How important is it to weigh yourself?

jcourtney · Post by **jcourtney** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 2:42 pm

Okay, so I need some advice. I've been doing No S (again) for about 2 months now after spending 3 years unsuccessfully flip flopping between WW, IF, and No S trying to lose the 70-80 I gained when I was pregnant and on Mat leave. So after all these years of weighing in weekly, if not daily, I have not stepped on the scale in 7 weeks. I feel like I'm doing really well, I'm establishing some good habits, I've only had 1 red day this month, so I kinda want to know if I've lost any weight. But, honestly, I'm scared to look. I'm so worried that if I haven't lost any weight that will derail all the good habits I've formed and send me back to wanting to count calories and points and restrict my S days (which are calming down but are far from calm). So I'm torn between wanting to know if I'm doing well and being worried that I'm not.

Do you all weigh in regularly? I always thought that I would weigh in monthly on NoS but what if I'm not ready yet? Will I ever be "ready"? Should I just do it and face reality? My weight it what it is whether I know it or not. I'm just worried about playing the head game of stepping on the scale.

Didee · Post by **Didee** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:02 pm

Hi jcourtney I really do understand you dilemma regarding weighing yourself. I personally will not step on the scales, instead I prefer to monitor myself on how I feel and how my clothes fit.

I can feel really good and positive but if the number on the scales doesn't correlate I end up feeling a complete failure, having experienced this on so many occasions I finally got rid of the scales.

You are so much more than an elusive number, so my advice would be celebrate your fantastic achievement on following this plan so well, and feel proud of the great job you are doing looking after your health and body.

Didee

kwerp · Post by **kwerp** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 6:07 pm

How are your clothes fitting?
I would say it isn't worth the frustration. But, I know how tempting it is. Maybe you could take measurements, then take measurements again a month from now?

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:33 am

When I got to the point of wanting to weigh myself, I bought the quantum scale. It secretly takes your weight the first time you step on it & then only tells you how much you've lost or gained from there on out. I find it so much more motivating and easier to be objective and actually not even sure exactly how much I currently weigh.

Of course, ideally you should just go by how you feel. If you feel good and you're eating is in a good place then what does it matter what some number on a scale is?

Best of luck with whatever you decide!

Linda

tacodiscos · Post by **tacodiscos** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 10:06 am

I try not to because the scale can ruin my day, but I tend to do it once a month in general to see if anything's awry. I understand your pain. I weighed myself yesterday and its all I thought of because I didn't like the number.

jcourtney · Post by **jcourtney** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 2:54 pm

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to hold off for now. My clothes are fitting better and I'm feeling good. There's no way the number is going to be as good as I want it to be so there's no point in checking right now. I went years without ever stepping on a scale, I need to get back into that mindset. Then I can weigh myself for information purposes only, not to judge how well I'm doing.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 5:56 pm

Though data in the US does seem to show that regular weighing correlates to lower weights, it's also not recommended in many eating disorder/body image improvement programs. And members of the slim cultures in the world don't know how much they weigh.

Not weighing demands a different kind of honesty. I would bet that anyone who finds she has gained enough weight to have it matter would have to admit she was likely consistently overeatng: popping in food at odd times, getting just a little too full at meals, etc.

On the other hand, some people have found that they have broken themselves of the habit of letting the scale affect their day by daily weighing and recording. I used to do that, averaging once a week and recording that. Then I went a few years weighing only at the turn of the seasons.

I weigh a bit more often now, though it's marginally useful for me. I can't say I'm completely neutral about the scale, but I at least fight the urge to let it ruin my mood when I do weigh, which I do periodically. I feel I can do this pretty well because I've accepted that I am unlikely to live the life it would take to get a lot thinner than I am now. My overeating is minor in the grand scheme of things.

If you don't NEED to lose weight- and VERY FEW people do-, vow to eat mostly unprocessed food moderately and exercise consistently. It won't protect everybody, just most people. Probably you.