Just starting off. Should I?..

Buy a scale?

I feel like if i see that number staring at me i'll cry and get discouraged.

On the other hand part of me thinks I need to know the number.

So, my question. Should I buy one? How often should I weigh myself? Do you use a scale? Does it help or discourage?

Thanks so much!!

I weigh myself daily. I would buy a scale for sure. I mean I was up to 220 and that number hurt to see, but it was reality. Also it's good to see exactly how much you're losing. There are times you think it may only be a couple pounds and then you see it's ten.

You need to use the number as motivation.

I think it would definately help you to have a scale! Otherwise... how will you keep track of your weight loss? It helps to know because if you are doing something wrong and not losing anything, you can modify your diet/exercise until you being to see results!

I weigh in once a week. I used to every couple days because I was so anxious to lose weight, but I found I would get discourage because 1/3lb (or other small amounts) don't really show up on the scale I have. But after a week, it may add up to a pound or two, which is healthy weight loss!

~Far from an expert, but just from my experience~

Goodluck!

I hadn't owned a scale in my life, and bought one in March.  I have been weighing every day, writing the number down, and forgetting it.  Once a month I enter my weight into an Excel SS (from the Hacker's Diet) and look at the trend line, and it calculates the average calorie deficit (or not, depending on if I lose weight) which I then compare to the CC food log analysis for the same period.  This gives me an actual burn rate (assuming I log my food correctly), which I find really helpful in making decisions about how much to eat and move.  I am finding it really helpful to keep me on track with my program.  But, I have lots of weight to lose and don't obsess about daily numbers -- as long as the trend is down I am happy. 

A huge percentage of people who have successfully lost weight and maintained their loss do weigh daily.  That (and the fact that not owning a scale didn't work out so well for me) decided me to buy a scale.

Many people on CC find they do obsess about the daily fluctuations, and either don't weigh at home, or only weigh once a week or month or whatever keeps them sane.

Why don't you buy the scale -- they don't cost that much.  If you find it is making you crazy, you can always give it away!

Honestly, I don't think it's necessary. Yes, it can be a source of motivation, but not always. If you think it'll discourage you, then you don't have to buy/use one. There are other ways to measure progress, like a tape measure for example.

There are pros and cons to both using and not using a scale, so it's up to you if you decide if you want to. But I don't it's absolutely necessary to buy one in order to lose weight.

I don't use one, and I think I've been doing quite well.

Hi Liz and welcome! I am new here myself but I do own a scale and that is what brought me here. The beginning of the month I got on the scale for the first time in IDK. I knew I was over weight, but it was at an all time high! I ordered some diet pills I found on the internet and then immediately found a forum on said diet pills regarding the good/bad side effects of it. Thank goodness I was reading that because it brought me to CC! (Xed the pills and sent them back without even opening the box!)

I DO weigh myself every day now and if I don't like what it says - and this is probably cheating on my part - I just don't enter it in my weight updates! I will wait until I have lost 1/2 or 1 or sometimes 2 pounds before I update my chart! That way, it looks like I am progressing nicely when I look at the chart! I know it's all psychological, but that is what I want to see and it keeps me stoked.

In any case, my clothes seem to fit the same (last year I was thanking the ingenious man that made elastic! this year? cursing him!) so a scale is the only way I can motivate myself (and of course the solid blue line of the weight log!)

Good Luck and the support here is tremendous, use it!

First off, you might be upset or surprised at the current number. Just know though, that nothing feels better than knowing you made real progress, so it's definitely worth it!!

I use a scale and it DEFINITELY encoruages me. Sure I don't see a smaller number EVERY time, but I know I'm on the right track. I usually weigh myself 1-2 times a week. Don't focus TOO much on the scale, but I definitely like to know somewhere around where I am.

Thanks for ALL the replies. I love the warmth from everyone and positivity. I think i'm going to take bits and pieces of the advice and i AM going to get a scale. But I dont think I'll weigh in everyday. For me, I think the best option is once a week, that way hopefully i see bigger numbers :D

THANKS SO MUCH

and am so open to any more advice!!!!!!

 As everyone has said, a scale is all that you make of it. It can be your best friend, or your biggest enemy.

 Stepping on that scale for the first time can be an eye opening experience for you. It was for me when I bought one as soon as I started my new "lifestyle". It really stung to see that big 275 sitting there on that scale. However, knowing that number and knowing that you need to get away from it is a GREAT motivation to really get your mind right.

 I used to weigh in every day as soon as I woke up. However, I'll have to admit that I went insane. Seeing the constant fluctuations day by day. Seeing a gain of 1 pound and then a drop of 2 just kinda killed my motivation. I now weigh in once a week (Thursdays) so I can keep a normal log.

 As of now, I'm sitting at 246 after 8 weeks (which is actually a little faster than I expected), but I can still keep track of my goals and stay in the mindset that I have to constantly strive to get in to the shape I want.

 Without the scale, my personal levels of motivation wouldnt have been anywhere near it is right now. So basically, my wall of text is to let you know, a scale was the best $30 i've spent in a long time and I hope it does the same for you.

Make sure you don't weigh yourself everyday (I weigh on fridays). And remember before you weigh yourself there maybe a few weeks you don't loose any weight according to the scale, but if you're doing the healthy, right things the weight will show in other ways and good progress will eventuall come.  It's a slow process, but very rewarding in the end.

Personally, I weigh just about every day, then average the days together for a weekly weight.  I feel this gives me a good number for the weekly weight.  I also try to measure myself every week, and keep track of the measurements so I can see myself improving.  The other thing I do (have you guessed I like numbers and charts???) is keep track of what I did at the gym, so I can see improvements there as well.  Oh, yes, and I've been counting calories for three weeks almost, so I can see how well I'm doing in that direction.

Really, I'd say the weight is probably the least important part of it all.  What really matters is the inches coming off, and being able to enjoy activities with my kids! 

Definitely buy a scale if you have a goal you are trying to reach.  The number you start off at may be upsetting, but it is a reality check and a huge motivator.  I put off my weight until I saw that number and couldn't deny it any more.  Weight fluctuates by a couple pounds throughout the day, depending on how much you eat, how much liquid and waste is in your body, etc.  Pick a time to weigh yourself (such as the first thing you do after you wake up or right before bed) and have this be the only time you weigh yourself.  It will show a more accurate change in your weight if it is a consistent time.  Weighing yourself weekly as opposed to daily will also show a greater, more steady change in weight and will prevent you from beating yourself up if you're heavier then the day before after a big meal. 

If you are really frightened by the possible number you will see, you might just want to start off measuring yourself (waist, hips, thighs and any other body part you want....you will lose fat from all over your body).  This way you still have a quantitative way of measuring your weight loss...without having to see the scale number.