no scales

is anyone else no using scales at home? I am trying to not weigh except when I go to the surgeon, but I don't know if I can hold out. Is anyone else doing this and how to you keep yourself from going crazy?

Beverly, I don't have scales at home and haven't for YEARS!!! It was hard until I found that my work had scales. I have a set time and day of the week that I go down to the wellness center and hop on the scales. This works well for me and so far, I've always seen a loss. I read an article a long time ago that said your weight on the scale can fluctuate at different times during the day, not to mention from one day to the next. Because of this, to get the most accurate reading, you should weigh only about once a week or so and pick the same time of day to do this - I think you weigh less first thing in the morning? This way you'll see a more steady drop in your weight and you might not become as discouraged as you would weighing everyday or several times the same day. I know it can be difficult, but I don't want to become discouraged at all - so I'm going more by how my clothes fit and how I feel. Then when I weigh and see I'm down another 2 or 3 pounds - it's just icing on the cake!! That's my opinion anyway. Hope it helps - take care! -Deb W.

Bev, I don't have a scale either. When I started researching surgery I saw post after post from people scared because they would hit a plateau. Because of this I decided that I would control the scale, rather than letting it control me. I also knew that if I did weigh myself everyday, I would put added stress on myself based on what I weighed. (i.e. put myself down). So at the time of surgery I decided that I would weigh myself every 3 months. The only exception to this was when I had followup visits with my surgeron at 2 weeks and 6 weeks post-op. How do I stand it? Well I use my clothes as a guide. Knowing that I can throw my jeans in the dryer and dry them fully knowing that I won't have to lie on the bed to get them zipped. Plus it is an easy answer for all those people who ask me how much I have lost. I can honestly say "I don't know". I also use weighing as a treat to myself. It's funny, because I only weigh every 3 months it has become a betting game with some people close to me. Everyone picks a weight and whoever is closest get a dollar. I always end up guess too high! Well anyway, it is funny you asked this question today, as it is my 9 month anniversary. I stopped at the gym and weighed. At 5'8" I started at 275 pounds. 9 months out I am now at 165 pounds. Total loss of 110#. Try to resist weighing if you can. It is really unecessary stress. Janine 5/16/03 BTC- Belvidere, IL 273/165/150

Janine and Deb, thanks for the answers. I think I am losing,but I guess I won't know how much until I go in March to the surgeon. thanks again.

I used to weigh myself every other day, until the plateaus started hitting. It's incredibly depressing not to lose any weight for 2-3 weeks. I finally decided to just weigh myself on Saturdays and that seems to be working for me.

Scales are the DEVIL!! I obessed about them for years (both pre and post surgery); now I don't ever weigh except at the doctor's office (and then only under protest). The time of day, weather or not your retaining water, different scales.... all these things make it wrong to obesses about the number. If it reads 10 lbs heavy then get a little concerned but don't just caught up by it. Example: I had a couple beers one night 2 months ago and weighed myself on my boyfriend's scale, it belongs at bottom of an ocean where it can't terrorize anyone by just lying there innocently on the bathroom floor inviting you to try it. I know it weighs heavy; he's told me so but I got on it and weighed... big mistake. I immediately went over board and lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks. Then weighed at my doctors office and was 5 lbs lighter than last summer. ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!! Bottom line: if you have to weigh do it, but it's just a number and go more by how feel, and your clothes are fitting. Sorry to get on a rant here BUT I HATE SCALES... HEAVY OR NOT they make me nuts!!! Paula Jo Lapi RNY 11/01 309/129