Weighing yourself daily

[bbbee]

Hi there ladies. First thread post here.

Getting on the scale daily:
I know I shouldn't...but I find myself compulsively doing this. Sometimes even 3x per day.

Yes, I used to have some eating disorders when younger...
is this a sign of a old habits rearing their ugly head?
Do any of the other ladies do this compulsively?
If so, any deterrents? Ways to stay motivated, and away from negative compulsions like this, etc...?

I'm obviously mentally ****ing myself...just want to stay in a healthy head space.

[bbbee]

bump? o.0

[goalorientgirl]

Yes, it is a sign of bad habits, reborn. Eating disorders, like most mental illnesses, don't "go away" so much as you learn to cope and manage them. It's like being an alcoholic. You're a "recovering alcoholic" if you haven't had a drink in 20 years, but you're not a "non-alcoholic".

Best solution, throw out your scale. Seriously. Weigh yourself weekly, if that, at the gym. Daily measurements are even meaningless, there is just too much natural fluctuation of water and food in the body for the number to tell you anything.

If you really think weighing yourself three times a day is useful, you've got to look into getting help with your body image disorder.

[kimm4]

Hi there ladies. First thread post here.

Getting on the scale daily:
I know I shouldn't...but I find myself compulsively doing this. Sometimes even 3x per day.

Yes, I used to have some eating disorders when younger...
is this a sign of a old habits rearing their ugly head?
Do any of the other ladies do this compulsively?
If so, any deterrents? Ways to stay motivated, and away from negative compulsions like this, etc...?

I'm obviously mentally ****ing myself...just want to stay in a healthy head space.

If your question is do you still have issues, my answer would have to be yes.

Your first move, get rid of your scale.

[bbbee]

Yes, it is a sign of bad habits, reborn. Eating disorders, like most mental illnesses, don't "go away" so much as you learn to cope and manage them. It's like being an alcoholic. You're a "recovering alcoholic" if you haven't had a drink in 20 years, but you're not a "non-alcoholic".

Best solution, throw out your scale. Seriously. Weigh yourself weekly, if that, at the gym. Daily measurements are even meaningless, there is just too much natural fluctuation of water and food in the body for the number to tell you anything.

If you really think weighing yourself three times a day is useful, you've got to look into getting help with your body image disorder.

Appreciate the reply...and I agree. It's been so long since I've had to deal with these types of issues that you forget in a way that it takes constant TLC and maintenance to keep yourself in a mentally healthy place...

and it's not that I think weighing myself 3x a day is useful, it just...happens...it's completely compulsive.

[bbbee]

If your question is do you still have issues, my answer would have to be yes.

Your first move, get rid of your scale.

Thanks for the reply also...

Yeah...seems like the best bet would be removing the scale from my home.

[mrmbm]

While I don't have an eating disorder, I do have an unhealthy relationship with my scale! I can usually stick to weighing once a week, but sometimes I find myself reverting back to daily weigh ins.

The best thing I did was remove the scale, just like the other ladies have said. Now, I have someone in the house who can HIDE the scale for me and just get it out once a week if need be. If you're alone, I'd throw it away.

Good luck to you!!

[bbbee]

thanks so much.

[fittness93]

Agree-Remove the scale.

I chucked the scale 2 years ago, just got it back about 2 months ago. I overcame the compulsion to weigh several times a day. It took all of those 2 years, but I did it. I will say, I never really had issues with food, I'm just a perfectionist, but it was the best thing for me to do at the time.

[bethanyboo]

Some people can weigh themselves a lot without it screwing with their head. I like to weigh in daily and I've grown to understand what factors lead to me "gaining" 5 lbs overnight and why I sometimes have extremely low weigh ins. I don't put much stock in the scale but I do like to track my weight. However, I don't have a history of eating disorders and I'm not obsessive about it.

I think for you it would be best to get rid of it. Go by what you look like in the mirror. Or take pictures once a month - that's probably the best way to assess how you're progressing.

[Crazymix]

Hi there ladies. First thread post here.

Getting on the scale daily:
I know I shouldn't...but I find myself compulsively doing this. Sometimes even 3x per day.

Yes, I used to have some eating disorders when younger...
is this a sign of a old habits rearing their ugly head?
Do any of the other ladies do this compulsively?
If so, any deterrents? Ways to stay motivated, and away from negative compulsions like this, etc...?

I'm obviously mentally ****ing myself...just want to stay in a healthy head space.

OBBBBBBBBBBVVVVVVIIIIIOOOOUUUSLY!


end thread.


oh how much did the scale say today?

[Elfie.]

I don't weigh myself anymore. I just go by how I look and feel and how my clothes fit.

I used to let that stupid contraption control me and how I felt about myself - If I had a "good" number, I'd be really happy and work extra hard and eat really well that day, If I had a "bad" number, I'd say "fck it, this isn't working" and slack off.

Before I'd weigh myself I'd get very nervous and totally freak myself out. My heart would race like I'd just run a marathon and I'd have to lean against the wall to keep from nearly passing out (Yes, issues). Never again. I feel so much more free and productive this way.

[Fall13]

I was like that. I actually put my scale up in my closet during the week and take it down Sunday for my weigh in.

[fitlover]

3x per day is DEFINITELY overkill. Even every day is overkill. Once per week is plenty, as your weight will fluctuate hourly depending on hydration, food, etc. Just stay off.

[NOVA888]

Looking at any kind of numbers daily will drive you INSANE. Even bank statements, payroll, writing checks, Alexa ratings, etc. Once or twice a month is about all I can bear. Numbers can make most people crazy.

[Princess20]

Maybe it's best to break the habit of weighing yourself daily, like biting fingernails? Perhaps instead of weighing yourself, do something nice for yourself.

I only weigh myself once per week.

[ladymystique]

have not weighed myself in 1.5 years now. It messed with my head to much. I go with how I look and how my clothes fit....and that has worked for me. Weight is irrelivant.

[bruisedlegs]

Bee, whenever my old habits start coming back is when I start to compulsively weigh myself. I know you and I have discussed this topic in private before but it's fitting for me to mention this in this thread since someone else could be feeling/going through the same thing.

I know I still have my issues as sporadic as they may be and my scale is still sitting under my bed.

I feel like the more I weigh myself the more in control I am of what I eat and how I push myself to workout. This is obviously not true because it's not ME controlling the numbers, but rather, the numbers controlling me.

I try not to focus on the numbers though because no matter what they are, if my body composition isn't what I want it to be (muscle rather than fat of course), I will never be happy with it.

I say, each time you want to weigh yourself force yourself to think about it and stop it from being something compulsive. I am completely on the same page with you and just recently my issues have been coming back but I have found ways to push them aside and go about things in a healthier way.

Anyway, I've gone on quite a bit but you should know you can always talk to me on TC or here or anything. )

[DearZorro]

When I had eating disorder I had to weight less at evening than at morning... No healthy at all. I just recently starting use a scale again and bought one which shows my body fat %, So I can see if my weight is still the same but body fat is going still away...

[sy2502]

Yes weighting yourself 3 times a day is way over the top and you should consider getting help especially since you already had eating disorders. Weighting yourself daily also doesn't make much sense. It takes 3,500 calories to gain 1lb. Did you eat 3,500 calories over maintenance yesterday? No? Then why are you weighting yourself?
I rarely weight myself since I do bodybuilding because what the scale tells me means little to me. I am trying to gain as much lean mass as I can while lose as much body fat as I can. So if the scale says I gained 1lb, it doesn't tell me if it's 1lb of muscle or 1lb of fat, or a combination of the 2, so what's the point? I go by how I look and how I fit in my clothes. If I can't see my abs I gained fat. If I can lift heavier this time than the last I gained muscle. That's all I need.

[FitMommy71010]

It takes 3,500 calories to gain 1lb. Did you eat 3,500 calories over maintenance yesterday? No? Then why are you weighting yourself?

Wow, this is a great philosphy, I have never thought about it this way. I have to force myself to not weigh every day, in my head I know it is much healthier to weigh every week. Every time I am tempted to step on the scale, I will think about this!! Thanks so much for the insight!!

[elainedeluca]

Hi there ladies. First thread post here.

Getting on the scale daily:
I know I shouldn't...but I find myself compulsively doing this. Sometimes even 3x per day.

Yes, I used to have some eating disorders when younger...
is this a sign of a old habits rearing their ugly head?
Do any of the other ladies do this compulsively?
If so, any deterrents? Ways to stay motivated, and away from negative compulsions like this, etc...?

I'm obviously mentally ****ing myself...just want to stay in a healthy head space.

I know I'm chiming in a little late here, but when I had an ED (close to 20 years ago), I weighed myself compulsively. As Rowyn said, just because you haven't had a drink in 20 years doesn't mean you not an alcoholic. While I am fortunate enough to have made a close to full recovery from anorexia, if I am not careful, a few of the old habits start creeping up (especially now that I am training for competition).

I didn't weigh myself for 3 years. I only recently re-introduced the scale and weigh myself once a week. But for the most part, I rely on the mirror and my clothes to keep track of my progress.

While it may be difficult to chuck the scale altogether, maybe you should think about "weening" yourself off of it. Like maybe try weighing yourself 1x in the morning and that's it. Then gradually cut back more by skipping a day and so on, until you don't need it anymore.

And yes, the scale can be a complete mindfuk.

[discdoggie]

Some people can weigh themselves a lot without it screwing with their head. I like to weigh in daily and I've grown to understand what factors lead to me "gaining" 5 lbs overnight and why I sometimes have extremely low weigh ins. I don't put much stock in the scale but I do like to track my weight. However, I don't have a history of eating disorders and I'm not obsessive about it.

.

Yes. ^^^^ I do weigh myself daily, but I don't get emotionally goofy with the numbers. Three or four pounds up in one day has zilch affect on me. If it does you, OP, stop weighing. It really can't get any simpler than that.


Actually, my daily weighing is more out of curiosity to see how much my morning poop weighs! I step on, step off, poop, step on and off again, do a little subtraction...geez, I'm a freak, aren't I?

[sy2502]

Actually, my daily weighing is more out of curiosity to see how much my morning poop weighs! I step on, step off, poop, step on and off again, do a little subtraction...geez, I'm a freak, aren't I?

I thought that was a guy thing!

[bruisedlegs]

Did you eat 3,500 calories over maintenance yesterday? No? Then why are you weighting yourself?
I rarely weight myself since I do bodybuilding because what the scale tells me means little to me. I am trying to gain as much lean mass as I can while lose as much body fat as I can. So if the scale says I gained 1lb, it doesn't tell me if it's 1lb of muscle or 1lb of fat, or a combination of the 2, so what's the point? I go by how I look and how I fit in my clothes. If I can't see my abs I gained fat. If I can lift heavier this time than the last I gained muscle. That's all I need.

Sadly affected minds don't work that way. We get fixated on the numbers and every 0.01 lb makes a difference. It's crazy but I've been there and composition doesn't matter as long as you're thin and weightless.

You are absolutely correct though and I wish you the best of luck

[ashbychan]

Sometimes I step on the scale to see if I've gained muscle. But I measure progress in terms of fat loss by measuring my waist.

[SurferGirl92037]

I weigh daily. It keeps me accountable and it doesn't mess with my head.

[BryJensen]

I don't weigh myself more than once a week, if that. Weighing yourself daily isn't an accurate way to measure your progress anyways, so doing it three times a day is definitely a sign that your emotional anxiety over your weight needs to be re-evaluated.

I commend you for at least recognizing that this IS an issue for you, and if you want to stay in a health frame of mind, its great that you've reached out. I agree with the posters who are saying remove the scale, that really seems to be the most healthy option, and easiest deterrent. Its not there to tempt you or be threatening either.

But I'd also recommend either finding someone who can help you with this issue, or a professional you can talk to. Getting it out will help you evaluate where you are and where you want to be - and if you're really focused on mental and physical health, the scale factor will fade away.

I wish you the best of luck with all this!

[surfsupdude]

weighing yourself everyday is counter productive, I actually was doing this compulsive scale thing for like 3 months earlier this year and it was driving me crazy. I kept thinking I lost some weight because my clothes fit better and i felt like I was moving around quicker/easier and then I would check my weight and not always get the number I wanted or expected. I think if you weigh yourself once every few days (2 or 3 times a week) that is okay but anything more than that is just not healthy behavior and can sabotage your work ethic by not showing the results you are expecting

[Dokkalfari]

I used to weigh a lot, and like so many other women, I'd let it get me frustrated if it didn't move in the right direction.
What has helped is looking at other ladies' pics here..it made me realize that weight truly is just a number. What is 120 on one woman's body can look totally different on another. I've hit a point in life where I cherish my health and how I feel more than what the scale tells me. I still weigh every once in a while, maybe once a month, but I've learned not to put too much stock into it. Life is a lot better without the scale!