The scale doesn’t always say what we want it to, even when we know we’re eating right and it should go down. There are daily fluctuations, which is why you can’t get bent out of shape about one bad weigh-in.

At the same time, the scale holds us accountable. At some point, you’ve got to accept the fact that maybe the scale is trying to tell you something, even if it’s not something you want to hear. For me, in maintenance mode, I give it about a week and a few pounds. If I’m up by more than about 3 pounds for more than a week, I take the scale seriously and try to reevaluate – what am I doing wrong and how can I fix it?

So when do you ignore the scale, and when do you take its warning signs seriously?

Well, this topic certainly got some strong reactions! It is great that you all have a good strategy for building your relationship with the scale…when to weigh, when to adjust your eating habits, and when not to take the number seriously.

@@Kindle (and others), you make a good point about “preemptive strikes.” Sometimes we know if we need to adjust eating habits…and we just need to admit it and do something about it, even if the scale hasn’t yet caught up enough to tell us the bad news. And planning for vacations and holidays is a good strategy!

@@VSGAnn2014, you have a good way of looking at it. I think weighing and recording are so important. We all know what the problem of obesity is and we are working to control it – I think you are right that it could get out of hand if we let it.

It occurs to me reading your replies that there are a lot of different comfort zones – anywhere from a pound or two to over five pounds of fluctuation. That may have to do with individual differences – some people tend to have more trouble with Water retention (whether monthly for women or for a million other reasons) than others, so those people may have to have more tolerance for fluctuations on the scale. People who don’t have much trouble with water retention may have less of a tolerance for what some would see as minor fluctuations, because they know it’s fat and not water that’s showing up.

Thanks for your answers and the tips on staying sane with a scale!