I weigh almost daily. I don't let it dictate whether it's a good day or not. I've found that if I avoid it too long, those few ounces DO become pounds...gained. I can kid myself about how my clothes fit until it's become a full size. I'd rather catch it early. Daily weighing doesn't necessarily mean being psycho about it. If you are obsessive, then don't. One thing is always true: one size does not fit all.

I don't even own a scale, i made a conscious decision not to get one ... i go with how my clothes fit and lucky for me i've had to go shopping for smaller sizes every month. I only weigh when my trainer wants to weigh us and even then i don't stress about it - even when i weighed 72kgs i didn't stress about it.A woman i run with is always so frustrated every time she gets on the scale which happens to be every morning. I've tried telling her to get rid of THE MONSTER SCALE but she doesn't seem to have the courage to do so... i would hate to be so obsessed. i strongly believe it's the stressing about her weight and the weighing every morning that's causing her body to hold on to everything.

I am a big supporter of daily weigh-ins but instead of the actual weight I rely on the trend weight that CC gives me. I find that it balances out most of the fluctations and shows me genuine weight loss instead of weird things like an overnight 4lb gain.

My scale isn't moving but I am losing inches why?? and when will I see the scale move again?

Kathy

I prefer to say: “I don’t need a scale; I have a belt"

I get on the scale most mornings (though if I expect my weight will be up because of extra salt or food, I might skip a day)

I avoid the emotional roller-coaster by recording every weight (as well as the other info my fancy-schmancy scale provides,) and approach it as a "weight-loss study."

I started my weight loss program as part of a research study, and though I am no longer in it, I find this approach is useful.  I am data gathering. I can use that data as input into my choices. It is very non-judgmental.

Good article!

I definitely fall into this trap.  I just bought a scale about 3 months ago and I wish I never did.  I can't seem to get out of this pattern of beating myself up over the number.  stupid scale - I hardly ever weigh myself now unless It is a super skinny day which comes around every few weeks :)

This is one of the best articles that I have read on here in a while. They're all quite  good mind you, but this one has the best 'nutritional' value so far in my opinion. The truth is, no matter how much we weigh, whether we've reached our weight goals, put on a few or are stuck in a plateau, the numbers on the scale will never be more than numbers. If we learn to accept ourselves as we are and celebrate ourself for our efforts, even how our clothes fit will look and feel better because the ultimate weight goal should be for a lightness of spirit which isn't measured by what we eat. If we feed our bodies properly, keep a healthy and active lifestyle and do our best to enjoy each day, our bodies will reflect our positive efforts. So many of us don't realize the beauty that we already have in us and around us. Thank you for this article!

This is a problem for me.  I weigh-in every morning, and although I try not to allow it, the numbers impact my mood for the day.  But I am not sure that I can maintain my 'new' healthy weight if I do not weigh in every day.   About 20-months ago, I was at about 285 lbs, and I avoided the scale or even played with the numbers to make it look like I wasn't so heavy.  I've been weighing every day for the past 20-months, and now I'm down to 174-177, so I'm concerned that if I don't weigh-in, I won't realize it until I'm 20 lbs heavier.   But it should not be impacting my mood like it does, and I do not like that.   Something that I've been doing lately is just telling myself that if I am taking in no more than 2,000 calories per day and do cardio excercise for at least 30-minutes, then I have to be on the right track, regardless of what the scale says.

This is a great article!! Since lately I've been getting alot of comments "you look skinny" and "wow, you've lost a lot of weight" I don't feel the need to jump on the scale everyday. I limit my scale time to once a week, and I skip my 'week of the month' because I always weigh 3-4 lbs more.  The more confidence I get in my weight loss, the less I need the scale to tell me I'm doing good. Plus I started a weight lifting regimen 3 x's a week, so if I notice the scale isn't budging, I know why.

Original Post by: anna_dee

This is one of the best articles that I have read on here in a while. They're all quite  good mind you, but this one has the best 'nutritional' value so far in my opinion. The truth is, no matter how much we weigh, whether we've reached our weight goals, put on a few or are stuck in a plateau, the numbers on the scale will never be more than numbers. If we learn to accept ourselves as we are and celebrate ourself for our efforts, even how our clothes fit will look and feel better because the ultimate weight goal should be for a lightness of spirit which isn't measured by what we eat. If we feed our bodies properly, keep a healthy and active lifestyle and do our best to enjoy each day, our bodies will reflect our positive efforts. So many of us don't realize the beauty that we already have in us and around us. Thank you for this article!

Well said, anna_dee!

I can totally relate, hlh32587.  I really need to stop beating myself up over that number. I have resolved to get on it only once a week now.  I play too many mind games with myself if I get on it every day.

This is very true, but very hard to put to action. I get weighed once a week and it when goes bad, I get very depressed and if it goes bad more than once in a row, I want to cry. I feel like me weight on the scale equals my efforts, my eating habits, and my overall zest for trying to lose weight. I know it's just my weight, which can change for a number of reasons, but that's what I see when I get weighed and it hurts.

It's something I need to change about myself. Good article.

This is a very motivating article.  I try to only weigh myself once a week, but sometimes I step on it just to see how I'm doing.

This article came at the perfect time for me as just this morning I was 'fooling' myself and got very frustrated. I do see lots of changes in my body and I feel great. The scale however has not been very helpful and I see hardly any change after so much work. The biggest jumps were in the first period of my new active life style. Now in seems that it is leveling off a bit and some days I am even heavier. No more obsessive weighing in every morning! Thanks CalorieCount!

Original Post by: kclout05

My scale isn't moving but I am losing inches why?? and when will I see the scale move again?

 

Kathy

It's probably because muscle is more dense than fat - so if you're gaining muscle and losing fat, the scale might not budge (or even go up a little) but you'll be smaller.

Original Post by: frankbair

This is a problem for me.  I weigh-in every morning, and although I try not to allow it, the numbers impact my mood for the day.  But I am not sure that I can maintain my 'new' healthy weight if I do not weigh in every day.   About 20-months ago, I was at about 285 lbs, and I avoided the scale or even played with the numbers to make it look like I wasn't so heavy.  I've been weighing every day for the past 20-months, and now I'm down to 174-177, so I'm concerned that if I don't weigh-in, I won't realize it until I'm 20 lbs heavier.   But it should not be impacting my mood like it does, and I do not like that.   Something that I've been doing lately is just telling myself that if I am taking in no more than 2,000 calories per day and do cardio excercise for at least 30-minutes, then I have to be on the right track, regardless of what the scale says.

Congrats on your great achievement! That is really awesome to hear and keep up the great work :)

This article was a good reminder to not focus so much on the scale. I used to weigh myself every morning and then beat myself up if I didn't lose anything. Now, I'm learning to weigh in once a week, so we'll see.

I must admit that it is frustrating to not lose any weight, though I've been on this journey to lose weight since January. I'm just really tired of trying to figure out where I'm going wrong. I work out 2x a day, most days and eat healthy mostly all of the time.

When I calorie count, I don't lose weight. When I don't count calories, but still watch my intake, particularly my carbs, I lose a pound or 2...go figure. So I'm going to just continue to watch my intake, workout, and seek a personal trainer to make sure I'm doing everything right. But this article was definitely on point...because I have seen other changes in my body, though the scale doesn't want to budge.

Great article. Too many people obsess about the scale and I don't understand it. It's not the scale that determines success, it's the decisions people make!

I don't agree with the gentleman that said his pants determined his weight.  Women typically wear tighter fitting clothing so maybe they maybe able to determine a couple pounds gained, but a man could probably put on 10# before he notices....by then, bad habits could have been established, making it harder to lose.

Wonderful article- but yes, the scale does make/break my day- even if it's by 5 ounces- It's exactly spot on-I totally measure my self worth by that number on the scale!

Original Post by: kclout05

My scale isn't moving but I am losing inches why?? and when will I see the scale move again?

 

Kathy

It's probably because muscle is more dense than fat - so if you're gaining muscle and losing fat, the scale might not budge (or even go up a little) but you'll be smaller.

Good answer elrooto. I was going to say get a new scale. LOL

But seriously, I am of the belief that we don't need a scale. Our bodies will tell us how we're doing but I finally broke down and got a scale last month. I wanted a scale that measured my BMI and water. I only weigh myself once a week but I find myself getting excited for "weighing" day to come. I think for a little while, till I get used to this new lifestyle eatting, I will keep my scale. I started this journey June 9th (200lbs) and as of last week I'm down to 182lb and starting Yoga classes in 2 week.

Original Post by: kclout05

My scale isn't moving but I am losing inches why?? and when will I see the scale move again?

 

Kathy

You're replacing fat with muscle.  It's a misconception that muscle WEIGHS more, it simply takes up less space because it is more dense than fat.  So if you are shrinking in size but not going down in weight, it is because you have eliminated fat that takes up lots of space and built muscle which takes up less space. 

That is a very good and very healthy thing.  Not only are you getting stronger and healthier, you're also increasing your metabolism because muscle cells burn calories even at rest.  Keep doing what you're doing and you'll see the results more and more. 

Yes, I'm one of THOSE people. We have three scales in our house. Sometimes I've weighed myself on all three consecutively. I agonize about what to wear to Weight Watchers so as not to add any extra ounces. I hunted everywhere for an early morning WW session so I could weigh in at my lightest.

This is the problem for those of us whose bodies are kind of "stuck" at a weight that is not really unhealthy but higher than we'd ideally like. Every little ounce counts and it better not be in the gaining direction.

I'm working to break this habit but it's hard. Now I weigh only once a day on the same scale and actually managed to go on vacation without weighing myself. I cringed when I returned and stepped on the scale but found I'd actually LOST weight! This is what a lifetime of watching one's weight can do to the human psyche....Argh.

I guess I'm a different personality type.  I love numbers - both at home and at work.  I analyse fluctuations in scale readings - is it higher due to being well hydrated, water retention due to salt consumption, etc. or lower due to being insufficiently hydrated, time of day, etc.  I like to celebrate seeing numbers gradually slide downward and I am more interested in trends than focused on individual scale readings.

Guess that's my statistics side showing through...

• I ate badly this week and still lost weight. I guess I don’t need to be as careful.

I've noticed the times when I seem to lose the most weight are when I don't exercise, go out to eat, and drink over a weekend.  Is that weird?

I agree with some parts but I don't agree with others. I like to weigh myself everyday. It simply keeps me motivated. And I don't agree with how she tells you to blow off your goals. Always always always have your goals in mind.

that happens to me too!  And it's easy to say "well being bad works better than behaving myself"!!  I've wondered many times why it seems like the weight loss only comes after "misbehaving".

I do weigh daily, but I only keep a written record of my weekly weight--every Sunday AM.  It's too easy to be discouraged by little ups and downs.  But, I have found that skipping the daily weigh turns into avoidance of the scale altogether and rationalization until 10+ pounds later I can no longer deny the truth.  I need to see the changes early and discipline myself based on that.

I am beginning to think the calibration on my scale is being changed by goblins in the night.

Original Post by: tbpixiedust

I am beginning to think the calibration on my scale is being changed by goblins in the night.

OMG! Mine too!!! Hahahaha!

Unfortunately, I too, am a victim of scale tipping, once a day....same thing every morning, after a pee and before I put clothes on.......funny thing is, just this morning, I weighed and weighed 5lbs more than I did yesterday morning......I took a look at what I ate the day before, because those of us who have been on the diet rollercoaster for a bazillion years, KNOW.....salt = water retention = weight gain!  I had salty foods yesterday, so bam, the scale went up...it is physically IMPOSSIBLE to gain that much weight in a day.  When I'm working out with weights, I also gain weight......muscle weighs more than fat.  I try to keep all these things in mind to use the scale as a guideline to my success, however, it does affect my mood for the day - I'm not gonna lie.  I have considered getting rid of my scale altogether, but the last time I did that, I gained 20 lbs, so I'm afraid to let it go.....is it a crutch?  Possibly.  Everyone has their way of dealing with what their scale says and more of us than not, are victims, of the numbers.  Those numbers can be evil and cruel....but remember they are JUST NUMBERS.   Find a pair of pants that DON'T STRETCH......use them as a guide to see how your waistline is doing.  Measure yourself, in the same spots at the same time of day, once every couple weeks.....you will notice one way or the other if you are gaining or losing weight....TAPE MEASURE'S USUALLY DON'T LIE.   And that pair of jeans you tried on that were tight two weeks ago, hey, if they are a little looser this week, guess what?  You've lost weight!  

Good luck to all of my fellow "number watchers"........I've been doing it since I was 10, when my Mom put me on my first diet.  Some habits are VERY hard to break and I know that I have to do this for myself and do what works for me.  If you are going to be a number watcher, you're not a bad person.....just use it wisely.

Cheers!

I too have a problem on letting the scales determine my mood for the day. I don't want to gain any and need to loose 13 lbs. I beat myself up for the gaining cause I worked so hard to get the weight off and just one too many days I let go. I need to trust in God more and let him help me. God will perfect that which concerns me and right now is my wieght and mind.

I LOVE writing articles for CalorieCount because there it is such a rich environment of shared experiences.

Your comments once again support my whole reason for writing the article: There is no one size fits all (and I am not just talking about clothes here!) We need to closely examine our own thoughts, feelings, actions, and results to mindfully determine what is best for each of us as individuals.

If weighing yourself daily, weekly, or monthly causes you to play mind games, ruins your day, consumes your focus, or sabotages your efforts, then pay attention to that information and make a change!

If weighing yourself consistently helps you stay focused on the big picture and doesn't become an unhealthy obsession, do it. The larger lesson here, as many of you mentioned, is that numbers are just one piece of information but they don't tell the whole story. Observe yourself and you will know the right answer for YOU!

Original Post by: deggdegg

• I ate badly this week and still lost weight. I guess I don’t need to be as careful.

I've noticed the times when I seem to lose the most weight are when I don't exercise, go out to eat, and drink over a weekend.  Is that weird?

Nope, I totally identify deggdegg.  I call it self-sabotage.  I do the same thing.  Somehow, because the scale said I lost three pounds instead of the 1.5 lbs I planned, I think this is a ticket to eat more.  What ends up happening - I put back on at least one pound. 

I am catching myself when I do this, so it's not as bad as when I started working on a healthier lifestyle, but I still think it fits into the articles description of measuring my self-worth with a scale.  It's almost like I can't let myself be too successful if that makes sense.  If I didn't pay attention to the scale but followed healthy habits, I wouldn't feel this need to sabotage myself.  I am a work in progress.

I weigh myself almost every day. I'm in maintenance mode. I use an analog scale rather than digital scale so I can just stay in a visual range and don't have .375 more lbs. staring at me. Who cares about .375lbs. But I need to have boundaries and if that little needle goes out of the boundary, I can be more careful about my eating choices for a while.

I am 5'10" tall and can spread the weight in any number of directions--I'm way over if my clothes/belts are getting tight.

Dealing with the scale is just another mental challenge to learn how to cope with--like learning to eat just one Hershey's Kiss.

I weigh in EVERY wednesday (and Friday to see how accurate it is) and also take my measurements. I record it and also write notes like why I was on or off track. I find this helps me stay in check and to never gain those extra pounds back. I gained so much weight because I was in denial and did not weigh in for about a year, when I finally did I was SHOCKED. For me this has to be a weekly part of my life, it has worked for me for over a year now and helps me stay on track and eating healthy and exercising. I know when I am bloated and why I am losing or gaining. Having a bad memory this helps me to remember how far I have become and where I want to stay. It is great to look back and see not only my weight but more importantly my measurements and how far I have come. If I have gained I know its probably because I ate too much ice cream or didn't work out enough and need to stay on track.

I am lucky my weight stays pretty steady but my sister says she can gain or lose up to 10 pounds easily in a matter of a week.

I am guilty of every one of these self-sabotages and yes, many days my scale does determine my self worth. My husband recently explained to me why he has shown no interest in me--because "I dont take care of myself". Since I am a successful self-employed professional, who is well respected and well educated etc I take that to mean that I have gained approximately 20 pounds in the last 10 years--while he was 'finding himself'. I am much older now and the weight does not come off easily and I am finding it very difficult to even try to lose, feeling like if he doesnt want me now, do I want him if I lose the weight. Any thoughts?

I find that weighing myself in the morning keeps me honest for the day ahead.  If I have gained a pound, I will make an effort to eat a little better....if I lose, I try to keep on my current track.  I know this doesn't work for everyone though.

Original Post by: erindrogin

Wonderful article- but yes, the scale does make/break my day- even if it's by 5 ounces- It's exactly spot on-I totally measure my self worth by that number on the scale!

DITTO!

Original Post by: hyke

I am guilty of every one of these self-sabotages and yes, many days my scale does determine my self worth. My husband recently explained to me why he has shown no interest in me--because "I dont take care of myself". Since I am a successful self-employed professional, who is well respected and well educated etc I take that to mean that I have gained approximately 20 pounds in the last 10 years--while he was 'finding himself'. I am much older now and the weight does not come off easily and I am finding it very difficult to even try to lose, feeling like if he doesnt want me now, do I want him if I lose the weight. Any thoughts?

Your self-worth cannot be tied to a number on a scale - or somebody else's opinion about the number on the scale. You are SO much more than what you weigh, even by your own admission.

Thanks--you are right! Sometimes it is hard to remember that.

Original Post by: kykoka7024

Original Post by: erindrogin

Wonderful article- but yes, the scale does make/break my day- even if it's by 5 ounces- It's exactly spot on-I totally measure my self worth by that number on the scale!

DITTO!

If the scale has this kind of power over you, it has too much power! You deserve to have a wonderful day no matter what the scale says. Punishing yourself only compounds the problem.

Take the power back and put the scale away for one week. During that week, become more mindful about how you think and feel. Pay more attention to how your decisions about eating, moving, and living affect you. Ultimately, lasting change takes place from the inside out and that cannot be measured by a rectangular metal object on your bathroom floor!

when I started the journey I used the weithing to control myself. How longer I went on and how better I understood how my body works I understand that I actually do not need it and  I will stop using the weight soon . Anyway during the journy you get ups and downs gain or loose but the impact of loosing and to see it in the early morning gives you already a boost for the day and there are more times to see weight down than up if it works out right.

I am now at the point that the weight stays stable  but I brought my trousers already 2 x to the tailer to change from 40 to 36 thats now the better measure as I gain muscle and feel better every day . Makes fun

I have a scale...can't bear to throw it out cause it generally weighs me 15 pounds less than I actually weigh...sometimes this helps my self-esteem....lol

I went from weighing daily, and sometimes multiple times a day, to a weekly weigh-in on Tuesdays with my group.  The daily weighing was just too much stress and pressure, as at that point in my progress, the number on the scale could definitely affect my mood.

Now that I am educating myself about the way that certain things like  hormones affect weight loss, and now that I'm logging my calorie input and exercise, I feel more confident that I'm doing what I need to do, and the occasional fluctuation (usually due to premenstrual water gain) doesn't bother me at all.  I weigh in because I need to chart my progress, but the scale no longer controls my moods and sense of self-esteem.

@meandermuse- I LOVE IT!!

If it works, JUST DO IT!!!

Original Post by: erindrogin

@meandermuse- I LOVE IT!!

What is it?????

Original Post by: okumra

I use a scale every day and I also have a pair of tight pants that I use as measurement. All to control my desire to eat. Is it wrong to pay so much attention to it? But if I don't do it, I just eat too much.

It's not wrong if it is helping you and doesn't cause obsession or negative feelings about your lifestyle changes or yourself.

My overarching approach to eating and physical activity now (in contrast to when I struggled with yo-yo dieting) is that I prefer to focus on the positive, not the punitive. If it makes me feel guilty, bad, ashamed, deprived, sad, left-out, etc., then I don't want any part of it because for me, negative eventually leads to a rebound.

If it makes me feel empowered, in charge, mindful, energetic, joyful, and happy, then that is what I want; for me (and most of the people I've worked with), positive is sustainable.

Perhaps looking at it from that perspective will help you decide for yourself.

Does this make sense?

I went through that when I started really getting serious about excersize it took a couple of weeks for the scale to drop but I was building muscle and I guess it all just evens out.  Stick with it don't get discuraged.

I weigh myself everyday first thing in the morning. It keeps me on track, but I don't let the fluctuations make or break my day. I've accepted that the TREND IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT, not the daily values. Taking the daily values, just helps me see the trend over a week or month. :)