Discouraged by the scale? - Read this!

bjalda · Post by **bjalda** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:12 am

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/453/1916 ... 621a31.jpg

This is no testimonial. I haven't stuck with No-S for 10 or more months, lost 10 or more pounds, or 10 or more percent of my starting weight. This is just another reminder of why scales suck in determining your success.

Above you can see my development from February 2015 (on the left) to today in July 2015 (on the right). So it's been a good 5 months since I started No S (for the gazillionst time). I see and feel a striking difference between these two states of my body (and mind!!). But if I solely relied on my scale to tell me this, I would have given up months ago! Just take a look at my weigh-in notes (by the way, I'm 174cm/5"8.5 tall, which means I'd still fall into the bmi-category 'overweight'):

02.02. - 172 lbs
09.05. - 173 lbs - I guess scales really just lie. That's what they do. I've been great at No S and HIIT training, really...
06.06. - 173 lbs - Nothing's happening!!!
02.07. - 168 lbs
(So all through february, march, april, may and june, I had not made ANY 'progress' on the scale)

And then there is more. I remember feeling SO frustrated at my third weigh-in, that I just had to write all those frustrations out. Maybe you recognize some of my thoughts there... So here's a little excerpt of that:

I am finally freaking out.
Yesterday was my 3rd weigh in. And guess what. I havenâ€™t lose ONE SINGLE POUND. Not even talking about KILOGRAMS here. I'm talking about f___ pounds and how NONE have left my body. I'm trying to make the best of it but it just doesn't work!! F____ 173lbs. I'll never get rid of this number. It is mocking me. I'm so afraid of doing things wrong, of wasting my time. A lot of time has passed since I started this. And I've been trying so hard to build sustainable habits. But unfortunately, they also seem to sustain my damn weight. I don't know it anymore... I just want to give up.

So yes, there are still A LOT of emotions linked to the scale. But luckily I was able to remind myself again and again: Put the Scale in Perspective. Patience is key. It is not the easiest thing. There's a lot of time to doubt yourself, to doubt your plan, to lose motivation, to get distracted. But if you promise yourself: THIS IS IT! Everything will be fine, as long as you simply stick to the plan. You know you will eventually get where you need to be. So there's no longer a definite goal. I still have these weight fantasies, numbers that I think would make me happy... But I know that they are neither right nor meaningful.

The scale can't and won't tell you whether you are on the right track. Your body will!
I hope this helps...

Read on:
http://everydaysystems.com/podcast/episode.php?id=24
http://www.niashanks.com/stop-weighing- ... ight-loss/

Manishavyas · Post by **Manishavyas** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:56 pm

thanks , that is inspirational stuff.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:09 pm

Thanks for this - it is a great reminder!

mabelsfriend · Post by **mabelsfriend** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:10 pm

Thanks for this. I too have started and quit No S a zillion times. I started again just yesterday. The main reason I've quit in the past is because I've seen no scale movement or (worse) scale movement up. I told myself yesterday that this is it--- no other diets/eating plans work and No S makes the most sense and is sustainable. I just have to keep going with it and have faith that good things will happen.

Your post came at exactly the right moment for me. Thanks again!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:31 pm

Hurray!

I wrote a much longer comment but will send it to you separately.

I actually almost started crying when I read this. It is hard not to think a little of what my life might have been like if I had just committed to No S-like sanity and consistent moderate exercise back in college instead of that first diet.

I'm even more radical in my personal message to you, but here I"ll just say, I am so glad you see the wisdom in this WOL. It is a waste of spirit to be at war with your opinion of yourself, because that's what it boils down to.

Keep on keeping on!

Kittson · Post by **Kittson** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:01 pm

Great post, thanks for sharing!

ironchef · Post by **ironchef** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:58 pm

Wow, truly inspirational. Thanks for posting.

Lyra · Post by **Lyra** » Fri Jul 03, 2015 9:30 am

I really needed to read this today. I've just finished my first full week of no s (ok with two very minor slip ups) and the scale hasn't budged, not even a few ounces. I know that a week is so little time, but last time around I did lose a tiny bit every week, so I've been feeling frustrated.

Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Over43 · Post by **Over43** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:25 am

I need a cigarette.

Good job.

bjalda · Post by **bjalda** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:45 pm

Thanks for all the comments. I'm glad if this helped as a reminder to not rely on the scale.

Focusing on your behavior/No S is enough. The time will pass anyways and you will eventually get where you need to be (even if that place looks a little different from what you've imagined/hoped).

Lyra, I know how that feels. Last time I did No S, I lost 10lbs in a few weeks! But I also ate unsustainably little and really used No S as another diet. Now I'm actually happy to see some (very) slow loss. In a way it seems more 'real'.

Lyra · Post by **Lyra** » Sun Jul 05, 2015 8:55 am

Bjalda,

Thanks for the support. I've actually *gained* this time, and I don't get it. I'm certainly not eating any more than before I started No S, though I tend to fill up my plate pretty substantially (but not anything really crazy) at mealtimes. Still, feeling pretty discouraged and thinking maybe I should start limiting what's on the plate.

Lyra

MWTMAMA · Post by **MWTMAMA** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:42 pm

I needed to read this today; I got on the site this afternoon because I was so disappointed at my three week weigh in. I gained back the two pounds I had lost! What!? I have been taking notes each day of these three weeks and I believe I can determine where I have been going astray, but I am so disheartened because I am following the No-S rules and strategies. Anyway, it was helpful to be reminded that is a process and is going to take some time to figure out. Thanks...