Scale?

How often do you weigh yourselves now that you're trying to maintain?

I still weigh myself every morning and night.  I had my 2nd appt with a therapist and she wants me to put away the scale.  I started going to her because I'm worried that I don't want to stop losing.  I hit a goal and then I change it.  Currently my goal is 140 and now I'm thinking that 135 sounds good. 

How did you put away your scale?  I'm worried that if I weigh weekly, I'll get on that scale and have gained 5lbs. (I could do that in a day or 2 pre-op)
Doreen

I put my scale away on the way down because I seemed to obsess over it but once I hit goal and needed to maintain, it seemed to help me stay in control but with some slack...I know that I'll gain up to two pounds from salt or at my time of the month so I have to keep that in mind and be gentle with myself but I do weigh every day.

I weigh in the morning after I get up and go to the bathroom, before I get dressed. I also weigh in the evening before bed but that isn't my "official" weight. I know it can't be because I tend to weigh 2 or 3 pounds more in the evening. It's alittle interesting how I can lose 2 pounds over night..I like that.

It isn't the scale number that is the problem. It's your reaction to that number. If it turns out to be a problem for you...then you need to figure out how to handle that problem. I never did put the scale away after I got it back out.

I weight myself twice a week.  My goal is 195 with a range of +/- 5.  Any number within that range is fine, so if I go from 194 to 199 I don't worry or change my habits.  I'm within my range and I do not consider that I've gained 5 pounds.  Partly because I've seen equally fast swings from 199 to 194.

Fluctuations of 5 or 10 pounds can be attributed to bowel habits, water retention, recent diet, hormones if your a woman, etc.  If you were really worried, you could track a moving average.  That is, consider your weight to be the average of the last 10 times you were on the scale.  When you step on the 11th time, erase the 1st number and average the latest 10 numbers.

For me, allowing for a 5 or 10 pound variation works just as well.  I think my last weights were: 199, 196, 198, 197.  That is within my goal weight range.

I am not a therapist, but in my opinion putting away the scale can lead to weight gain.  Before the surgery I never weighed myself.  In fact I often lied to myself and others.  Unless you are obsessing about your weight, which may be a question for you and your therapist, weighing yourself on a regular basis is a reality check.  I'm over 3 years out and my weight definitely fluctuates according to my excercise and eating.  For me it is a motivational tool.  I don't weigh myself every day, but I do every week. 


Good luck

Hey Doreen,
I too went to therapy following my Rny.  I dutifully put away the scale and then as the itty bits began to creep up I became scale paranoid in the other direction.  I didn't want to know.  Major denial!  I regained over 40 pounds before I put the breaks on it and sought a revision.

Since my revision, I weight myself every single morning.  Some times i have to force myself because I feel bloated and mentally note a few things I ate the day before that I should have skipped!  It was my deal with myself though and I"ve kept it.  I won't say that I don't freak sometimes when it's up a few pounds but what I do now that I should have always done.....I tackle it that  very second.  I make a plan for the next nutritional intake and I eliminate the nibbles until the scale # is back to my goal zone.

As with everything in this WLS journey, no two animals are the same!  LOL!  Some of us NEED that scale accountability every single morning.  It's like my thermostat and it tells me whether my intake needs to be up or down to have the perfect "temperature"!  With maintenance, you could have a lot of work cut out for yourself unnecessarily if you waited an entire week to see the bad news!  Or, the good news!

Let us know how you do, K?

Joyce in AZ
at goal

I still way most every day at least twice a day, only occassionally do I not weigh daily.  I have recently had a small regain that I'm struggling to lose.  It's hormonal and I quit smoking and yes turning to sweets as a sub for the nicotene.  I'm currently trying to get back in the game and lose it again.

I know I'll be in a denial phase if I don't see the numbers, but if not weighing so you don't obsess with more loss (if it's unhealthy at your height, etc) then try doing what your therapist recommends.  It is causes you anxiety then do what works best for you.  Many go through the stage of wanting to lose more, some go to far.....I wish you the best in finding your balance.

Thanks for all the input and info, I'm sure I'll figure it all out.

I weigh most mornings, same time, in birthday suit.  It keeps me on track better than anything does.  It's a daily reminder to eat right and exercise. 

good luck!  Alice

I weigh daily.  I allow a five pound window.....for normal hormonal changes.  I use it as a reminder.  If I were to go above that window, I would be more diligent in my eating until it was back in range.  To date, I have been steady in the range.

3.5 years out

Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not over obsessing.  I think for now I need to keep weighing.  I feel better if I do.