Doing what I do I have the opportunity to meet many people who have been on a journey similar to mine.  I met a woman last night who helped me remember my struggles with the scale my first year post op.  I'd like to take you back to those first several months post op for me.  I'm sure many of you are experiencing this now and many of you have in the past.  Some of you have been graced with the ability to "JUST SAY NO" to the scale.........but we can all relate!

When I stepped on the scale at the hospital for the first time the day after surgery I weighed 3.4 lbs more than when I entered the hospital!  I wasn't devastated like some are when they see a 10-30lb increase because I understood it was just excess fluid.  I was happy my surgeon lived up to his claim that I would not gain more than 5 lbs!  I promised myself before surgery that I wouldn't fall into the scale surfing trap and would only weigh myself once a week.  Yeah right!  I weighed myself the day I came home which was 6 days later....and was down 11.4lbs!  I then waited a few days and dropped 6lbs......I was hooked.......I didn't want to miss a single pound!  I weighed myself every morning........loosing a couple pounds every couple of days.....I only updated my OH health tracker when I saw a drop on the scale......then two 3 days before 4 weeks out I hit my first stall........10 days with NO loss!  Then it was 1 lb!.......I had been weighing myself everyday too!  But then over the next couple of weeks the WL was steady at a couple of lbs every couple of days.......this went on for several months.......I would get so discouraged by these stalls......even if they were 4 days.......so I eventually decided the next time I got on the scale I would only get on the next day if I saw a loss......otherwise I was waiting a week!  I found the time in between was more tolerable I didn't find myself worrying about stalls......every week I would lose between 3 and 5 lbs.....then after 3 I wouldn't lose anything........and I'd wait......then I'd get on that scale and see a big drop of 3-5 lbs again......instead of those measly 1 lb drops......then nothing......(which BTW it is so much more satisfying to see a 3-5 lb drop once a week than a 1 lb drop every other day.....or nothing everyday for 4 days then 2 lbs).........By doing this I was able to recognize that my metabolism would reset itself every month or month and a half.  Which in hind sight is what it did when I was obese and working out ALL THE TIME....and then all of a sudden I wouldn't loose anything........but when I was obese I'd give up thinking I failed!  With my tool it didn't give me the chance to quit before I succeeded!

The moral of this is........wouldn't you rather get on that scale and see a drop 3/4 or the time than 1/3?  LOVE your tool......accept that it will help you and that it hasn't failed you!  Know that the closer you get to goal the slower that weight will come off......don't give up like that person you used to be.......know that if you keep on keeping on you will eventually see the results of all your hard work........

And last but not least.....actually most importantly..........TAKE MEASUREMENTS!

Here are mine from my initial consult and from this weekend!
     Weight                 Waist               Bra                 Under Bust           Bicep               Hip
249.5 - 149.5         52" - 33"      44D - 36C            46" - 33.5"        16" - 10.5"      52" - 36 '
      -100lbs                 -19"         -8" & 1Cup               -22.5                   -5.5"                 16"



It's been interesting to see everyone's take on this topic.  I notice many of you rely on your scale to help you be accountable.  I wish I could use it in that way myself.......however, that is not the case.....I have always allowed those numbers to affect me in ways I don't like.....Thanks to all who posted!

I was a scale surfer until I hit a major stall at 6 months out.  Now I  only weigh once a week.  You are right, I would rather see 2 - 5 lbs drop a week then .5 a day.

I'm a scale surfer.  At least once a day, sometimes many times.  I don't get upset if it isn't going down every so oftern.  I spent about a week bouncing around but then it started moving again.  I'm happy as long as it isn't going up, which it has on occasion, then is right back down the next day.
I get measured each month at Curves.  Wed will be my next time for Dec and I can't wait to see how many inches I've lost.

I am on the scale daily. I have tried to stay off, but I can't. I totally agree that big losses would be exciting, but any loss was exciting to me. Now that I am in maintenance (or re-gain this week), I weigh daily to hold myself accountable and to try to figure out where the balance is. A couple of weeks ago, I was losing and didn't want to, and this week I want to lose 2 pounds again.

 I  love my scale  as a tool .   I never used a scale for so many years  before my  abstinence / surgery  and  justified it SO many ways  lol.   the bottom line for me was  the  occasional weighing at the doctors office was always a  VERY rude awakening out of my denial  and i was ALWAYS  30  or  more pounds more than i dreamed i possibly  could be....


So  getting on the scale every morning for me fluctuations and months long frustratong stalls and all  ( and my LIFE is a stall lol )  .....  is a huge improvement and a head out of that denial  .of my compulsive overeating and my REAL body size.  ... 

I still  love to play games with the scale .   I have certain spots on the floor and on the scale  where  I weigh less,  and i can  do a lowest weight- highest weight thingy  so I dont get TOO  TOO  depressed when the  scale fluctuates UP  as  it ( often )  does .    And when it goes DOWN  .... well i want to  hold onto every last shred of hope  of reaching and keeping goal after so many years of frustration and spirit- debilitating hopelessness .....

Today my  REAL (  heaviest )  weight was 128  -  my lowest was  117  !!!   im taking the 117  because its my lowest weight TO DATE   !!  YAY !!!  good for me  ..and good for me not pigging out  on Thanksgiving or the many weeks leading up to it (  my holiday season used to start in August I SWEAR  ...)   Lol 

I am a proud scale surfer. It keeps me accountable daily. I know the accuracy of daily weigh ins is iffy at best so I record my weight weekly but check daily if that makes any sense. It's a very short leash I keep myself on and it has been a very successful too for me throughout this journey.

I do admire those that can step away and say no....

I actually measure less...maybe once every 3 months or so...just gauge it on my clothes and the scale. I figure if I'm on plan, then I'm doing alright.

I'm a scale surfer.  Every morning I weigh.  I only record it once a month around the first of the month. 

It does not upset me if it is up because I know that I have not eaten enough food to make me gain weight.  It might be that I did not drink enough water the day before and it helps encourage me to drink my fluids.

It also helps with my accountability. 

I do measurements, but not nearly as often as I weigh!!

Linda

GUILTY!   I am on Daily...sometimes twice and need to stop.  It is driving me crazy as I am a slow to moderate loser (I am OK with this as the scale is going in the right direction, but I can see it starting to get to me so I need to stop).

OK, confession done :)

I am a twice daily weigher and I am good with that. In the past the only time I didn't weigh myself was when I was on the way up. I was in such denial. When I went to the surgeon's office in July I was sure I weighed 190 because that is what I weighed the last time I was at a doctor's office, months earlier. I weighed 218! I was gaining rapidly and since I knew I was out of control and couldn't stop I didn't weigh myself to rub salt into the wound.
Now I know my pattern and weigh myself to keep myself accountable. I am been making changes to my eating since I am now 4 months out and can eat more so I want to see how that effects my weight loss. I can see it slowing down and that is ok, I just want to make sure I am not eating too much to lose. Unfortunately I am not able to exercise right now so all I can do is adjust my eating.

I am pre-surgery and have started my own pre surgery diet (before my pre-op diet) and currently weigh daily.

HOWEVER - I will take your advise into consideration as I hit my first stall post op.  I will challenge myself at that time to "Step away from the scale!!"  and wait a week to weigh myself again.  I think a 3-5lb loss is much more exciting than .50lbs anyday.

I know myself well enough to know that immediately post op I might even hop on that scale more than 1x per day!!! Insane I know  - but thats my compullisive behavior.  Similar to checking this form 1-2 times per day just to see who has posted and what I can learn!

Thanks for your advise!

Kim