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OT - monitoring weight with a scale - yay or nay?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

A question occurred to me in light of velvetychocolate's weight thread. I notice that many of you monitor your weight very closely -- do you think it helps (motivates) or hurts (discourages) you to have a scale and weigh yourself daily? I have not owned a scale in years, but I usually have a good idea of where I am because my clothes stop fitting if my weight starts fluctuating.

I like not feeling like a slave to the scale, but I also know that this ignorance-is-bliss method didn't serve me totally effectively since I did have a gradual weight gain of about 15 lbs in 8 years (since my wedding in 2003 until last year when I started running). I've since lost enough weight that I've gone down 1-2 sizes since my heaviest, but I only know my actual weight when I go to the doctor for my annual exam. Sometimes I wonder if I should pay closer attention to keep myself on track.

Just curious to know if I'm a rarity in not paying close attention to the numbers.

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37 replies

Latest reply was from Scarlet

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I find that when I don't weigh myself daily or every other day, my weight tends to creep up. It fluctuates within a pound or so from day to day normally, so I don't get upset if my weight reads higher one day. But if it becomes an upward trend, I can make an effort to stall it before it gets too far up there (if that makes sense). So it really helps me to track it at least several times a week. I weigh myself the same time, before I've eaten breakfast.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Janet, I am like you - I don't own a scale, but it did me a disservice for a while, because weight gain crept up on me.

Now I weigh myself about once a week, at the gym. I still don't own a scale.

Scale weight is only ONE factor to be considered and becoming a slave to it is usually counterproductive. Scale weight needs to be supplemented by measurements and body fat measurements, or simply by the feel of clothes on one's body. For me, weighing every day would make me nuts. We can easily go up and down five pounds (or more) in a day! So I weigh in weekly and allow myself to be several pounds up or down without thinking that it means anything (because it doesn't). If I gain more than five pounds of scale weight, that's when I start thinking it might be time to make some changes. But that's just my personal decision based on my own goals.

Sona

Veteran

I weigh myself on a scale once a week no more. I fidn it discouraging to weigh any more frequently. I do think though that if I didn't have that weekly check I may get off track? This may be jsut perception but staying within 1-2 lbs of my 'normal' weight helps me mentally. I'm not a slave to the scale though and even though for example I weight the same as I did a month ago before going to India my clothes fit more snugly around my waist so I know I'm bloated and ened to get on a good exercise regimen again just as soon as I get some quality sleep!!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I do weigh pretty much daily. But I don't get too emotionally attached to the number. If it's 2 pounds up, it won't ruin my entire day or anything. I mean, it's nice to see lower numbers but I use it mostly as a guide to keep in a range I'm happy with. I should add, I just love to quantify stuff, so this may be as much about seeing and playing with numbers as it is my health lol.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I weigh myself every day. Since I wear scrubs most days I need that monitoring.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I only weigh myself at the doctor's or occasionally at my Mother's house which amounts to every 2 to 6 months. I'm like Suz, it would drive me nuts to weigh in daily or even weekly. I let the fit of my clothes and my WIW pictures be my guide.

ETA: cracking up at Anna's comment!

rachylou

Veteran

I use my scale to weigh my dog. She is so faaaaaaat! (But she would tell you she's *ph*at.)

Anyways, every scale is different. My doctor could not care less what my home equipment says.

Diana

Veteran

Nay. I refuse to have one in the house. I am super obsessive if I do and will weigh myself multiple times a day, which is not good (especially as I know my weight fluctuates during the day). Of course the down side to this is that I can be in denial about slow weight gain for a while since i have no numerical measurement (and the number can come as a shock at the dr's office).

I do try to go with how my clothes fit, though. Last year, when I found out I had somehow gained 10 pounds, I did notice that a lot of my clothes were a bit tight and that I often looked like I had a bit of belly pooch. Now the belly pooch is gone, and I would guess so are the 10 pounds, but I don't know for sure.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I weigh daily as well and absolutely fall off the wagon when I fail to do so. Like Ana said, I am aware of the fluctuations, so I don't get upset over minor changes. But, knowing that I was a little up from yesterday makes it easier for me to say no today to a temptation, like a coffee drink or an extra pieces of dessert.

Parsley

Veteran

Anna, I totally understand about wearing scrubs. I'm in the same boat!
When you wear scrubs every day, they're so forgiving that you can gain a little and not notice. That's what has happened to me, so now I'm weighing weekly while I work on getting my weight back down where I want it.

Anonymous

Every day, and my weight still creeps up

jayne

Veteran

I have to push myself to weigh in once a week. If I don't I gain. I hate the scale but I cannot ignore her. she keeps me honest.

Anonymous

I do monitor my weight daily. It helps me to stay on target. I do travel a lot, hence my food options are limited at times. I need to keep track more carefully, especially when I'm not at home.

Sara L.

Veteran

I weigh myself every few days. I don't get upset over a couple pounds difference either. There's always going to be minor fluctuations, but it does help me stay on track. I can nip weight gain in the bud before I pack on more pounds. It's easier to watch what I eat for a few days than try to lose 10 pounds at once. It also helps me on days when I'm feeling fat to know that the scale says I didn't gain any weight. It's just my imagination playing cruel tricks.

Emily

Veteran

I think if you are active and maintain reasonable habits as far as diet there is no reason to worry.

I do not own a scale. I weigh myself weekly using LifeScale equipment we have at work, watch what I eat, and pay attention to my bust/waist/hip measurements. I like monitoring my weight regularly, but with a scale at home I weighed daily and found the little fluctuations bothered me even though I know they are normal.

Anonymous

I hate scales! I wear tailored clothing (no elastic waistbands) and keep track of my weight by how my clothing fits. When I exercise, I tend to tone up but not lose a pound. My metabolism isn't what is was before I hit 40, so that's another factor. Recently my DH told me he thinks I'm losing weight. I haven't lost a pound (I know because I recently went to the doctor, and of course I was weighed while there), but figure as long as I look like I've lost weight, that's all that counts. I could stand to lose a few pounds, and am trying to control my calorie intake. That's been easier since my gallbladder surgery, as my appetite has diminished. I plan to get back to my daily walk aerobics workouts as soon as the doctor says I can. At any rate, I don't pay attention to the scale.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I had been weighing often but found I was not losing and was following WW strictly so I stopped weighing as I found it too discouraging. I am now going to weigh in once per week and am being quite good about it.

The reason I am in this predicament though is that I let myself gain over 15 lbs in three months. I wasn't weighing. I think it is easy to gain 5-10 lbs and not realize it right away. By the time it is up to the 10 lb mark, it starts getting harder to get back under control.

Having said that, I find if I am trying to lose and have a big loss, I feel I deserve a treat. If I don't lose and think I should have, I get discouraged and eat since the plan isn't working anyway. Definitely need to manage those emotional responses.

krishnidoux

Veteran

We each have our styles. For me, using a scale everyday does not work. Muscle gain is always desirable, and weighs more than fat! On the other hand hormones are responsible for water retention, and they fluctuate for all kinds of reasons that are out of our control. I find that weighing myself every single day is distracting, besides not adding significant data.

I weigh myself every two weeks or so, at the gym on one of those Jurassic era weight sliding scales where you first learn that you are more than a x hundred pounds, then you slide the little weight to the right until the bar balances. I don't pay too much attention, except if I see a trend that I can report to my doctor.

So I guess my vote is nay.

Meredith1953

Veteran

I try to only weigh myself a couple of times a month. I go by how clothing feels fit wise. If it feels tight then yes I do run to the scale. Otherwise....not so much!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I weigh myself about 3x a day... it's not good for you seriously, from a mental health perspective - but I have had ongoing issues with eating disorders and getting it down to about 3x a day is somewhere I am comfortable with.

130.1 this morning, fyi

Sarah A

Veteran

I am a daily weigher. I try to stay in a range of about 6 pounds (sounds so much more generous than 5!) and if I start noticing an upward trend assess diet/exercise and life stress to see if I want to let it go up or keep it in check. I know some weeks of a lot of eating out it will be up so I just let that and family visiting etc ride and figure I will get back on track after. Also, my scale has a bioelectric impedance body fat monitor which is actually terribly inaccurate as a totality but is greatly consistent with itself, i.e. I am not 33.5% body fat but I am likely down a bit from previous reading of 35.5%. The design of this type body fat measurement is also highly dependant on hydration, so if it shoots up one day I know I am dehydrated and need to drink more which is helpful info.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Interesting responses, and I'm glad to know I'm not alone!

I've had a hellacious appetite lately, but I was just training for a half-marathon, so I think some of that's natural. I think I just need to start monitoring my calorie intake (I've used My Fitness Pal) to make sure I'm not overeating now that I'm cutting back on how many miles I run in a week.

I have one pair of jeans in particular that are not very stretchy and *just* fit at the waist -- I think they're the pair that should keep me honest if I decide to continue with my no-scale ways!

Sylvie

Veteran

I weigh myself daily while brushing my teeth. This gives me my lowest weight for the day since I've exhaled water vapor while sleeping and my stomach,etc is empty.

I never worry about fluctuation within a five pound range. But if I see the overall range shifting up, then I get worried. And of course, visual observation of my body is the best test. If I'd gained five pounds of muscle, I'd be thrilled and I'd know it through more toned arms, better fitting clothes, etc.

I think if you are already in a good stage where your weight/exercise/food routine is stable, then you don't need to weigh yourself often. If you're in weight loss mode or someone who puts on weight easily (raises hand), then the monitoring is essential.

Makrame

Veteran

We have a very nice digital scale (bought by DH) that I use daily. I don't pay too much attention to the number but if it starts creeping up, I make a mental note to change some things in my eating. I always weigh myself in the morning so I know how much normal fluctuation to expect on daily basis (for me, it is no more than a pound or two, I know that other people have larger fluctuations).

I remember reading that regular tracking of weight seems to correlate with the ability to maintain stable weight because people usually can make corrections to their habits fairly quickly.

MsMary

Veteran

I weigh every day in the morning. It definitely keeps me honest -- if I find I'm avoiding the scale, that ALWAYS means I'm overeating and gaining! Also, there is research that seems to show that daily weighers gain less weight over time than those who don't weigh daily.

krishnidoux

Veteran

Lyn my heart goes to you. It must be difficult to forget about the scales if you work in a hospital or a clinic!

Jewell

Veteran

Weighing myself weekly helps me stay aware and maintain a healthy weight. My issue is the opposite of most people's- if I don't keep an eye on my weight I'll start gradually disappearing without trying to.

Aida

Veteran

I also don't have a scale. I'll weigh myself at the gym, if I'm going, maybe once a week. My weight fluctuates a lot day-to-day, and having a slow thyroid causes perpetual slow weight gain if I'm not careful with it. I think I'd drive myself crazy if I weighed every day. Mostly I go off of how my clothes feel, and how I myself feel. My body lets me know pretty quickly when my metabolism slows or if I'm over eating. When in weight-loss mode I do keep track of calories, but still don't weigh daily (just weekly).

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Grrr. I went to the gym after work and did some running/walking (about 75 minutes) and made the mistake of getting on the scale on the way out. I was higher than earlier in the week and now I don't want to do my weigh in tomorrow. The psychology of weight and scales at work.

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