Weigh In: Listen to this story...
This is a day where I should be thrilled.
So, the last week or so, my weight has been ALL over the place. You guys have seen me go to drastic measures (buying a new scale, eating McDonalds), you've seen me bitch and whine like a little girl, you've seen me change my mind about 30 times, you've heard me rant, rave and act like someone who doesn't know that weight loss isn't supposed to be easy.
Just yesterday I decided to go with the number on the scale that I bought. It was 6-10 pounds heavier, but I said I would just accept it. The scale I use at the gym (as Billy said, the weight-balance scales are pretty much the most accurate measure) has been bad to me, so I overreacted and bought a new scale. I don't know if that was me trying to get a better number, I don't know if it was me believing (or trying to believe?) that the scale at the gym wasn't working.. I don't know what it was.
So I stepped on the scale in the bathroom (the new one) right when I woke up this morning. It read 309.2. Frustrated, I went to the gym and did my step class. I came back home, stepped on the new scale again, and it just said 306.4.
But, as I have done EVERY SINGLE DAY since November 22nd, after my workout, I hit the showers, dried up, and stepped on the weight-balance scale at the gym.
I got 299.
I couldn't believe it. And, it's not even that "balance the weights until they just touch" cheating thing that I've been doing for the past month or so.
This was dead nuts center. I mean, if I did my cheating thing that I've been doing, I could have gotten it down to like 296 or 297.
So, this is my problem.
Do I celebrate the 299? Do I stick to the scale that just yesterday I swore would be my real number?
What the hell?
Advice - the blunt kind would be the best. I probably don't want to hear it, but I have a feeling I need it. I honestly don't know if I should be happy, mad, frustrated.. all I know is, even though I know you'll say "it's not about the number", to me it is. It always has been, and I don't think that'll change for me. So, that in mind.. thoughts?
13 comments:
Honestly, I wouldn't trust any scale that swings 10 pounds in a matter of hours. I don't know which number is right, or if any of them are. But there is no way any scale should have a 10-pound variance in it's reading like that. You can't trust anything it's told you at this point.
I'd honestly look into another scale. Take that one back, and get another brand. We got one at Target for $30, and it gives us the same weight (within .2) every time.
Just my .02.
Should I just go back to my original gym scale?
I threw away the box and all that for the new scale - I may be screwed with that - but I might try and take it back and see what happens.
I just need to chill out on this, I don't know why it's getting out of hand. Being SO close to this 300 number is mind boggling to me, I'm in uncharted water and I'm not handing it too well.
The killer thing is, I came in below 300 today, yet I'm not sure if I should be happy about it. I don't feel too great about it right now - maybe I need a few more days of hopefully letting the number stick before I spazz myself out again.
Listen up, soldier.
You are weighing yourself too much. MUCH too much. There's no reason you should be weighing yourself multiple times a day, on different scales, it's gonna drive you crazy.
Here's what you need to do: First thing, when you wake up in the morning, take a pee or whatever, and step on the scale. That's it. That's your weight for the day. Do that every day.
Your weight will fluctuate A LOT throughout the day. When you wake up in the morning, you are mildly dehydrated, and your stomach empty, so you will weigh your lightest. As soon as you start eating, drinking, exercising, etc., you will be all over the place.
As far as your new scale goes, next time you weigh yourself, do it 3 times in a row. As long as each reading is within a pound, your new scale should be fine.
Don't ever weigh yourself on the old gym scale again. And if you get weighed at the doctors, ignore it.
The fact of the matter is this: Roses are red, violets are blue, there's a specific amount of fat that's on you. Regardless of what any scales say, it doesn't change what that amount is.
The scale is only a tool for seeing the difference from when you started to where you are now. Try to see it as that.
Billy, I'm starting to get that - I guess the thing I'm biting myself about is, I've NEVER had a scale at the house, and since November I've been weighing myself at the same time every day.
Wake up, go work out (haven't eaten yet), shower, weigh-in.
I got away from that this week because I was fluxuating too much, and I think I panicked.
I've been using the gym scale since November, should I just go back to using that one, since it's what I've been using since the beginning?
Or, should I suck up the number, and start trusting the new scale that I bought this week?
I say suck up the number, and use the new scale. (but test it like I said to make sure it's consistent)
299 will mean more when you hit it on that scale, anyway.
Take a 10-lb. weight, or something that you know the weight of, and weigh yourself, and then yourself with the weight. If it's way off, or if it swings and varies, again, I think you need a new scale.
The new scale I've used, it weighs consistant with itself at least. I've done the step on, step off, step on thing, and it's been pretty accurate.
So just suck it up, step on the scale at home right when I wake up (after nature's phone call), and hide the thing for the rest of the day?
I cringe, but that may be the best.
Not the answer I was hoping for, but I have a feeling you're right.
I weigh myself 3-5 times a day some days, but it's not to see if I'm losing weight, it's to see A. If there's a trend, and B. To see what food and/or bodily fluids weigh - boredom, if you will.
Keep in mind, everything your body takes in weighs something. A big glass of water weighs a good pound. The turkey burger and rice weighs 2-3.
I expect to see a bigger number when I weigh myself in the middle of the day, so I'm not freaking out when I've gone up three pounds.
If you can't handle that, then don't weigh yourself more than once.
If you're going to use the home scale, do what Billy said and weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Don't wait until after your workout. The morning weigh-in is going to be the most accurate of your actual weight loss....on the other hand, digital scales are just springs. The one at the gym uses counter weights, and should be more accurate.
As far as I'm concerned, you have a reason to celebrate. 299 on the scale that you've been using. It is what it is.
You can mentally adjust the new scale with the old. You need to weigh in at the gym, and then weigh in right after on your home scale, and note the difference.
Following that, stick to weighing in one time per day, first thing in the morning.
Sorry to disagree with some of the others, but I think that you should stick with the one that you've been using at the gym. First, as "anonymous" said, those are supposed to be more accurate. Second, this is what you've been using all along. Finally, that's awesome that you hit 299 on there. I think you'll be more encouraged by that number to push through to a permanent under 300 status.
Just my 2 cents...
yikes! when I get home tonight, we will find something that we know the weight of (I have some 2 lb weights we can use) and see if the bathroom scare reads that item correctly. if it does, use the new scale like billy said. also like billy said, if you weigh yourself 3x in a row and the scale is the same everytime, use the new scale. you play games with the scale at the gym and cheat with it (you admitted it) and there doesn't seem to be a way to cheat w/ digital.
I would go with the scale you've been weighing on for months. If you know you didn't do any cheaty balancing - celebrate the 299! Maybe while you're doing your celebratory dance you'll burn a few calories!!
I would just stick to the scale at the gym and take the new one back. Btw, congrats on the weightloss! ;)
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