Health & Fitness
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
How to not be a ruled by the # on the scale
Please tell me I am not the only one that has this issue....I feel like I am a slave to the number on the scale and i don't know how to stop.
I trak my claories and I work out 6 days a week with a hrm so I know what I am burning. I am in good shape and at a health weight and feel strong and fit, but the scale can make me feel so gross if it is not the number I want. Like everyone, my weight goes up and down about 3 pounds and when it is on the high side its just kills my mood. I weigh myself everyday which is probably a mistake but I just feel like if I don't the pounds will just creep up.
How often do you guys get on the scale? am i alone in feeling this way?
Re: How to not be a ruled by the # on the scale
Hide it. Have your DH or a friend take it from you.
When I became numbers-obsessed back in the day, DH hid the scale from me a few weeks at a time and it worked wonders for my perspective.
two years!
after two losses, now happily expecting baby #1 09.16.12
Brie Fit Blog | BFP Chart
I weigh myself every day, but try to keep perspective. (I'm not going to claim that it never bothers me in the slightest, because it does.) I weight every day because it helps me notice small trends that add up to gains or losses over time.
For example, I got on the scale & supposedly gained 2.6 pounds since Friday. Keep in mind that I ate within my calorie goals all weekend, & did a 10 mile run on Saturday. But, I did not drink nearly enough water on Saturday or Sunday, so the number on the scale is a reflection of being dehydrated, & a good clue to me that I need to be pounding the water today.
I use the scale in combination with tracking calories & exercise (as you mention) + going by how my clothes fit. The scale is a wily beast, & it's fine to use it as a tool, but it shouldn't domintate your life. If you're having trouble with it, I second Brie's comment to not weigh yourself as often.
get rid of the scale.
or put it somewhere where you don't see it, so if you want to weigh yourself you have to dig it out.
I am so with you -- I have had issues with this too.
Since I know I am in good shape and I eat relatively healthy, I have come to terms with the 3 pound fluctuation that I seem to have. Instead of worrying about every pound, I now have assigned myself a "Code Red" number on the scale. I don't allow myself to get too worked up about being up as long as I am below Code Red. When I am at the upper edge of my fluctuation weight, I hop off and don't give it a second thought. Likewise, when I am on the lower edge, I don't allow myself too feel to good about it and celebrate with extra ice cream.
DD #1 born 9/07 ** DD #2 born 7/11 ** Operation Take Back My Body has begun 10/11
Upcoming Races
Gobble Wobble 5K 11/24/11 - Abington, PA 29:40
Superbowl 10K 02/05/12 - Allentown, PA 54:28 PR!!!!
Broad Street 10 Mile Run 05/06/12 - Philadelphia, PA 1:30:44
Rock and Roll Half Marathon 09/16/12 - Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia (Half?!?) Marathon 11/18/12 - Philadelphia, PA
THIS! Weighing myself daily helps me see the number as an indicator of what's going on in my body like pp said. I know a 3 lb. gain overnight isn't a 'true' gain so I don't freak out as badly as if I weighed in weekly.
That said, just like there's no ONE exercise or ONE diet plan that works for everyone, I don't think there's ONE approach to the scale that's right. Since it sounds like you're already carefully tracking other information, it would probably do you a world of good to break your scale. Don't have a number goal - don't even know your number. Just have a 'way my jeans fit', exercise, nutrition goal.
I weigh myself several times a day, just so that I am aware of how much fluctuation is normal and I don't feel badly about a few pounds gained in a short amount of time.
Yesterday, I gained 7 lbs. Did I freak out? NO! Because I know that I didn't eat 24.500 calories yesterday and there is ZERO chance that it is fat. I ate salty food and drank a lot of water. I know that my weight will be at least 3 lbs lower by this afternoon.
The problem isn't your scale, it's you. Your scale is the most important tool in weight management, because is the the only one that measures weight.
When I weigh myself, I look for TRENDS. I want to know if my weight is on a downward trend or an upward trend before my clothes no longer fit.
If you can't measure something, you can't control it.
This is what I do. I also put on a flattering (and professionally fitted--very important) bra and favorite pants and check myself out and look at what DH says is sexy. I've heard it enough from him that I've chosen to believe it. I still enjoy exercising because I like to feel strong and able, rather than something to get skinny. I'm at a healthy weight and my body's natural happy weight--you can't fight that.