The Scale---What a TOOL!

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TheGoblinRoad
TheGoblinRoad Posts: 835 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've mentioned my thoughts on this in a few places before but wanted to post about just this.

This is just opinion.

The scale is just a tool, and an imperfect one in telling us how healthy we are.
It's imperfect in telling us whether we've lost weight, because it could be water weight, or it could be that we did burn off weight from fat that isn't being shown only because our last night's dinner had a lot of salt and therefore the body held on to more water. We're made of mostly water, so this is understandable.

The scale is a tool. If it causes you harm, then you're not using it safely. It is sharp-edged in ways we don't see, that can hurt how we see ourselves if that's the ability we give it.

I don't recommend frequent weigh-ins. I think we are best limiting ourselves to once a week at the most.

If the scale is causing you pain, I think you need to toss it in the dumpster. Stick with what nutrition experts say is a healthy diet, get exercise daily, trust, trust, and trust. Notice how you feel and how your clothes feel. Trust.

I've lost a lot of weight in life and gained a lot back. Now I'm losing it again. The scale has never been the key. I'll weigh in tomorrow (once-a-week) and it'd be great to see the loss, but I know this past week I've followed my goals fairly well, so it'll all work out.

Trust yourself, not that little machine. :)

Replies

  • JDHINAZ
    JDHINAZ Posts: 641 Member
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    I completely agree. What it can do, though, is help point out if you're not being honest with yourself. For instance, do you believe that you are faithfully following your nutrition and exercise plan, but the scale isn't budging? Then perhaps you really need to carefully look at how faithful you are. I, for example, must weight or measure everything, as apparantly, I have a problem with my vision whereas I see everything as being smaller than it really is. I can look at a cup of pasta and think, "oh, that's only about 1/2 to 1/3 of a cup, so I can have more of it." Once I measure or weigh it, I usually have a shocking realization.

    That being said, I have to be very careful about not getting hung up on the scale. It can feel like an abusive partner in this journey if you don't apply common sense when using it.....
  • jenniferhouck
    jenniferhouck Posts: 3
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    I respect your opinions, but I must disagree. Statistics have shown that individuals who weigh themselves daily are more likely to keep off their weight loss. I have successfully lost 75 pounds, at times, as much as 85. Everytime I stop paying attention, my weight creeps up. Everytime I check everyday, I adjust for the week, etc. and my weight will go back to where it should be. Just my 2 cents....

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  • dbg1
    dbg1 Posts: 208
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    studies show the people who check their weight more frequently (within reason :wink: ) are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off.

    annual vs monthly vs weekly vs daily.


    just an fyi
  • BetterVersion
    BetterVersion Posts: 459
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    I agree with your views. I've been a slave to daily weigh-ins before, and though there were definite pros to weighing daily (it kept me brutally to-the-calorie honest each day) it also tends to create a chaotic and unhealthy obsession.

    I'm now only weighing in about once a week (I don't set a particular day, just whenever I feel there should be a nice loss) and I'm much happier and less stressed.
  • TheGoblinRoad
    TheGoblinRoad Posts: 835 Member
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    I'm aware that people keeping it off long-term usually weigh in daily, but not everyone who weighs in daily will allow the tool to be abusive.

    There's a difference between those taking a daily gauge and applying the information in a positive way and those who berate themselves, sometimes needlessly, and possibly using it to motivate themselves in a negative way.

    We can get healthy in a positive way or not. If someone's able to weigh in daily without the negativity, then they're not using it in an unhealthy way.

    I don't think it's going to be the same for everyone. :)
  • JDHINAZ
    JDHINAZ Posts: 641 Member
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    I agree with your views. I've been a slave to daily weigh-ins before, and though there were definite pros to weighing daily (it kept me brutally to-the-calorie honest each day) it also tends to create a chaotic and unhealthy obsession.

    I'm now only weighing in about once a week (I don't set a particular day, just whenever I feel there should be a nice loss) and I'm much happier and less stressed.

    I'm with you. I weigh in faithfully twice a week. Once before the weekend (Thursday or Friday) and again on Monday. But more importantly, I track my calories in and expended everyday to ensure I'm staying on track. Then, if the scale seems to be "unfriendly" I remind myself I'm doing the right things and it be reflected in the long run.
  • mommy22
    mommy22 Posts: 16
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    I WANT to agree with you and definitely concede that it's really imperfect and sometimes very unreliable, but when I lost weight the first time around and decided to hide the scale in a moldy corner under the bathroom sink :tongue: I ballooned up to ten pounds more of what my starting weight is. Not fitting into my clothes wasn't enough of a wake-up call, either...I just went out and bought fat pants!

    I'm partially sorry to say I weigh myself every other morning. It's the only thing that works as far as a reality check for me.

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