are you looking at your scale too much?

captaincharisma24
captaincharisma24 Posts: 155
edited November 10 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm going to put this out there. Right here, right now. What annoying me right now is scales. This is why we quit to often. You don't see results and you walk away from your goals. Just stop. Put the scale away. Get in the gym, eat right and everything will fall in place. Do your best and the world will give back.
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Replies

  • bcc112986
    bcc112986 Posts: 362 Member
    Hi, captioncharisma. I am totally in agreement with you. I have vowed to only look at the scale the last day of the month. I have not seen a scale since last November. I was at the doctors. Since I have started MFP, I have wanted to look at the scale every day. Is there some kind of subliminal message coming across from MFP that is making people want to look at the scale so much?

    brittany :)
  • ahinski
    ahinski Posts: 200 Member
    I weigh myself every day, but I stay emotionally detached from what the scale says.

    I definitely get your point about people obsessing and then getting fed up, but it's not a problem for me. For example, I gained a pound since yesterday, and I kind of laughed thinking about how many other people would see that inexplicable fluctuation and rush over to the MFP message boards and cry "WHAT IS GOING ON!? I"M DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT!??"

    You just can't put that much emphasis on what the scale says. Track the general trend and if it's usually going down, you're doing well. Sometimes inexplicable fluctuations occur. Even when the scale says I lost a pound, I don't log it into MFP until I've seen it on the scale for several days. Otherwise, I'd drive myself nuts!
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    I do look almost every day but I only count what it says on weigh in day(Sunday)
  • kandyjay
    kandyjay Posts: 265
    THIS is my problem. I'm literally obsessed with checking my weight each morning. I've tried hiding the scale so I wouldn't check my weight every morning, but I can't seem to stop!
  • wittlelacey
    wittlelacey Posts: 391 Member
    I step on the scale about twice a week. I used to never check the scale, but I'm starting to get curious!
    However, I don't think I have a problem with weighing myself too often. I never let the number get to me, because I know I'm progress in the making :)
  • Cakepiebeer
    Cakepiebeer Posts: 392
    No, I dont own a scale
  • VinaAnderson
    VinaAnderson Posts: 104
    I was looking every morning but had to stop. I lose weight R E A L L Y slow so the scale rarely moves even though I'm working my butt off. It was too frustrating to see the same number day after day so I stopped obsessing about it. I only weigh myself if I'm feeling lighter or if my clothes are fitting looser.
  • captaincharisma24
    captaincharisma24 Posts: 155
    cakepiebeer is the winner
  • bcc112986
    bcc112986 Posts: 362 Member
    No, I dont own a scale

    I actually don't own a scale either which is making it easier to keep to my vow of not weighing myself till the last day of the month. However, I was tempted to step on my friend's scale this evening.
  • richelleloren
    richelleloren Posts: 6
    THIS is my problem. I'm literally obsessed with checking my weight each morning. I've tried hiding the scale so I wouldn't check my weight every morning, but I can't seem to stop!

    The problem with checking every morning is that your weight will fluctuate day-to-day for the most random reasons. Water retention, muscle gain, fat loss etc. It's really not a good measure of where you are at health wise! If you MUST weigh yourself make it MAX once per week at the same time (preferably in the morning after you've gone to the bathroom, b/c that's more indicative of your actual weight) and use that to satisfy your need. Other measurements such as inches around different parts of your body are MUCH more helpful toward seeing your results. Such as hips, waist, arms, legs etc.. Since muscle weighs more than fat, your scale might go up, but your inches will decrease significantly! Point of this: Get rid of the scale. If you MUST keep it, check once a week. Start measuring inches lost off your body instead of what the scale says. You'll be happier for it! Cheers and good luck!!
  • shady81x
    shady81x Posts: 290
    I don't think looking at the scale too much is the "problem" though - I think its the reaction towards what the scale says that matter. I'd go on to say, its the problem with the general perception that "weighing less = better".

    I've always been curious about my weight, so much so that whenever I see a scale I just HAVE to step on it. Was contemplating buying one of my own then dad dug one out frm storage so now I just weigh myself whenever I feel like it. However, I don't really get bothered about what the numbers say. If I weight heavier today than yesterday, so be it. I'm actually more concerned about what the tape measure says about my trouble-parts :P

    But tts just me. I can see how it might bother some people, and how it might make those people lose motivation. In that case, well... consider tossing the scale out (or giving it to me) :wink:
  • jjewelty
    jjewelty Posts: 23 Member
    I must admit, I weigh myself every morning, sometimes again at night. I'm on maintenance so I use it to keep myself within my boundaries. A pound up or down doesn't mean anything, but if I see a pound or two stick for a few days, I know I've got to get back on track. I use it as motivation and encouragement.
  • jmatthews75
    jmatthews75 Posts: 525 Member
    I see no problem at all with stepping on it every day, as long as you don't obsess with what you see. Sure your weight will go up and down every day, and throughout every day. But if you are checking it every day, it should go up and DOWN. not just up, so if thats what you need to keep you in the right direction, then go for it and do what ever you need to do. I think getting on it every day and getting your average gives you a more accurate reading than once a week to be honest. take the average weight and thats what you weight, not your lowest of the week, because that is the lowest you weighed, big deal, its not your average weight for the week. Just a thought.
  • queenpushycat
    queenpushycat Posts: 762 Member
    The first time I started out, yes I was obsessed with looking at my scales every morning but now... I weigh myself every few days or once a week.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    I grew up weighing everyday. I saw my father weigh everyday. It's not a big deal. It's people's reaction to the scale that causes the issue, not the weighing itself. Some people are better off, for that reason, weighing less.

    I don't log my weight every week either. I log it everyday. I kinda LIKE seeing the fluctuations and watching and noting the patterns. It's interesting to me. The only problem is MFP never sends a status when I lose a pound because I don't wait a few days to post it. :) Oh well. At least you see my ticker! I do go back over it if it looks like I'm not losing and see how long between the lowest points so I'll know if I lost in the last week or few weeks. No biggie. Usually I know anyways because I'm aiming for a new low number.
  • vickychristie
    vickychristie Posts: 32 Member
    I also weigh every day bit silly really cos its not like your gona get up and have lost a stone or something!!!!! and I have probably like most people been demotivated by the fact that I havent lost anything and then had a bad food day. i really think once a week or even a month enough just wish I could bear to part with them!!!!!!
  • Survivor1997
    Survivor1997 Posts: 59 Member
    When I was in the process of losing 50 pounds (since regained, and then some), I hopped on the scale every morning. It was a big rush, not to mention major motivator to see it go down a notch or two.

    This time, not so much. I've been at this over 6 weeks now. Lost 6 pounds quickly. Now, I fluctuate one way or the other by 5 pounds. I don't get it. I'm drinking 8+ cups of water, watching my calories, and excercising 4 days a week.

    I am hoping my scales are kaput. After all, they were my Grandma's, most likely from the 50's, if not older. I have ordered a new one. Once I get a definate weight from it, I plan to weigh myself once a week.....

    maybe. :laugh:
  • d3mon4ngel
    d3mon4ngel Posts: 242 Member
    I weigh myself most days, but my only "official" weigh-in day is Monday, so none of the others really count :smile:

    If the number has gone up, it doesn't mean anything, and if it goes down, I feel a little bit happier :happy:
  • ger53
    ger53 Posts: 35
    I weigh myself once a week when I go to my TOPS meeting. If I do it too often then I get discouraged when the scale doesn't move. This works for me.
  • pixieq
    pixieq Posts: 16
    I weigh myself everyday but it only counts on Monday.

    If it doesn't drop everyday, that is ok. These things take time and I am in it for the long haul.

    If it goes up a tad in one day, it reminds me to try harder. It also forces me to think critically about what it did or didn't do in the past few days. So it helps me stay focused.

    If it goes down, I am a happy camper.
  • ajd241
    ajd241 Posts: 76
    I totally agree. I hopped on the scales this morning and had a gain (not much but still its not the direction i want my scales to go) even though I have been eating in my calorie range and exercising 5-6 times a week. I am absolutely in for forgetting about the scales and feeling happy that my clothes are getting baggier!
  • Superbritt2drescu
    Superbritt2drescu Posts: 273 Member
    Once a week is enough for me. I'd rather focus on the inches/dress sizes I'm dropping and the engery level that is rising.
  • michaelxdonovan
    michaelxdonovan Posts: 1
    I used to look at the scale once/week on Tuesday weigh-in day. Then I started sneaking a peek every morning. And then every morning and afternoon. And then every morning, afternoon and evening. I asked my wife to hide it but I would find it anyway. I finally threw it in the trash. I know I am on the right track, I feel GREAT and don't need a scale to prove the progress. I'll check my weight on my birthday at the end of March, until then, just keep on keeping on with the good work.
  • Heidi_M78
    Heidi_M78 Posts: 143 Member
    Yes. I definitely look at it too often. Minimum 2x per day.
    I need to get rid of it, but it is like an addiction!!
  • nirarealtor
    nirarealtor Posts: 4 Member
    I definitely do not own a scale:ohwell:
  • aimeeang
    aimeeang Posts: 8 Member
    i'm obsessed with the weighing scale, i must admit. i do it every morning. will taper myself to doing it every 2 days then gradually to twice a week.
  • spookystitches
    spookystitches Posts: 37 Member
    I look often, but I don't fret over it and only count it on weigh in day. :) If I feel like I'm getting attached to the numbers, I just won't weigh myself all week. Even then, if I didn't make my ideal loss over the week, I think about all the other ways things are progressing and remind myself that the work will pay off and doing something is better than doing nothing.
  • morenaone
    morenaone Posts: 1
    I do weigh myself too much and I need to stop.

    My body is so funny as I weigh more in the mornings than what I weigh in the evenings after I've drank a lot of water and had lunch etc. it's just weird. I really should just go by how my clothes look at feel. I wake up some mornings and I feel heavy and then some days in the afternoons I feel lighter. I guess it's water.. I watch my calories and try and work out 3 days a week so I know there is no way that I've gained 3 pounds in one day, but I will say it can get you a bit down when you are working hard and doing everything right and the scale isn't moving. I should take my measurements too just to also give me a morale boost and not worry so much about the scale. I have 29 pounds to lose and I know I will reach my goal.
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
    I check every single morning... I wet my feet and stand on that scale in hopes of a new low... HOWEVER.

    I write my weight on a calendar I've set just for my progress. When it goes up, I usually can identify why... am I really sore? Did I eat too much sodium yesterday... and it helps because I know.

    The reason I write it on the calendar, is to check and see if today's weight is lower than last weeks numbers. Even if it goes up, its usually less than it had been before. I do measurements every week, which is what helps me stay sane no matter what happens to the scale. Something always goes down in my measurements!

    Using a scale every day is not the issue, its relying on it for all of your motivation and letting everything rest on it.
  • bluezy83
    bluezy83 Posts: 20
    I check every morning aswell. Even when its my lady time and get really disheartened when i have ate well and it goes up. Need to do it once a week
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