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:

The National Body Challenge Community

Jonathan Ross, National Body Challenge Fitness Expert

Award-Winning Fitness Expert Jonathan Ross

Make my blog one of your Favorites!

The National Body Challenge Community

well, it's been one hell of a week, but i havent weighed myself. scale is still sitting in my DH's car in fact.

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.

That could easily have been me not too long ago. I had to deal with the scale & not weigh myself daily - it was crushing me because I had been at a somewhat standstill for about 45days. I work hard @ the gym, eat like a total Bandster & I wanted the Damn scale to reflect that. I was almost in tears when my Dr told me not to expect to loose anymore than 6lbs a month MAX & to invest in a tape measure and lay off looking at the number daily. He also asked last wk how many sizes I've gone down - Started at 16, and now my 10's are getting big..Good point.

ugh - post didn't go all the way thru.,

Anyway - I only weigh on Fridays - but after trying on a pair of 8's yesterday and I got them over the thighs w/out bleeding , I figure I'd sneak a peak at the Scale - down 2lbs, first time in I think 5wks the scale moved...So, LJM, like you I think I need to throw the scale in Hubbys truck so not to get obsessed again.

lulu,

after the first couple of days, i was ok with not weighing... try it for a couple of weeks... all else fails you can run out and grab it ...

This site is sooo helpful. My scale has a mind of it's own.

up, down, up, up down, up, up ,up down.

What the heck. 5 months and I am down 25 pounds.

That is better that before the Band.

I praise God for my Band, I am shotting for another 25 pounds

by July 08. I'll show that SCALE

Thanks girls for all your encouragement