I-pad (lose close to a lb.) , somedays a pair of socks (stay steady or small fractional loss), and other days a lump of coal (gain weight). But I always like to look at the progress report to remind me of the trend, and even though I may fluctuate periodically (especially around holidays or special occasions). I set mini milestones like, if I lose 2 lbs this week I will reach 30 lbs. lost, or the following week will be if I lose two pounds I'll be under 215, etc. The milestones make it easy for me to restrict myself and reward myself.
  • Makethefatcry12
    Makethefatcry12 Posts: 133 Member
    My advice is do measurements. I like to do that every few weeks and if the scale hasn't moved I don't too discourage because I usually lose inches in the mean time! Don't give up!
  • I don't know, I weigh myself EVERY morning, first thing, so it's kind of like Christmas to me; somedays you're going to get an I-pad (lose close to a lb.) , somedays a pair of socks (stay steady or small fractional loss), and other days a lump of coal (gain weight). But I always like to look at the progress report to remind me of the trend, and even though I may fluctuate periodically (especially around holidays or special occasions). I set mini milestones like, if I lose 2 lbs this week I will reach 30 lbs. lost, or the following week will be if I lose two pounds I'll be under 215, etc. The milestones make it easy for me to restrict myself and reward myself.

    being female tho my weight changes more depending of the week in the month so i hate daily weigh ins lol
  • Meghan0116
    Meghan0116 Posts: 1,268 Member
    You may want to research body dysmorphia, or body dysmorphic disorder. This may be the culprit of you getting so upset.
  • amyy902
    amyy902 Posts: 290 Member
    hayy, i know how you feel i really do!! i let the scales rule my whole life for far too long!!! but seriously your little weightloss scal says you have lost 46lbs, thats AMAZING by anyones standards! and try and remeber that a litre of water weighs 2lbs so take it with a pinch of salt..... just try to stick to a certain time of day to weigh yourself (should be first thing in the morning). dont eat or drink before hand and make sure you go pee before hand. also where as little clothing as possible to avoid any outside influences :)
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    First, take a deep breath.

    If you're exercising to the point of having to be helped to bed, the weight gain you're seeing is likely your muscles retaining water while they repair themselves.

    I would take a long, hard, honest look at your eating to see if there's something you're missing. Are you logging food correctly? So many people underestimate the calories they consume and overestimate the calories they burn during exercise. Are you being honest about your food logging? Are you eating enough? Drinking enough water? Giving your body rest days? Sleeping enough? There are so many factors to weight loss.

    The best thing to do is first off, calm down. Getting yourself wound up and stressed out will only work against you. Take the time to really evaluate what you're doing. Have you checked your BMR and your TDEE? I would start there - yes, they are guesstimations, but they will give you a general idea of your calorie needs for a day.

    It takes time to master what our own bodies want. Time and patience. Don't freak out or fret. Keep in mind that our weight can fluctuate up to 5lbs in a day! It has NOTHING to do with you "failing" or "falling off the wagon". It is normal.

    I weigh in every single day (in the morning). I've learned a lot about my body and how it reacts to different things by weighing in everyday. It has helped to get the "freak outs" under control because I know what is a normal, acceptable range for me.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    A one to two pound gain isn't usually anything to worry about, as it's usually not actual fat gain. My weight fluctuates by up to five pounds, so it's really nothing to worry about. It just depends on how much water you're retaining, how much you've eaten that's still in your system, etc.

    Also, if you're working yourself into exhaustion, you might be doing more harm than good. Sleep and rest is just a important to a healthy life and body as exercise is, and if you overdo the exercise you can overtrain and will stop seeing results.

    I personally don't weigh myself daily because I know it will just upset me in the long run. I lose weight in bursts- the scale won't budge and then suddenly I drop two pounds. I usually only weigh myself once or twice a month for this reason. I also make sure to take measurements too, because I don't really care if the scale says I'e gained weight if the tape measure says I'm smaller.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Glad your feeling a bit better. This happened to me, I was doing too much and the stress madse my body grab what I was eating. Reading this I wonder if its happening to you? X
  • kikina
    kikina Posts: 57 Member
    i HEAR YOUR PAIN!!

    i got real depressed a few weeks ago i was working out like crazy and gained weight!!

    so what i've learned from my mfp pals drink drink drink i drink half my weight in water and then add 8oz more for every 15 min workout.

    this has been key for me as the more i workred out the bigger and more bloated i felt.. i didn't feel i was getting any thinner but with all the water i wake up and i feel empty inside... i only weigh once a week only to figure out what works for my body still not sure about eatin gback the calories so i am trying one new thing at a time!

    hang in there as we get older this menopausal thing gets in the way BIG TIME!!
  • Frozenmango
    Frozenmango Posts: 207 Member
    I agree with those who say to get rid of the scale or only weigh as little as once a month. Pounds are such a fickle thing, and it's easy to become obsessed with numbers that can be affected by virtually anything and fluctuate as much as 10 lbs within a day! I had the same issue; the pounds weren't moving and it was depressing the heck out of me. Finally, I decided to put it away and keep up with the exercise and good eating, and I could feel and see the difference (my clothes fitting better, people commenting on my weight loss etc.) The scale will have to be dealt with eventually, but if it's getting you down right now, just leave it alone and keep doing what you need to do to keep yourself motivated!
  • happy_vegan
    happy_vegan Posts: 200 Member
    yes.
    this is why i stopped because it would literally ruin my day.
    but now i've gained weight so i'm not sure what advice to give - maybe switch to measurements?
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    None of us are here because our bodies look good.
    We're all FAT!
    Instead of getting depressed with every challenge, just keep your eyes focused on your goals.
    Aspire to peak fitness and just keep taking daily action that will move you closer to that goal.
    And if progress is stifled?
    WELCOME TO THE GAME ROOKIE!
    We all have those kind of weeks. You can punch through if you remain always focused on your goals and set your expectations for a long, hard but rewarding process.

    If it were easy. America would not be such a nation of fatties.
    We can be different if we stay on track; you can do this.

    All Is Possible!
  • amyy902
    amyy902 Posts: 290 Member
    None of us are here because our bodies look good.
    We're all FAT!
    Instead of getting depressed with every challenge, just keep your eyes focused on your goals.
    Aspire to peak fitness and just keep taking daily action that will move you closer to that goal.
    And if progress is stifled?
    WELCOME TO THE GAME ROOKIE!
    We all have those kind of weeks. You can punch through if you remain always focused on your goals and set your expectations for a long, hard but rewarding process.

    If it were easy. America would not be such a nation of fatties.
    We can be different if we stay on track; you can do this.

    All Is Possible!

    nope not all of us.
  • Tommyfuzz
    Tommyfuzz Posts: 6 Member
    I use the scale daily too...it can be a bad thing...but i use it in an honest and positive manner...half pounds and weights below a pound can simply be fluids. If I gain..I look at what i did the day before and analyze what I may have done to cause an increase...and is it possibly muscle mass i put on...and if I had a bad meal or snack then I use the gain to motivate me to not eat badly the next day... most importantly ,I've learned lately... How do You feel...do you feel healthy....
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    None of us are here because our bodies look good.
    We're all FAT!
    Instead of getting depressed with every challenge, just keep your eyes focused on your goals.
    Aspire to peak fitness and just keep taking daily action that will move you closer to that goal.
    And if progress is stifled?
    WELCOME TO THE GAME ROOKIE!
    We all have those kind of weeks. You can punch through if you remain always focused on your goals and set your expectations for a long, hard but rewarding process.

    If it were easy. America would not be such a nation of fatties.
    We can be different if we stay on track; you can do this.

    All Is Possible!

    Not ALL of us are here because we hate our bodies or are fat.

    I'm not fat and I don't hate my body.


    So, please.. don't speak for me, okay?
  • I actually stepped on the scaled tonite and got depressed too! I need to lose @ 30 lbs. This is the heaviest that I've ever been. I'm going to try to keep better track of my calories and figure this fitness pal out. Good luck to you!:smile: -Angela
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    You are worrying too much.
  • None of us are here because our bodies look good.
    We're all FAT!
    Instead of getting depressed with every challenge, just keep your eyes focused on your goals.
    Aspire to peak fitness and just keep taking daily action that will move you closer to that goal.
    And if progress is stifled?
    WELCOME TO THE GAME ROOKIE!
    We all have those kind of weeks. You can punch through if you remain always focused on your goals and set your expectations for a long, hard but rewarding process.

    If it were easy. America would not be such a nation of fatties.
    We can be different if we stay on track; you can do this.

    All Is Possible!

    Not ALL of us are here because we hate our bodies or are fat.

    I'm not fat and I don't hate my body.


    So, please.. don't speak for me, okay?

    I didn't see anything in the post you quoted about hating one's body... at all. It's just frank talk. No, not everyone on MFP is here because they are overweight, but I appreciate this kind of straightforwardness. It is very hard, but attempting to take emotion out of the pure number on the scale, and just getting down to business and facing the situation at hand, really, really helps. It took me a loooong time to get around to that.

    But yes, I agree with most here, weigh once weekly, or just take measurements instead!! Good luck OP!! xo