Instead of becoming a slave to your bathroom scale, turn the tables and make it work for you:
1. What will you do with this information? If losing weight makes you feel like celebrating with chocolate cake, or gaining weight causes you to throw up your hands and eat everything in sight, skip the scale. On the other hand, if you use the information on the scale, either up or down, as just one link in your network of strategies, then it may be beneficial.
2. Only weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Weighing after each meal, after exercise to see how much you "burned" off (it's more likely lost water due to sweating than actual body fat right after exercise), or when you've overeaten to see how great the damage is just aren't effective. In fact, they can cause more harm than help.
3. Most scales are inherently inaccurate, so don't rely on the numbers too much. Instead of the exact number, look for trends. No one knows exactly how much you weigh unless you tell them!
4. Our weight fluctuates daily due to changes in hydration and menstrual cycle. Sometimes what we think is extra body fat is really just water retention.
5. Develop other weight control strategies that don't include the scale. Some women can tell if they're on track by the way their pants fit. Look for positive markers of success such as following an exercise program, making healthy eating changes, keeping a food and activity journal or practicing mindful eating. The reality is that if you make positive changes in these areas, you'll lose weight. You don't need the scale to tell you you're succeeding!
Thanks Akus! I am trying to stay off the scale now because I am one of those who want to throw up my hands and quit if the numbers are not going down. I rejoined two weeks ago. First week I weighed off and on all day and all week. I didn't think I had lost anything, but I did. I am fighting the same battle this week. My WI is tommorrow and so far it doesn't look as if the scales have not moved in spite of me being OP all week. I have only used 2 of my flex points but I have used most of my AP. I am trying not to let the scale conquer me today. I've just decided that I will keep on keeping on and hope for a good WI tomorrow.
Thanks for the info Akus....I'm one of those "daily weighers"....It helps me to stay on track....I don't stress out if I'm up a little, I figure if I'm doing what I'm suppose to do, then it's the sodium...I can change 2 lbs. from day to day....no problem, I can handle it...It has worked for 5 years for me,weigh every morning before breakfast...
