How Often Do You Weigh Yourself?

[Daniel2015 262]

Do you feel tooth obsessed when you brush your teeth daily? It's about daily maintenance, it's not an obsession.

It's about being in-tune with your body and not connecting emotions to a number but rather actions-should you need to adjust either way.

I think I would've agreed with you preoperatively, but then again I was morbidly obese and dodged the scale every chance I got.

It may or may not look different when you've been on the path almost a year, nearing your goal weight, rather than judging something you haven't encountered yet.

Just a thought...

Ultimately everyone must do what's right for them but refraining from labeling would be refreshing, too. :-)

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[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

Why does it matter, its a personal choice... There is no right or wrong way...

It seems that there are 3 types of people post surgery...

Type 1... who don't care about the numbers too much..but weigh weekly or monthly.. but don't obsess about changes or need to weigh to monitor changes.

Type 2... who weigh every day to keep themselves on track (this turned into obsession for me, and with my already damaged ego, i decided to back off to save my sanity)

Type 3... the follow up appt weigher.. who will weigh when they go into their surgeon's office.

Regardless of what type someone is.... what works for one person.. might not work for another.... for example... if someone has an addictive nature... i would not recommend type 2.. as like it was for me.. can turn into an obsession.

I was type 2... but changed to type 1 because i was driving myselg crazy and stressing myself out.

It really depends on the person and what works for them... lifestyle and personality types can also play a role too.

Edited June 20, 2016 by AussieGirl81

[CharlotteKat 90]

Wow, I am amazed by how people can ignore research that proves you need to weigh daily. It takes maturity to accept the uncomfortable things that you must do after weight loss surgery. Weighing yourself is one of those things. Just because you fall apart after seeing the number on the scale doesn't mean you have a valid excuse to avoid it.

Weighing yourself daily is highly useful feedback in your long term journey. It should be as basic as brushing your teeth or getting dressed each day. Fluctuations become far more tolerable when you see them repeat on a regular basis. Identifying trends in how your weight changes is super helpful. You'll know when to buckle down and when the fluctuation is just Water weight.

[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

@@CharlotteKat

Please stop forcing your opinions on other people and giving criticism because they choose to do what they want to do.

They have the right to choose how they want to live their life and just because a "journal" says its helpful... doesn't necessarily mean it is "helpful" for that particular person.

People have a range of issues.. and it's not about falling apart when you see the numbers or lack of maturity.

For example, ill use my own experience... i was heavy, lost weight, got to goal, maintained for 6 years.. and yes.. during maintenance i did weigh myself frequently.. and that worked for me at that time, so i don't disagree it is helpful when you are in the right headspace.

Fast forward.. i had complications with my band and reset my basal metabolic rate.. so had to be sleeved so i can stay in the lower range calories.

So, i continued weighing like i did prior.. and it was stressing me out, i was putting too much pressure on myself and without realising i became too focused on the number, instead of celebrating wins like i had done during my first time.

I have 8 years of wls experience under my belt... and i know all about fluctuations, changes, Water weight you name it i have been through it. But sometimes we can not change the "mental" side of things.... so if a person who is experienced can go through those struggles... what about a newbie who hasn't. ..

I think each person needs to figure out whats right for them... if weighing everyday works... great... if weighing weekly works... great... if weighing monthly works... great.....

Losing is losing... regardless... its not a race... its lifestyle change

[KristenLe 5,980]

Wow, I am amazed by how people can ignore research that proves you need to weigh daily. It takes maturity to accept the uncomfortable things that you must do after weight loss surgery. Weighing yourself is one of those things. Just because you fall apart after seeing the number on the scale doesn't mean you have a valid excuse to avoid it.

Weighing yourself daily is highly useful feedback in your long term journey. It should be as basic as brushing your teeth or getting dressed each day. Fluctuations become far more tolerable when you see them repeat on a regular basis. Identifying trends in how your weight changes is super helpful. You'll know when to buckle down and when the fluctuation is just Water weight.

There's research about everything imaginable - it doesn't mean it has to be that way and no other way. Not weighing daily has nothing to do with immaturity - I have no idea where you come up with this crap!

[CharlotteKat 90]

KristenLe,

I have lost over 183 lbs. in less than a year. Every day, I weigh myself whether I like the number or not. I have a normal BMI of 20.4. I am a lifetime Weight Watchers member who failed miserably. The good folks at Weight Watchers encouraged me to only weigh once a week. What horrible advice!!! Research shows that the crappy advice of once a week or once a month weighing just isn't effective.

I know what it takes to get to the finish line. Getting on the scale daily is how you get here.

[Wolfgirl78 266]

I weigh myself daily, as I stated earlier in this post but I still don't think that is right for everyone.

And really you're gonna call someone out on this site for their BMI?

Stop telling everyone your way is the right way. It's not for everyone

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Edited June 20, 2016 by Wolfgirl78

[KristenLe 5,980]

Maybe I won't even bother with surgery - obviously the magic is weighing daily! Thank God I know that now!

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[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

@@CharlotteKat

You losing 183lbs does not give you the right to be cruel and mean... you really need to stop bullying and putting people down

@@Alex Brecher .. can something be done about this member.. they have been bullying, harassing and putting people down for days now.

They have been literally following members on multiple posts and putting them down telling them they are going to fail.

This behavior is unacceptable on a weight loss forum.

[nearperfectmess 115]

@@KristenLe

Right?! If only I had known about the magic of weighing myself daily, the pounds would've just melted off!

Hindsight is 20/20.

Or someone just happens to be pushing their agenda on anyone that doesn't seem to agree with them. Ugh. I'm sure there's a study someone that says picking your nose and eating it is a good idea. Well....still wouldn't do it even if it were true. Does that mean I'll be less successful in my journey and my life because of it? If that were the case, so be it.

Last time I checked we tried to be supportive here. :/

[glitter eyes 1,398]

Wow!! I am two years post op and consider myself successful. I have been maintaining since about post op month 9. There are many things that have helped me get to where I am at today. That being said what works for me may not work for anyone else.

I think it is vey rude to say that if someone is doing something different than you or doing something different than a research article suggests then they are wrong.

I would never shove my opinions down someone else's throat or condemn them for taking a different approach. It's great to have a normal BMI but sometimes being a nice person is even better!!!

[daniotra 298]

You have to find what works for you. I personally weigh in every day, but I don't obsess over the number. If the number on the scale becomes too emotionally charged for you, then it is better to weigh weekly or monthly so you don't see the daily fluctuations caused by salt, hormones, poop, etc.

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[CharlotteKat 90]

Since a lot of you are never going to read the research articles about daily weighing, here is an excerpt from study published in the The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, February 12, 2015.

Background

Daily weighing is emerging as the recommended self-weighing frequency for weight loss. This is likely because it improves adoption of weight control behaviors.

Participants/setting

Overweight men and women in Chapel Hill, NC, participated in the intervention arm (N=47).

Main outcome measures

We gathered objective data on self-weighing frequency from the e-scales. At baseline and 6 months, weight change was measured in the clinic and weight control behaviors (total items=37), dietary strategies, and calorie expenditure from physical activity were assessed via questionnaires. Calorie intake was assessed using an online 24-hour recall tool.

Results

Fifty-one percent of participants weighed every day (n=24) over 6 months. The average self-weighing frequency among those weighing less than daily (n=23) was 5.4±1.2 days per week. Daily weighers lost significantly more weight compared with those weighing less than daily (mean difference=–6.1 kg; 95% CI –10.2 to –2.1; P=0.004). The total number of weight control behaviors adopted was greater among daily weighers (17.6±7.6 vs 11.2±6.4; P=0.004).

Conclusions

Weighing every day led to greater adoption of weight control behaviors and produced greater weight loss compared with weighing most days of the week. This further implicates daily weighing as an effective weight loss tool.

[CharlotteKat 90]

Here's another excerpt about daily weighing. This comes from the study, "Daily self-weighing within a lifestyle intervention: impact on disordered eating symptoms", published in US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health in 2014.

Over the 18-month study, some people were more diligent about daily weighing than others. Those who weighed every day lost more weight, on average, than those who didn’t. One concern in the past has been that getting on the scale so often might lead to unhealthy obsessing over weight. The study offered some reassurance on that count. Researchers found no evidence of an increase in disordered eating among those who checked their weight daily.

[Icantbelieveit 955]

I'm going to go pop some phenfen, meridia, and ephedra. Research shows that they were ok, so ... I mean you CAN'T argue about the research and approval from the FDA.

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