How to break the hold my scale has on me?

[Blondey63]

Tomorrow will be 56 days that I am doing my new LC woe. 54 of those days I stepped on the scale every morning to see what had happened. Out of those 54 days, maybe 10 of them showed a loss. The other days either went up or stayed the same. I wasn't particulary happy on those days. But the days the scale went down, it motivated me and made me happy till I got on the scale the next day to see what happened. How can I break the need to get on the scale every day? Just telling how my clothes fit doesn't do it for me. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Helen

[TaDa!]

I have had a tough time breaking the scale habit .. but I find if you chart it in all those weigh-ins, you get a bigger picture of what is happening .. I can go 3 weeks with little weight gains and general no loss but then drop weight at the end of the 3 weeks. If I weigh only monthly or something, I can easily weigh on the wrong day and not see the progress ..

just one take on it, but if you want to see why it worked for me, you can check this out which shows the graphs and why a graph of 2 months of terrible weigh-ins is actually not so bad after all ...

Impatience Killed The Cat .. or Why To Stop Obsessing and Tweaking ...

[Blondey63]

Tada....thank you.... your post and old thread has helped...
THis one particularly struck me as familiar

Originally Posted by martiangurll
Great post/thread. It helps me to remember that failure to delay gratisfaction is what got me into this mess in the first place. Instant results are not the goal, long term health is the goal with the happy side benefit of weight loss.

I obviously have trouble delaying gratification but if I can just calm down about the scale not always doing what I want and look at the long term picture, that will help. What am I getting so crazy for.... this is my new way of eating...not a race.
Thanks so much again.
Helen

[peanutte]

During weight loss I weighed once a week, on Fridays. I liked the consistency of having it be just a plain old routine. I wasn't a super-fast loser, but even if I was down half a pound, that was okay. If I was up half a pound, which didn't happen often, I was okay with it too. I chose to make myself be okay with it because getting all emotional about the number wasn't going to accomplish anything. I believe we can exercise some control over our attitudes and learn to override mental patterns we've established. Tell yourself it's just information--the scale doesn't have its own personality and it isn't out to get you.

Now that my focus is staying below a certain number, I weigh more often just to see what's going on. I have a lot of fluctuations I wasn't aware of when I only weighed once a week. I'm now aware that my weight can go up and down by 2-4 pounds pretty easily throughout the week, and since I haven't eaten enough extra food to gain that many pounds of fat (or little enough food to lose that many) I can attribute these fluctuations to other things, and not feel stressed about them.

[harleychic]

I weigh every day. I am very good at fooling myself, and that led to a 16 pound gain. I lost it, and am 10 pounds from goal. It can be a tool, and keep ya honest. Weigh every day, and don't worry about it!!

[Knittering]

You've stepped on it 54 of the past 56 days? Wow, your poor scale has been working overtime. I think it's time she went on a vacation, don't you? Pack her away with some nice flowery towels and perhaps a pair of flip-flops and leave her in her box for the next 30 days. Both of you need a break!

[jessienevins0314]

i do the same thing... its not easy to break, because you want to see that improvement!! i dont get disappointed or discouraged - just know i need to make changes the next day. as for breaking the hold... just have someone lock her up LOL!

[peanutte]

I weigh every day. I am very good at fooling myself, and that led to a 16 pound gain. I lost it, and am 10 pounds from goal. It can be a tool, and keep ya honest.

Exactly. I know for myself where avoiding that information got me--and I also know where facing those facts got me.

[HerBoudoir]

The only days I'm allowed to skip going on the scale are around TOM - a couple days before until a couple days after. WILD fluctuations then, I've found.

Having to get on the scale almost daily keeps me honest about what the weight is doing.

[jessienevins0314]

Originally Posted by HerBoudoir

The only days I'm allowed to skip going on the scale are around TOM - a couple days before until a couple days after. WILD fluctuations then, I've found.

Having to get on the scale almost daily keeps me honest about what the weight is doing.

thats exactly how i feel about it

[Blood Sugar 101]

Weigh once a day. Write down your weight and put it away. Average your weekly weight. That's your REAL weight. Compare one week with the next. If you use software you can also get a monthly weight. Compare one month to the next.

I averaged both weekly and monthly weights and often only saw a drop in the monthly weight--about a pound. The averages smooth out all the daily fluctuations and if you use them you'll have an accurate idea of how your weight is doing.

[ravenrose]

I am very much in favor of weighing every day. But like BloodSugar101 says, the number is only data that goes into your trend line. By itself, that one number isn't very useful.

I like to just put in on a graph and look at the trend line. Once you have a month or more of data, it's CLEAR looking at it where your weight is going... I use the weight tracker on LIVESTRONG. I find the rest of their site hard to use, but that function is better than the others I've tried.

[lawmom]

I weigh just about every day as well -- for me it helps me stay accountable. Like some of the others, it was when I stopped stepping on the scale that I was able to delude myself about just how much weight I had gained. I don't beat myself up when the scale reads a pound or two heavier -- rather I just try to eat a little cleaner the next day and add in a little more water (which I admit I am not good about drinking)... Use your scale as the tool that it is -- and focus more on beating the negative side effects from not getting instant gratification on a daily basis...

[Lisa46]

From the very beginning on 1/1/10, I have weighed myself only 1x a week. On Saturdays. At 4 a.m. Nakers. Even taking my glasses off. After the first morning pee (can I say that on here??? ) Every.Stinkin'.Saturday.

I have lost weight every week except these last two where I have gone up and down .5. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. It SO worked for me. I cannot wait for Saturday at o'dark-thirty to get up and weigh. I don't feel crazy addicted, just kinda nice and normal-hyper for me.

[tulipsandroses]

I only do it once a week. I like the idea of being able to chart it to see the downward long term trend. But I'd be lying if I said that seeing the scale go up does not damper my day so to avoid driving myself batty, I only do it once a week.

[JustCallMeAmy]

i weigh myself EVERY single day. no matter what. it's been a long time (16 months) and i faithfully do it. studies have shown people who faithfully weigh themselves daily keep their weight off and are more successful at getting it off.

if it's a habit you want to break on the other hand, pick a day and weigh yourself. if you live with anyone else ask them to physically hide your scale until that day of the week comes if need be. best of luck!

[lisabinil]

Get rid of it. Give it to a family member to hide and bring out only for a weekly or monthly weigh in.

[krb]

i weigh every day. i only want to skip weighing when i know it will be up (carb creep or too much sodium). i want to make myself weigh... but if it is hindering you, that is another story.

[GME]

I weigh everyday. I always have- except when I was gaining. It doesn't bother me though if I bounce around, I know I always do.

[KOO]

The only way I broke my obsession with the scale was by not losing. No matter what I did to shake things up I couldn't lose anything so it got to the point where why weigh in!
I hope you don't get to that point.

[flatferenghi]

nor shall i until i am ready for phase 3 (pre-maintenance). Love & Profits: FLATFERENGHI

[Blood Sugar 101]

I have found that every time I come up with some excuse to stop weighing, I gain weight.

The book I read years ago that examined the experience of people who had lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for five years also reported that daily weighing was a common pattern.

We are all different, so there's nothing to keep you from getting rid of your scale. But after reading a lot of threads here from people who did, I'd urge you to weigh at least once a month, and if you aren't seeing progress then, don't kid yourself that you are "losing inches" because all that will do is delay the moment when you realize you have to change what you're doing because it isn't working.

Not everyone loses weight on LC, especially people with severe metabolic conditions. Indulging in wishful thinking rather than facing facts might make you feel better but it isn't going to solve the problem.

If you are eating what you think you are eating, and calories and carbs are in a range that should provide results for a month or more, then weighing portions and logging is the first step. Counting ALL carbs, and ignoring the "net carb" counts is next. After that, it's time to see an endocrinologist.

[HerBoudoir]

Originally Posted by Blood Sugar 101

I have found that every time I come up with some excuse to stop weighing, I gain weight.

This.

The daily fluctations don't necessarily bother me, because I can see they're slowly heading down.

But if I start avoiding the scale, it's usually because I know I've eaten too much and don't want to see it. Knowing I have to get on the scale, and what eating that full Mexican combo plate instead of a fajita salad will do to the scale helps me stick to plan.

[peanutte]

I agree with Jenny. Decisions that were meant to make me feel better in the short term--refusing to weigh, acting like tracking my food would be an unbearable burden, pretending that I could go by my clothing sizes--led to consequences that made me feel a lot worse in the long term.

[Blondey63]

I've listened to all your words of wisdom and got back on the scale today. Was up a lb and a half from yesterday but I know I have not been drinking enough water so I was not surprised. I will try to look at it as just data. You are right, when you stop paying attention to the scale, you may get lax. I need to see the scale every day to keep eyes on the prize. On the plus side today, I got out my shorts, size 16 and they were way too big...by over two inches.... could not wear them...they would fall right off. Have on a pair of shorts today that I have not been able to wear in like 5 years. Oh happy day!
Helen

[peanutte]

Have on a pair of shorts today that I have not been able to wear in like 5 years. Oh happy day!

That's great, Helen! Good for you! Enjoy that happy feeling, 'cause there's more what that came from.

[cathy77533]

I'm just the opposite..I'm afraid of the darn thing!!


I only get on the scale once a three weeks, if that!! I don't want to get discouraged so I stay off of it.. I know in three weeks, I will show some kind of a loss!

[Beeb]

Originally Posted by peanutte

Exactly. I know for myself where avoiding that information got me--and I also know where facing those facts got me.

Totally agree and I weigh everyday, too. It tends to keep me "honest".

[ljguitar]

Hi blondey…

I only weigh once a year at the doctor's during my annual physical, so my chart is pretty short (only two plot points at this point with 90 pounds difference).

I think it really boils down to the fact for me that even if I weighed every day, it would not change a thing about the way I eat. So why bother...

I am accountable to myself, and limit my carbs to 30 a day. It must be working...either that or my clothes are growing in the closet (they keep trying to fall off me).

You really must decide if it's a way to live and eat or an obsession to track every little point. Perhaps it's one now and will grow into another later, but I tend to find that the way I 'do things initially' is the way I end up living with them later...

[peanutte]

Making it a way to live and eat does not mean abstaining from weighing or tracking--as if those things are mutually exclusive, which they aren't--and weighing and tracking does not make it an obsession. There are different components to weight loss. People use different strategies. Using one set of tools--say, not viewing it as a "diet" but a "way to live and eat"--does not preclude anyone from using another set of tools--say, weighing oneself or tracking one's food. For some, using various tools at their disposal is what makes it a way of life.

It's not either/or.