I thought this was a great eye-opener for me. I place so much emphasis on that crappy scale.

Wednesday January 16, 2008

Asking Too Much of Your Scale?

Posted Wednesday January 16, 2008 at 08:04 PM EST in Ask the Experts

Your scale is good at telling you how much you weigh. But are you asking it to do too much? Are you expecting it to make you happy, lift your mood, set the tone for your day, or establish a higher sense of self worth?

If you are, then you're asking too much of your scale - it can't be your friend, your enemy, your mood lifter, or your spirit crusher. All it can do is tell you the total of your weight - your skin, hair, eyeballs, bones, fat, muscle, fingernails, etc. It will never be your friend or your enemy.

It is a piece of equipment, nothing more nothing less.

It has no power over you except that which you give it.

It’s the second week of the Challenge, and the initial rush of enthusiasm may be fading. When the daily drop in scale weight tapers off, what will you have left to make you feel good about what you are doing?

Putting yourself through a workout and then expecting the scale to lift your spirits is missing the point of activity. Overemphasis on the scale will lead to more negativity and failure unless you can find a way to adopt a different mindset. Try these 4 Progress Questions to determine how you're doing:

4 Progress Questions: (a “yes” answer to two or three of these is a sure sign you’re making real progress.)

1 – Do you have increased energy, or do you feel more capable?

2 – Are your clothes fitting more losely?

3 – Are you starting to like what you see in the mirror?

4 – Are you getting people asking you if you have “lost weight,” or “gotten in shape?” (especially people who are only acquaintances and don't see you daily)

If you had ample energy to get through the day, were feeling good in your clothes, moved confidently about your daily activities, and were getting compliments from others that you were getting in shape, would you really care if the scale read 100 pounds or 400 pounds when you stepped on it?

(If you're thinking "yes," re-read the description in the first part and truly imagine what it would feel like to live that way, then ask yourself again and again until the answer is "no.")

The source of your frustration isn't you! There's nothing wrong with you, just with how you measure fitness. Using an intense focus on the scale to determine success or failure is certain disaster.

Read my previous posting on the scale:

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Yeah, the scale is a huge Atkins killer. This is true for just about every weightloss effort out there, but on Atkins especially there is the "Atkins stall" which strikes (suually) right around week 3. Big drop, big drop... nothing! OMG it's not working anymore! (I moderated a large Atkins board for a year or two and I can't tell you how many times we saw this -- just about everyone there hit the stall, the only exception I can think of being, of course, men).

So -- expect a stall around week 3, maybe as late as week 6 or 7. When you see it, stick through it. And avoid artificial sweetners, esp Splenda -- known Atkins stallers. On Atkins I would sometimes stall out for a few months at a time, and then "lose" 25 lbs overnight. Per the scale. Surely no one out there really believes I could have truly lost 25 lbs overnight, without an amputation or something. (just another example of how scales suck). :tongue:

thanks for the Atkins info.. i normally dont stick with it long enough to hit the stall :mad: going to try for the next 15 days to do it unless my PS says NO...

as for the amputation ... i'm working on that :tt2:

No...you are right....a scale does not intrinsically measure health...but it is a fair indicator that one is headed in the right direction...you can be skinny and unhealthy, no doubt....but at 338....the loss of weight is the number one goal...which is best measured by a scale.

rain

I will agree with that. "Healthy Weight" is my #2 goal, right after "Healthy", which is determined by blood tests with the doc for my diabetes and cholesterol, which were both awful pre-band, and are both controlled now with diet and exercise, and NO MEDS! Which is due in part to the scales showing smaller numbers. :mad:

Wheetsin, what do you do for sweetener? Do you use anything at all? I've been using a ton of splenda lately, because iced tea has been my new "get my Water in" addiction of late. I really can't stand it without sweet stuff, but I don't want to add sugar to it. :mad:

What about something like Stevia? Does that have the same effect as Splenda? It's interesting you mention that thing about it causing stalls. I've been watching my calls for the last few weeks and I was losing nicely and it just stalled (although I wasn't doing Atkins). Any tips would definitely be appreciated!

Marimaru, I have switched to using stevia exclusively. I was getting headaches, gas, bloating, and even sometimes the trots from splenda, and I haven't had ANY ill side effects from stevia, and I like the taste better. It has a light sweet aftertaste without getting bitter. Very nice.

Wheetsin, what do you do for sweetener? Do you use anything at all? I've been using a ton of splenda lately, because iced tea has been my new "get my Water in" addiction of late. I really can't stand it without sweet stuff, but I don't want to add sugar to it. :biggrin:

Yeah I like my tea and I like it slightly sweet. Not sweet tea, but not plain either. I used to use Equal. It was my preferred sweetner because (IMO) it dissolved the best. I always thought Splenda was too sweet. But honestly, I've switched back to raw sugar. About a year ago. I drink tea maybe 3x a week, so we're talking about 3 tsp per week, not much. I did some thinking and research, and for me, in the long run, I'd rather take on the carbs/calories of natural sweetner than the chemicals. I've been trying pretty hard to do -- not quite an organic diet, but more of a "back to basics" campaign -- cutting out as much processing and manipulation of food as I reasonably can. A teaspoon of raw sugar has 5g carbs, 20 calories. I can deal with that.

ETA - I've tried Stevia, and it too is too sweet for me, and I didn't care for the aftertaste. Too "fake" for me. I don't really like sweet things, and tea is the only thing I can think of that I add sugar to, but I do like a hint of sweetness.

but at 338....the loss of weight is the number one goal...which is best measured by a scale.

See... I'm picky about the whole weight/fat thing. I think too many people see them as one in the same, and all that does is cause confusion, extra challenge, and too often hurt emotions/self concept.

I'd say in answer to the quote above that the loss of fat is the number one goal, not loss of weight. Loss of weight is best measured by a scale - agreed. Loss of fat is best measured by some device that measures body fat. You could lose weight by dehydrating yourself, hitting ketosis and having a Fluid dump -- heck, even a colon cleanse, a haircut, or an amputation. :biggrin: Unless you have some extreme intervention (lipo for example), you're only going to lose fat by using it up.

(I'm not suggesting you'd dehydrate yourself to lose weight, etc. -- just using them as illustrations of the weight/fat difference).

Lately, this is what I want to do when I step on the scales:

ok, I did it.

I asked DH to take the scale away until the Wednesday before my plastics...

that is after I stepped on this morning... but hey, last time in awhile and I was down 2. love low carb!!

I'd say in answer to the quote above that the loss of fat is the number one goal, not loss of weight. Loss of weight is best measured by a scale - agreed. Loss of fat is best measured by some device that measures body fat. You could lose weight by dehydrating yourself, hitting ketosis and having a Fluid dump -- heck, even a colon cleanse, a haircut, or an amputation. :wink2: Unless you have some extreme intervention (lipo for example), you're only going to lose fat by using it up.

Well...if you want to talk semantics...yes.... However, I was specifically talking about myself and I am neither dehydrating myself nor amputating a limb in the effort of making the scale go down. One does not lose fat without losing weight (unless they are turning it ALL to muscle and that's highly doubtful in my case!!! :Dancing_chief: )...since I already own a scale and have no fat measuring device at home, I'll have to stick with the scale.

And really, I did the whole ketosis thing immediately after banding... My sex life was seriously altered...for some reason, dh didn't want to jump into bed with my breath...I cannot imagine why!!!

:biggrin:

Rain

Congrats Losing. I wasn't able to part with my scale yet. I'm working on it though. This morning I hopped on it and didn't even wait for my weight to register (digital scale) and got back off. I figure I need to take some baby steps. Just curious about your tummy tuck. Are you planning to have one now and one later? I saw a plastic surgeon a month ago and asked about a TT now, for my big deflating belly flop/apron and he said if he did one now he'd have to do one later too. So I'm curious about yours since we're close to the same weight now.

Georgia I love the animation. I swear if I owned a gun I would have shot quite a few scales by now.

Wheet, how is it that everything you say makes complete sense.

Congrats Losing. I wasn't able to part with my scale yet. I'm working on it though. This morning I hopped on it and didn't even wait for my weight to register (digital scale) and got back off. I figure I need to take some baby steps. Just curious about your tummy tuck. Are you planning to have one now and one later? I saw a plastic surgeon a month ago and asked about a TT now, for my big deflating belly flop/apron and he said if he did one now he'd have to do one later too. So I'm curious about yours since we're close to the same weight now.

Hi Leena,

i was considering just a panniculectomy, but i wanted the top part of my tummy taken care of as well.

after the tuck, i will hopefully be about 40 pounds from goal and may need a small revision that i can get when i get my thighs and or chest and arms done.

my tummy is just SO in the way of my activities (try running with the constant flapping :biggrin:) and basically daily life, i'm ready for it to be gone.

Let's face it, I cannot fit into a size 12 unless the numbers go down!

This is not entirely true. Yes, you obviously have to lose fat, but there are times when the scale can go up, and you are still decreasing in size.

Another reason I L-O-V-E my doctor:

On my first visit to him, he told me a story about a patient of his who had come in for her 6 month checkup in TEARS because she had only lost 8lbs in two months (according to the scale). He said it was VERY obvious she had lost A LOT of weight, so he asked her what size clothing she was in. When she replied, he asked her what size she was wearing at her last visit two months prior. The woman had lost SIX clothes sizes, but was still hung up on the ONLY 8 lbs that the scale told her she had lost.

He explained to her that she had been eating/drinking more Protein, and exercising, and was BUILDING MUSCLE, yet still losing FAT. Muscle weighs much more than fat!!!

He decided that day to encourage his patients NOT to weigh themselves, except when they come in for check-ups/adjustments. And, before he weighs you, he will ask questions about how you are feeling, are you more energetic, clothing sizes, and other accomplishments, so that if you are disappointed by the number on the scale, he can reinforce the good feelings you had prior to jumping on the scale.

So far, I have not weighed myself... and only rely on how my clothes are fitting.

I have purchased a pair of pants two sizes smaller, and try them on a few times a week. When they fit, I buy another pair 2 sizes smalled that that pair. So far, I have lost FOUR pants sizes :biggrin:

Everybody has something that works for them. If it works, stay the course, if it's not working, change it!

For me, the scale is a friend. It keeps me on track. I see the number and think, Ok, on track, OR, uh oh, better watch it. I don't have huge flucuations ( no TOM anymore).

I can get upset if the number doesn't go down, even though I know about lost inches etc., but I just realize that I might have hit a plateau but at least I know where I stand as far as the scale goes. So it works for me.

Yeah, I do get worried if I'm without the scale for a few days or a week, but that will get better when I'm close to goal. Right now my goal is to lose weight (and yes fat) so that is my focus and I want to measure that in someway, which for me is my scale.

P.S. I'm in at least a size 18, so I know the scale has to go down before I get into a size 12. Inches alone are not going to do it, especially since I am not exercising much yet. Spring weather will change that!

I truly do use my weight number as a tool. I don't worry so much about the daily number as the weekly or monthly trends. I fluctuate +/- 5 lbs almost daily, so I'm really only watching for the trend of my weight, not the actual weight.