feel like a slave to the scale

[Tezzie Pooh 40]

everyday I jump on this thing. I wait for the number. once I have it I am always disappointed. After, my mind begins to wonder and I begin to feel bad. food use to be my go to, what do I go you now?

[B-52 7,113]

I still weigh myself at least twice a day, out of habit.....first thing when I wake up, then later at the gym after a good run and workout.....

The ups and downs are common, expected and even predictable...swings within the same 5 lbs....if I'm up 3 lbs today, I'll be 4 lbs tomorrow, then up 2 the following, etc, etc...

[2muchfun 8,928]

No offense Tezzie, but I see so many posts like yours and I just don't get it? You've lost 49 lbs and you've only had the band 7 weeks? Do you have any idea how many people would love to have half your success. I wouldn't consider 49 lbs as a disappointment? Sorry, don't mean to be mean, rude or judgemental, but you got it good gal.

Your mind is playing with you. Telling you to be disappointed for no reason just so you can eat bad food. Bad mind, bad bad.

tmf

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

why feel bad? why disappointed?

if your losing *inches*, does it really matter what the scale says? esp since it varies so much during the day....because if you are buying smaller clothes or have better mobility, then in my eyes you are losing and should be saying YOU GO GIRL when looking in mirror.

and if you need something to go to when you feel bad, take a walk, read a book, take a hot bath, jump on this forum and encourage someone...lots of options..

[labwalker 1,177]

I also weigh myself twice a day... first thing in the morning, and when I hit the sack. There are days when my weight goes up a few pounds; but sooner or later it drops off and I hit a new low. My food logging programming provides graphs, and the graphs show that any short term plateaus or gains are mere blips when viewed on a graph that spans several months.

I'd suggest not weighing yourself so often. I've quite a few posts from folks who get depressed from weighing themselves too often. My APRN told me so long as as his patients were losing, even a pound a month, he was satisfied. Realistically, if you can lose 8 pounds a month you are doing extremely well; especially after being out surgery for a few months when the rapid weight loss period slows.

[colleenjoy 104]

I broke up with my scale because I was letting the number dictate how I felt. My weight really hasn't changed too much in the last few months, but I have gone done almost 4 sizes and feel so much more energized. That's what I'm focusing on, not the number on a scale. I do weigh in once a month, just to keep track.

[MandaMom23 684]

Put the scale away for a while if it's making you discouraged. Try to focus on those non scale victories!! I weigh myself everyday, but for me I just use it to keep myself accountable. I can go days and days and days without a loss. I actually have a pair of jeans that I purposely bought a few sizes too small. I try them on once a week and each week I get closer and closer to wearing them! It's pretty amazing how the body changes! You've come so far already...keep up the great work!

[DetChatt 188]

You definitely should step away from the scale (literally) and maybe focus more on measurements. I weigh weekly but only log a monthly weight and also measurements at that time. I may not lose pounds but still lose inches as the fat changes to muscle. Women's weight especially fluctuates since we tend to retain Water more than men do, so that number on the scale may not be a good indicator of where you are. Congrats on the great success so far!

[Tezzie Pooh 40]

My support group leader goes on and on about being accountable. She considers accountability being done by weigh ins being done often. Hints why my Title is slave to the scale. I see the changes and feel great. I dont have temptation to eat like I use to....My issue is I get on and see that number and wonder if I am being accountable enough. Then I start feeling bad. Yes 49lbs is a large amount of weight and I am proud of myself. I love giving away my larger clothes but in the back of my mind its always am I really being accountable, could I be doing more. I just need to get rid of my scale and let my weigh-ins at the doctor be enough. Thanks eveyone!!!!

[Frederic 500]

I believe you and your support group leader are suffering from bad vocabulary. What they're calling Accountability sounds more like Consistency but you seem to be defining it as Responsibilty which you're then processing as Guilt.

Whether or not you need to weigh yourself daily will depend on how much your brain relies on feedback to maintain motivation for behavioral changes. How it makes you "feel" is a secondary effect influenced by your own emotional outlook.

I really feel the key to long term success is to focus on changing your habits daily (or even hourly) but gauge your success/progress with a broader view.

[labwalker 1,177]

"Whether or not you need to weigh yourself daily will depend on how much your brain relies on feedback to maintain motivation for behavioral changes. How it makes you "feel" is a secondary effect influenced by your own emotional outlook."

Well stated; and on the mark.

[LeeB1946 261]

Put it in the garage and drag it out once a month.