Scale-free holidays: It's either really smart or really stupid. If everything goes as planned, I will unwrap my gift to myself after Christmas and see a nice *little* number. "(Gasp) For me? a 136? You shouldn't have!" And even if the scale doesn't get me what I want, maybe I'll be able to breathe in my goal jeans.
"Weigh-in" Friday's for me will now be "Measure-in" Fridays . The tape measure seems so much less demonic.
It's risky, I know. But during the Thanksgiving break, I was driving myself bonkers by stepping on the scale way too much (no gain though, 9 miles and 1 spin class later).
Any measurers out there? Do any of you use an alternative method for judging your progress (other than the scale)? (Clothes, body fat, tape measure, yard stick, water displacement...) Have any of you said goodbye to the scale for good?
November 27, 2007
Merry Christmas to Me
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26 comments:
I think it's a great idea! You'll be able to relax and enjoy the Holidays without worrying anout that little devil every minute of every day! I might just follow suit (only if I can manage to break off my love/hate relationship with the scale)
I have always used the scale to measure my success. Clothes being looser is always a nice touch but I like to see that smaller number every week. I can't stop, I'm addicted. I wonder if they have a group for people addicted to weighing themselves?
Good for you! I think the main problem with a scale is the demonization of muscle weight. I think a tape measure is a great idea.
(Though if you retain water during your cycle, the tape measure may still be unjustifiably mean sometimes).
I'm in maintenance mode, so besides very occasional visits to the scale I mainly use the "how do my pants fit" measurement. Next time I need to get more serious, I may try a tape measure too!
I bought my first scale in a decade in the last year. I mostly weigh myself at Mrs. F's (and very infrequently). I am afraid of scales. I had an eating disorder all through high school and college and scales do not help the process much. So I have used clothes as my way of telling me where I am at. Over the last 4 years, I have also been using my "Chinese Wedding Dress" (A VERY form fitting, custom made dress I wore at our wedding reception honoring my Chinese Husband's traditions). I was the thinnest ever for my wedding--though now I am thrilled to report that the wedding dress is too big (so I guess now is my thinnest). I think using clothes (even buying a pair of jeans in your dream size) is better than a scale. I am worried about scales that only weigh your weight. As I mentioned in a previous post, I lost 4 or 5 pounds recently--but not because I am a superstar, but because I stopped fanatically exercising and my hard earned muscle turned into disgusting fat. So yeah, I can be happy I finally got under 135 for the first time since college. But I am actually devastated that I lost some muscle/tone.
BTW, nice job finishing your race. Doesn't it feel amazing crossing that finish line.
I am totally addicted to the scale and I don't know if I can put it away. It is a problem!
I have lots of "skinny" clothes that I've kept on purpose because I eventually wanna fit into them again. I think I try them on more often than I step on the scale! And I proudly flaunt anything I can squeeze my butt back into - even if it's just announcing to hubby that 'the size 10 skirt fits again! woo hoo!!!' He rejoices with me, so it counts.
I think I told you that I measure every month, and I'll tell you what, the measurements are so much more exciting than the pounds! Losing 6 inches in 1 month makes me so excited!!
So good luck with the not weighing thing, I think you should measure now and then not measure again until Christmas. You'll be amazed at the difference. Good luck!!
I use the tape when I have a bad scale visit and don't believe it. I try and measure once a month. (results are much slower in a tape, I'm not good at measuring less than a half an inch really). I really should change my goals to measurement goals because my scale goal was just arbitrarily chosen.
I think the risk won't be too great as long as you still keep posting and thinking skinny. If you put the scale away and turn your brain off, then it won't be pretty.
Okay, i have one more thing to say. Can you tell I am completely obsessed about this topic???
When I was using Mrs. F's food diary blog (calculating calories, exercising like a crazy woman), I did weigh myself every day (this was April-June/Julyish). I never had such highs nor such lows. I would get totally freaked out about the lows. And way too optimistic about the highs. Another reason I have dialed back on the scale. It was just too much emotion for me.
Anyway, just getting this all out of my system.
Thanks for listening!!
I think that's brilliant! If the holidays are days and not a month and a half, there's no reason to go wildly off track for the season.
I threw out my busted scale (the LED display was half dead, and everything was interpretive) when I moved over the summer, so now I just weigh myself once in a while at the gym. I go to a few different locations, and recently it seemed like either gravity's weaker in Harlem, or I'd lost eight pounds since weighing myself a week before at the Times Square gym. Sure enough, the magical scale was gone next time I went back.
i for sure have ditched the scales. i never go on it because i don't think it's accurate! i'm ALWAYS retaining water or food and in the morning when i wake up even AFTER the bathroom, i still feel like my food is in there cuz i usually "go" more than once a day. i rely on how my clothes fit for sure and measure success by how toned/strong i feel n all that. cuz muscle weighs more than fat, so it's about how confident you LOOK not WEIGH!
I got rid of the scale a long time ago. The number on it will always depress me. I'm 5'6" and at my super skinny, very in shape size 2-4 best I weighed almost 140 pounds (trust me, if I had been thinner it would have been grose). I went for a physical and the nurse started the scale at like 110 and when I tolde her she was way off, she said "I'm always within a pound or two." She was stunned by how much I weighed. I used to joke that I must have a huge fibroid or something...I currently weigh about 140 (I only know b/c I recently had a physical) but I am not a size 4 and not super skinny anymore. I fit comfortably into a 6. For me, the number never reflects what I actually look like. I go by how I feel...if I'm eating well and being active then it doesn't matter what I weigh. I think in terms of simply getting into better shape. Trust me girls, there is danger in being obsessed with the number on the scale.
EEKS. I think the scale is important to make sure you're going in the right direction. BUT, at the same time - I don't own one for the simple fact that I am psychotic about it. So I can only weigh myself at the gym and I only do it once a week.
I agree with Angie - the highs and lows are too emotional. So I can only handle it once a week.
I'm also using the pants thing as motivation - I wrote about it today as a matter of fact.
Carolyn, I totally know what you mean. I started to obsess over that number just a *little* too much.
Crabby, I'm so glad you reminded me about retaining water. Which I do. I think you just saved me from a minor freak-out over the next couple of weeks.
angie, Yes, I could totally see how having had an eating disorder and owning a scale would be really hard. And I totally know what you mean about muscle. When our friend passed away awhile ago I lost a good 4 or 5 pounds, but no exercise, no eating well, just concentrating on other stuff. By the time I got back to the gym, I felt AWFUL even though I weighed less.
Thanks for all of these great comments!Be right back!
Congrats! If you can continue on the right track without involving a scale that is awesome!
Personally, I tend to 'creep' if I don't weight myself once a week. And yes, it's emotional and awful, but necessary for me.
I think it's a great idea! My scale has been driving me insane the last few weeks as well---I think I will follow your lead and wrap that bad boy up!
Thanks!
lisa
http://www.workoutmommy.com
What a neat idea! It would not work for me - when I don't weigh in, my weight really creeps up on me. Having said that, it is easy to get a little scale crazy!! Yesterday I tried on some old jeans, and it was definitely a good way for me to gauge how I am doing.
seriously?!?
That is hardcore!
I can't do that. I actually weigh myself more now that I'm maintaining then I did before. I guess I'm always afraid my weight will go up and I want to catch it asap before it gets too high.
I'll be very curious to see how this goes for you!
elizabeth, I know! The thing is, I think it can really be a great thing to gauge everything, especially if you're just starting out. I think I'm kind of just testing myself to see if I can do ok without it.
Sarah r, Clothes are way more fun than the scale anyway, right?
tara, measure now and then not again until Christmas? Good idea, I'll have to think about that one...
Randi, don't worry, I won't be turning my brain off. I have to remember that, the tape being slower...I remember when I went from a 10 to an 8, it was only a pound and a half that showed up on the scale.
(Angie, round #2) " I would get totally freaked out about the lows. And way too optimistic about the highs. " YES. That was me over Thanksgiving! It IS too much emotion...right now anyway!
Jaime, (did you ever get to watch Molly's video?) That's too funny. A magical scale would have waaay to much power over me, lol. Weighing at the gym seems sensible enough, I would just always be subtracting shoes and clothes, etc. (it's not in the locker room, it's out by the weights).
eat like a cavemen. That makes so much sense! I can understand it all but sometimes have a hard time *just* going on how I look or feel (In the past, I've felt "great" and didn't even realize i wasn't fitting into my clothes...)
be right back...
Hi Sister's! I just started reading from the article in Women's Health Mag. and I have to say that I love your blog. I'm a personal trainer, so hearing about your ups and downs in such humor is great. I think it's wonderful that you both are able to be so open about your road to "Skinny".
I'm a huge advocate of not using the scale, but rather your clothes or a measuring tape especially the closer you get to your goal weight. Because you're exercising you're putting on muscle and it weighs more than fat. You will tone up, but toning doesn't always show well on the scale. Don't beat yourself up. Lot's of people obsess over the scale which in turn leads to stress, which leads to the hording of fat in your body.
I think you're doing great so far, so put that scale away! Enjoy the holidays (food in moderation) and you'll find that you'll probably drop some additional weight. Good luck!
Dare I admit this? My primary method of measuring weight loss involves standing in front of a large mirror after my shower and staring for a long, long time. I examine how much my collar bone protrudes, I twist from side to side to see if my ribs are at all visible from any angle, then I flex various muscles and see how much the fat on top of them jiggles. It sounds so much weirder than it seems. I swear. If I really think I've lost, I make my husband come watch and tell me that he agrees. (Not IF he agrees, THAT he agrees. :)
I'm back...I was thinking that my "Be careful girls, there is danger in being obsessed with the number on the scale" comment might have sounded rude. It wasn't meant to be. It's just that I have been overweight (178 lbs) at one point adn also very skinny. Being thin took over my life at one point and wasn't healthy for me.
I completely agree with what Courtney the trainer said...that was the point IO wsa trying to make.
I love your blog...I find it so motivating. You guys look great!
Sarah (the first one), I am so glad you left that comment! That's so fascinating about being 140 and once being a 2-4 and now being a 6. And NO, you didn't come across as rude-at all! I DO believe it can be dangerous to get too worked up about that number. But I do think it can FOR you in the beginning.
p.o.m. Yeah, I understand, I'm off to check out your pants.
Sarah (the second one). The creeping thing has happened to me too, but the number neurosis has been getting to me. I really do need a break.
Workout Mommy, Do it! (you'll probably do a much better job at wrapping, lol)
erin, yeah, if I could weigh in every week or couple of days without going crazy, I would. I really think it's been exaggerated by the holidays.
Mrs. F, Well, like I said, it'll either be really great or I'll be totally regretting it. We'll see! And I do have to say, if I were maintaining, I think I might be even worse (freaking out at little variations...)
Courtney, Yay for finding us in Women's Health! And thanks so much for your comment. As I read it, I just thought, "Oh yeah, totally." Great reminder.
Janae, LOL! Hilarious!
Thanks for the great post!!!! I am going to do the same thing today. I've decided no more clothes can be bought until they ones in the closet fit!!! Now that is motivation :-)
Good for you for putting the scale away. Ours is out but I'm tooooo scared to get on it!
kfcpyou are incredibly brave! i could never do that, if i don't weigh in, i gain. it's inevitable. good luck!
I tried to , really I did! I even got my husband to take it to work with him and hide it... but... I went and bought a better one! I am not so obsessed with stepping on them now though, they are not nice to me... or should I say, I am not nice to me???
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