Support with facing the scales

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francesmary1
francesmary1 Posts: 15 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I love this site, it has really helped me to stay aware of the foods I am putting in my body. But does anyone else fear standing on the scales in case they have put weight on instead of lost ? I ended up in tears today because after trying really hard for the last 2 weeks, I have not lost any weight, in fact I seem to have put on 2lbs. I have weighed myself on different scales than last time so maybe this is why? Also I have really increased my level of exercise so is it possible I have increased my muscle tone which weighs more than fat. I have noticed a difference in my body shape, I do yoga classes and walk everywhere, and my belly has definitely got smaller. I have been feeling more confident and my boyfriend says I look great - but the scales tell me a different story. I don't know what to think. I don't like weighing myself weekly as I get obsessive about it and if I have put on weight I get so depressed that all I want to do is eat more for comfort. I am making these changes for life so I know that eventually I will get the body I want. If anyone has similar fears I would love to hear from you.

Replies

  • gijane78
    gijane78 Posts: 1
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    Same here, franamour. I try to only weigh myself in the morning, when I know there's less water weight. On Wednesday, I went for a 45-min walk during lunch and practiced yoga (90-min) in the evening. I weighed myself that evening and guess what? I gained 1.5 lbs from the previous morning. I weighed myself the next morning and the 1.5 lbs went away. It's really hard to avoid the scale. It's as if the scale is calling my name every time I walk by. They say muscle weighs more than fat. Perhaps you're gaining more muscle??
  • francesmary1
    francesmary1 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for your reply - I did wonder if it was muscle I was gaining, I have not been 100% on track but my average calorie intake has been around 1600 a day, plus lots of exercise. Thanks for the tip tho - I will in future try to remember to weigh myself in the morning!
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    Muscle is extremely slow to build. It probably wasn't muscle weight. But it likely could be water weight, or just simply food in your stomach because you weighed at a different time of day. Have you pooped recently? All of these things can affect the number on the scale.

    Weigh at the same time every day. Drink plenty of water, especially if your sodium intake is high. And start measuring your body instead of only relying on weight. The scale is only one measure of health.
  • Wildheart_Baby
    Wildheart_Baby Posts: 44 Member
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    If you're eating 1,600 calories and exercising a lot, you might not be getting enough calories, when you say a lot, what is your normal calorie burn. If you are eating just 1,600 and then burning say, 1,000 calories, that's only 600 calories your body is getting, so you're actually starving yourself, the body needs 1.5 calories a second, or around 2,000 a day just so you can regulate your organs and do things like breathe and have your heart beat.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Do you have a scale, or some other method for estimating your body fat percentage? That would provide information. Don't forget other measures of health, fitness, or weight loss, such as measurements, resting heart rate, lowered BP.

    Few people like weighing themselves, especially if they've gone off their program. But it's important to keep track. If you don't, you keep fooling yourself. As with logging one's meals, which is also a drag, weigh-ins are a kind of behavior modification, a way that we reinforce our own good behavior.
  • francesmary1
    francesmary1 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I am sure I am not starving myself! I feel pretty full most days, I'm just active and have been doing lots of walking and yoga. I also always drink lots of water. But I am going to start weighing myself once a fortnight in the morning rather than the evening, and am just going to keep trying - that is the key really isn't it, to never give up!
  • Wildheart_Baby
    Wildheart_Baby Posts: 44 Member
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    When I say starving I don't mean feeling hungry, more that you're body will hold onto as many calories as it can so you can go on living, remember its diet first and foremost, then exercise.
  • KIMBAILEYWILLIAMSON
    KIMBAILEYWILLIAMSON Posts: 258 Member
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    Just keep doing what you are doing and the scales will eventually cooperate with you. It took a while when I started and was very discouraging but if you continue all of a sudden the weight will start to go down and you will love that feeling and know all your hard work has paid off. I could feel I was losing but the darn scales didn't show it but it finally did. Good Luck and hang in there.
  • Babymomakell
    Babymomakell Posts: 257 Member
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    Just keep doing what you are doing and the scales will eventually cooperate with you. It took a while when I started and was very discouraging but if you continue all of a sudden the weight will start to go down and you will love that feeling and know all your hard work has paid off. I could feel I was losing but the darn scales didn't show it but it finally did. Good Luck and hang in there.

    How long did it take to actually see results?

    I too have been feeling discouraged, even thou this is only my 2nd week with working out, I have been keeping strict to my diet and working out at least an hour per day 6days a week... and Ive only lost 1lb
  • Wildheart_Baby
    Wildheart_Baby Posts: 44 Member
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    It all depends on how much you exercise and what you do, I started in January and it was about a month until it started to show properly that I was losing weight, you just need to keep at it and don't be discouraged if you fall off the wagon, as long as you get back on that's what counts.
  • acg1305
    acg1305 Posts: 224 Member
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    Thanks for your reply - I did wonder if it was muscle I was gaining, I have not been 100% on track but my average calorie intake has been around 1600 a day, plus lots of exercise. Thanks for the tip tho - I will in future try to remember to weigh myself in the morning!

    You should get a scales that tells you your body fat, I did and even when I dont lose weight, I can see Ive lost body fat and it makes me feel good. Also, get a measuring tape, that is the real test of success :-D

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