Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

Sunday, March 3, 2013

How often do you weigh yourself?

The word is that you should only weigh yourself once a week.  What do you think?

Honestly, I weigh myself WAY TOO MUCH.  I actually step on the scale almost every morning and most often, if it changes, I record it on a notepad I keep in my bathroom.  I do this because I let the scale rule my life!  Should I?  Probably not, but I feel like it keeps me in check.

What do I gain from weighing myself too much?  Well, let me tell you...  I actually think that I have learned some things from it.
  1. I've learned that my sodium intake is very up and down and of course, that affects my weight on the scale.
  2. I've learned that my period affects my weight for about 10 days... and unfortunately sometimes that spans two weigh in days (that really sucks when that happens).
  3. I've learned that it can be used as a weekend goal, like get on the scale Friday morning... and when you get on Monday morning the goal is to weigh less.  Weekends are hard!
  4. I've learned that it can affect my mood for the day... good or bad.  Sometimes I may make worse choices because I'm discouraged and sometimes it does that exact opposite.
  5. I've learned that recording my weight actually gives me something to look back and be proud of.

What have you learned by weighing yourself?  

Do you let the scale rule your life?

Do you have any suggestions of foods that can affect the scale the very next day?  Ones to stay away from or ones to eat if you need to weigh in the next day?

How often do you weigh yourself?

... discuss!!!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Tabitha!

    First off bravo for all you have accomplished so far. It's very inspiring to read about how you are doing! It's awesome. About 80 pounds in a year!! That's an accomplishment!!!

    I used to do weight watchers (lost 35 pounds doing it). It's a great program for anyone as it taught me how to eat, portion control, good foods vs bad foods and all other kinds of tips and tricks from real people. That said... I am familiar with the scale battle and weighing yourself all the time every day. It's easy to get so focused on the number on the scale.

    I was recently with a friend renting skiis where they ask how much you weigh. My friend and I are the same height yet she is probably a size 4 where I'm more like a 10. So when she said her weight and it was 30 pounds more than me I couldn't quite beleive it. How can someone so much smaller weigh so much more? Ok I know that muscle weighs more than fat, I'm sure you do too we've all heard that before but a scale doesn't tell you how much is fat vs mucsle. Since you are doing it the real way, you are actually changing how your body processes and uses food which takes time. You are also building muscle. I'm sure there are weeks or periods of time when you are building a pound of muscle and losing a pound of fat.

    Don't let the scale discourage you. Let other measures demonstrate your progress when the scale doesn't. How do your clothes feel? Take a tape measure and measure your arm or leg or waist or hips from week to week. I bet you'll see a difference. There are probably some areas where it comes off quicker than others.

    Better yet write down how you feel in the morning in that notebook in your bathroom for a week instead and just weigh in at weight watchers.

    Other random things I've learned... cut down on sugar and processed foods. Do not be afraid of eating fat... load up on the olive oil!!! Your body needs fat, not sugar. So if you have to choose between them keep that in mind. I highly recommend going to a food or health seminar by Dr. Paul Ratte (Naturopath) if you get the chance. He explains how the body processes food really well (like digestive science for dummies) in a way that weight watchers never did for me.

    Well those are my random thoughts for you. I hope it's helpful in some way. It's been too long. Miss you girl and I'm excited for you to reach your goals!!

    much love,
    ~Shannon~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH Shannon... how I miss thee!

      I remember us talking about WW when we worked together and funny enough I remembered you lost 35 lbs. It was always interesting watching you (not weird watching LOL)... what you ate.

      I never knew how long it had been since you lost that weight - but I thought it was a long time before we met. You ate so healthy, very rarely did you splurge - so it was nice to see that you kept up with it.

      I've followed you through facebook and can see that you still have that weight off. What you've said has really made me think. I'm going to try to do that - write down how I feel versus weigh myself every day (starting tomorrow of course). It'll be hard for me though - because this week I'm really hoping to lose 1.4 - for my 1 year next week. But no time like the present right?

      I'd love to see a seminar by Dr. Ratte -- I'll have to look that up. Information is always nice to have and to think about!

      Take care - miss you tons!!! Hope all is well.

      T

      Delete