Do y'all even get on the scale???

Just wondering out loud here, how often do y'all weigh yourselves, and if so, what is the normal fluctuation you see?  I am seeing fluctuations from 161-168 and it irritates me so I say I weigh 165 to even it out.  I don't weigh myself everyday...usually once every couple weeks at the gym.  I was interested to how you all are 'sizing up' these days.

Daily for me. I know that if I avoid the scale, it's truly time for me to face the music. I'm probably eating way off the straight and narrow path. 

My lowest weight was 155 and last year I jumped back up to 191. I'm now back down to 168-169. Fighting regain is incredibly hard! So I am trying to be vigilant in every way I can. 

NC???  Where girl...I'm in Charlotte

I am 5 years out and never get on the scale unless I'm in hospital or at the doctors. They always say I am Malnourished. At 5'3 I weigh between 100-115 lbs.  I used to go to the gym or horseback riding or even walking my dogs, but can't do that anymore, because of liver failure, HE and seizures.

Warmly,

Jackie

Absolutely understandable!!!  

I am 7 years out and weigh weekly. I used to weigh daily, but am maintaining pretty easily now so I cut back. Usually I fluctuate between 138-142. My goal weight is 140 so plus or minus 3 from that is what I aim for. When I get to 143 I cut back on my eating and track every bite. Usually I have to cut back after New Years but most of the year my weight is pretty stable.

What are your daily calorie/protein goals and do you workout?  I always like to ask people who seem to be where I am close to and compare that to what I do for any possible ideas/modifications. I already think I eat too many calories and I'm working on re-planning my menus so that I can modify that without hopefully feeling hungry (in my head).  You look fantastic!!!

Having already failed my first WLS I know that one of the first things to go was weighing myself.  As long as I didn't weigh myself I didn't have to deal with the fact that I was regaining.  In fact I remember when I stopped weighing myself.  It was when I gained about 10 lbs.  I didn't make a conscious decision to stop, I just didn't want to see the numbers going up when I had no desire or ability to stop eating the way I was.

Now I weigh myself daily and I write down my weight every day.  My eating is stable for the most part so there is rarely any surprises, although I have had a few gains with no conscious change in my eating.  The famous bounce back but in my case welcome.

It may not be necessary for everyone to weigh themselves daily.  You have to find what works for you.  I think about not weighing myself and just going by my clothes but when I had my bounce back I stayed in the same clothes.  If I hadn't of been weighing myself I never would have known I had gained.  Even know that I've lost some weight (due to recent surgery and hospitalization) my clothes still fit the same.  So that isn't going to work with me.

I am very good at denial.  I regained 70 lbs in less than a year and never bought one article of clothing.  I lived in baggy sweats and t-shirts.  Well, they weren't so baggy at the end but I honestly was shocked when I got on that scale at the doctor's office.  I thought I weighed about 190.  I was 220.  So yeah, weighing myself daily works for me.

You have a great message to share.  I could see where I would very easily do the same thing, especially with this huge fluctuation in my weight.  It seems to go up to 10lbs. either way at times and I have seen myself deny stopping by the scale at the gym because I was afraid to see the number.  I don't have a scale at home but this makes me rethink that.  Confronting the ugly beast might be what I need to do.  My nutritionist is so nice but I think he gave me advice that he would give to someone who isn't in our type of situation...someone who can eat basically a large number of calories and just workout.  I think I've gotten ****y to a degree and been slowly adding in stuff.  I have to cut back and substitute with way more vegetables.  You guys help me rethink what I'm doing and I am proud of you for doing the surgery again and taking care of yourself.  Thanks!!!

Teachermom,

I do weigh myself now -- but I didn't for about the first twelve years after my surgery.  Even when I went to the doctor I'd close my eyes (or stand backwards on the scale) and let them write down the number without saying it out loud.

Why, you ask?  Because weighing myself was a trigger.  When I was at my absolute worst -- having lost 60 or so pounds on one of those fad diet things and then refusing to stop until I weighed about 125 pounds (at 5'8" and large-boned -- my wrists and hands are bigger than my husband's!!) -- I would weigh myself up to twenty times A DAY and have a complete meltdown if the needle fluctuated up even a tenth of a pound.  And not eat for the next two or three days.

So for the longest time I judged my weight loss and maintenance by how my clothes fit.  Mostly they got bigger and bigger, so I'd get smaller ones until they got huge and buy new again, and so on.  Somewhat costly, but less stressful than actually looking at a scale.

Then I just decided to myself, "It's a number.  It's only a number and it has no power over you unless you let it.  You know what you should be doing and eating so if you've gained weight you should be able to tell why."  And I can.

That said, I have to say my weight does not fluctuate nearly as radically as it did before I hit that blessed thing known as menopause.  I could bloat up like the Michelin man at the drop of a hat.  That may be what's happening with you -- and muscle weighs more than fat, so if you're working out frequently that may be a factor as well; it'll work itself out eventually but the transition's a b****.

So my advice is twofold -- weigh yourself maybe once a week and pick the scale that you will take as "correct".  I've found that scales don't necessarily agree with each other, and can be off by several pounds depending on what you're wearing, how recently you've eaten or drank anything, etc.

Learning how to use a scale "properly" without letting it rule my life was a hard lesson that took me a long time to learn, but it does get easier ... keep up  the good work!!!