Scales!

[Jenica]

Its so true that you should not jump on and off scales daily or even worse 3-4 times a day due to fluid fluctuation. Some of you may have seen my post that having been "good" all last week I didn't want to blow it by pigging out on Easter Sunday when family were coming to dinner, my weighin day now being Monday. I'd weighed myself and knew I'd lost 2lb but after slight lapse on Sunday I'd put 1lb back on next day, however knowing it probably was fluid rather than fat gain I stayed within calorie allowance and did exercise yesterday, have weighed myself today and am now back on target with the 1lb gone. This has boosted me but I won't jump on scales now until next Monday when hopefully another 2lb will have gone. Reason for this post? it can be demoralising jumping on and off scales to check if you have put on weight/ lost every day-instead stick to weekly weighin and monthly inch measuring, it will give you more of a boost and encourage you to keep going. Allow yourself time!! I feel SO positive and focused at the moment reading and sharing comments on this NHS site that I don't want to blow it or this "in control" feeling I have at the moment. I'm going out with some friends tonight after classes in the gym but I'm planning on eating steak and salad, if any on menu, but I won't be jumping on scales next day, I've proved to myself that one night will not do any harm. Keep focused every one!!

[HRHGaby]

As long as you do it at the same time every day, first thing in the morning, it helps understand fluid retentions, but I agree we should focus more on inches as scales are deceiving. Enjoy your day!

[Biblia]

This is so sensible and encouraging! Thank you!

As for your steak and salad, do you usually omit carbohydrates? I feel faint, nauseated and generally ill if I do that. How do you handle it?

[Jenica in reply to Biblia]

there are still carbs in veg and fruit-I don't think of low carbs etc, eating and counting calories is better for me and hopefully staying within my allowance. Thats why I like the MFP app so much because it has cals already worked out when you put food onto your daily list. Only really been using properly for past week or so and love it!

[Jenica in reply to Biblia]

Forgot to write that protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer whereas carbs give that quick boost and then you need another "sugar" fix sooner rather than later. Maybe thats why you are feeling faint or nauseated cos you are having too many carbs, or are you diabetic?

[Biblia in reply to Jenica]

I'm in good health , lucky for me. I usually only eat carbs with a very slow burn off rate such as brown bread or rice or oats, and don't like the simple carbs such as sugar or white refined foods. I have read that some people don't do well with little carbohydrate, I suppose I'm one of those. You must have the other sort of body that needs a lot less of them. I just factor the rice or whatever into my daily calorie allowance, doesn't seem a problem, and I enjoy it.

[fibronfedup]

Hey sounds like you have everything under control, i only weigh in once a week as i get a visual boost every week then to keep going. Good luck with the week ahead and enjoy your evening out

[OlsBean]

When I first started my Journey I had no scales that would weigh me but when I eventually got down to the point where I could be regularly weighed (27 Stone) I weighed on the first day of the month, not sure why, it was just how I did it at the time.

Then I fell into the trap of weighing more often once in maintenance to a point where up until quite recently to be honest, I was weighing daily. A little in my defence though, we have Wifi Scales that send the results to the "Cloud" so I was not always noting the weight at the time. However it still started to become what kind of felt like a Prison Sentence. The problem is (even though in maintenance) when you gain (which is to be expected) you still feel down, likewise when you lose you feel elated. I made a conscious decision to weigh less often and I moved it to weekly, then finally back to Monthly.

I think it was Carol Vorderman that was saying she threw her Scales in the bin and just ended up relying on the fit of her clothes for the reasons I stated above, she described it as liberating.

[Jenica in reply to OlsBean]

WOW! you haven't said how much you lost but at 27 st and now maintaining that is absolutely brilliant-well done!!

[sueper in reply to OlsBean]

Hi OlsBean,

Relying on your clothes if you are slim like Carol Vorderman might work but for me, I can easily put on 3 stone (and did) without going up a dress size!

I think in maintenance once a week or once a month is sensible to keep you on track. I so wish I'd done that 12 years ago!

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Jenica,

Enjoy your meal out tonight. Thanks for sharing your post, it's great to read your progress.

Wishing you another great week ahead.

Lowcal

[Jenica in reply to Zest]

thanks, its such a boost on here writing/reading knowing that everyone is either in similar position as me or has achieved their goal. Keeps me positive and I hope I stay with this feeling until I get to goal, and after!

[Anna999]

I totally agree, it can become a bit of an obsession and is very disheartening when the numbers go up, keeps me more motivated to do it once a week. Although interestingly I weighed myself before and after a workout and there was half a lb difference. Presumably all that sweating! Enjoy your night out with your friends! 🌼

[Jenica in reply to Anna999]

thanks, how are you doing?

[Anna999 in reply to Jenica]

Really well thanks, 9lb so far in the last 2weeks and I'm feeling pretty good! I realise it will plateu somewhat after these first few weeks but it's a massive motivator to see such significant results! I also had some indulgence over easter but otherwise have stuck to the healthy eating so it doesn't seem to have had any detrimental effects, although I felt sooo guilty about it afterwards, was too scared to weigh yesterday haha! But glad I stuck with it and weighed in today! 🌺

[Jenica in reply to Anna999]

thats brilliant-well done!. Wish I could lose that much in couple of weeks.

[Anna999 in reply to Jenica]

Thank you 😊you are doing well too hun! I'm not really sure why it's coming off so fast, it doesn't usually! I'll probably stop at some point and it will even out. I do tend to go slightly under my calories to about 1200 as I find you have to eat so much of the good stuff for it to add up! Also I'm exercising every day, but I'm back at work full time next week so that is going to be much more difficult to fit in. And also I'm drinking about 4L of water a day, I'm in and out of the loo all day but it's meant to really help with weight loss! 🌺

[Jenica in reply to Anna999]

If you have a lot to lose then 1200 or lower calories is not good for you, you will lose lots quickly but then when your body gets used to that then weight loss will slow down. Depending how much to lose aim for 1500-1700 cals daily. Slowly but surely.

[Anna999 in reply to Jenica]

Thanks for the advice, I know reducing too much is not great for the long term, my aim is 1400cals and I manage that sometimes but I'm getting so full up on veg! I'm also trying to avoid starchy carbs and sugar. Not sure what I should do about it to be honest! Any tips?! 🌸

[sueper]

Hi Jenica, I try to weight the same time once a week. I do sneak the odd go in between but I don't record it. I think it is probably worth doing it monthly too just to see how far you have come each month. I have even miss the odd week when I know I haven't done so well so I don't feel disheartened. Did that a couple of weeks ago and when I did weigh I was 4 lb lighter so I did maintain my targets without using the scales