Spinoff to Samantha's post: Stop hopping on the scale!

It's funny that Samantha posted about the power of excercise and not paying attention to the scale as much because I had a similiar experience this week.

I know many of us (myself included) sometimes freak when the number on the scale changes dramatically. It's usually due to a cheat meal (or two...or three), AF, or water retention.

Well I had a party, BBQ, and then went away. My binge lasted about 4 days total. When I say binge...I mean buffets, Denny's, beer, chips.

Coming home from my trip I weighed myself when I got back. I was 130lbs. (Last time I had weighed in at WW I was 120). 10 pound gain in just over a week? I think not.

I get right back on the healthy eating/excercise bandwagon. I weigh my food, measure my food, eat my veggies, and get to the gym.

5 days later I weigh myself again- 122.5.

So did I gain 10lbs in a week and then lose 8lbs in 5 days? Probably not.

Should we all stop obsessing over the number of the scale? Probably. We're women. Our weights fluctuate. A LOT.

Samantha's post really got me thinking about the emphasis we put on the scale. I really shouldn't center my life around a number. Once a week weigh ins are in no way a bad thing (keeps me on track). However, considering how sensitive the scale is to sodium, water, a cheat meal, AF....there's no reason to place such a high value on the scale!

Thanks Samantha for your post! It really got me thinking!

Re: Spinoff to Samantha's post: Stop hopping on the scale!

It's so true! My mood is definitely determined by the number I see on the scale and it shouldn't be!

I gained 1.5 lbs from last week's weigh in, but I didn't cheat at all. But,I think our bodies just fluctuate (especially as women), and with weight loss, we need to keep in mind the TREND that our weight is going. So now I plot my weigh-ins in excel, and even though I gained this week, I can see that the overall trend is that I'm losing.

Re: Spinoff to Samantha's post: Stop hopping on the scale!

My official weigh in for myself is after my period is done. I was excited to see the potential 1-2 lb expected drop. But this month, I lost measly 0.3 lbs. I was annoyed but my thoughts prior to the weighin was "I am so much happier this month with my increase in muscle tone over the past 30 days and how my clothes feel better" So really I managed to lose only 0.3 lbs but put on muscle. Stupid numbers on a scale...Ugh I need to constantly remind myself to know better. My mirror and clothes is a way better indicator of my success than the numbers on a scale. Can someone please tatoo that on my brain please!!!

Message edited 8/26/2011 9:38:44 AM.

Re: Spinoff to Samantha's post: Stop hopping on the scale!

This is sooooo true. I haven't been great on my diet but haven't been bad. Not so great on the weekends but pretty much sticking to my diet during the week.

Well I weighed myself on Monday and I was 173...up 7lbs from Fridays weight of 166. I freaked out. Got AF that day and when I weighed myself yesterday I was 168 and this morning was 165.5. So after freaking out about the 7lb gain on Monday here I am down .5lbs from last week. I'll take it. My weight usually fluctuates 1-2lbs when AF is due not 7lbs but you never know.

Re: Spinoff to Samantha's post: Stop hopping on the scale!

This is why I don't own a scale!

I go by how I feel and how my clothes fit. If I am happy with those two things, why risk getting myself down about a number?