No, I don't want no SCALE

[NightPilgrim 57]

I'm curious as to what people think...

Background: 10 days post op. Want to lose 50 pounds to be at my (personal) goal.

I was planning on getting a scale to weigh myself, browsing Amazon for the best one...

And then I thought...maybe the scale will actually be counter productive?

Ive seen so many people on here freak out when the scale doesn't move for a day or a week that the mere process of weighing ones self seems to become an obsession upon which they hang all of their self esteem and motivation.

I don't want to get like this. I've been REALLY hung up on the scale in the past and have become beyond discouraged if it hasn't moved etc.

Obviously, I want to keep track of my progress so I know if I need to adjust my diet or lifestyle, but I don't want to become a slave to the scale. I'm measuring inches and seeing changes in my clothes fit. Is this enough?

As a side note, I have bought a KITCHEN scale to weigh my food. I am totally down with that.

I just want to live a new, healthy life, keep ploughing onwards and upwards...

Would love to know peoples thoughts and experiences!

[1poundatatime 174]

I have a scale and weigh myself daily.

BUT, I don't rely on that alone as a measurement of success. I've had times where the scale doesn't move - it's inevitable. So, I also look at body fat %, measurements, photos, and, of course, how my clothes are fitting.

And for trending weight loss I look at Saturdays weights only. Day to day loss doesn't matter much, but over the course of the week speaks more to how things are going.

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

47 minutes ago, 1poundatatime said:

I have a scale and weigh myself daily.

BUT, I don't rely on that alone as a measurement of success. I've had times where the scale doesn't move - it's inevitable. So, I also look at body fat %, measurements, photos, and, of course, how my clothes are fitting.

And for trending weight loss I look at Saturdays weights only. Day to day loss doesn't matter much, but over the course of the week speaks more to how things are going.

Agreed with this.

I weigh myself 2 times a day. It's not stressing me out or anything, especially when I had a small gain and stall first week post-op due to IV fluids. I just stick with the plan and know the changes I've mad will ultimately have good results.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I never weighed myself before WLS surgery. It allowed me to get morbidly obese and stay that way.

I'm trying to make different habits. I weigh myself every day, or every other day. I only count one day a week though.

It has helped me learn more about how my body works. There are a lot of fluctuations in weight. My weight can be 5 pounds different from when I went to bed to when I wake up.

I say if you didn't weigh yourself before, do something different and weigh yourself. A good way to disconnect yourself from the scale is to weight yourself all the time. If you are tracking your food and doing the right thing you know you didn't gain 3 pounds of fat from one day to the next.

I think a scale is a great tool, and I think not weighing yourself often is a recipe for regain. It is a lot easier to catch regain if you are weighing yourself all the time instead of not weighting and catching it at 20 pounds instead of 5.

[Joann454 1,329]

I can see myself getting hung up on the numbers. I will weigh myself anyway but I will also take my measurements as well and try not to become obsessed as to it becoming counter productive. I don't wanna be the person freaking out over the three week stall or three month stall. This is about health for me and not just vanity. I'll need to remind myself of that no doubt.

[Julie norton 2,850]

I did not own a scale post wls. For years. I weighed at my dr appt. it did me well.

in the last year, I have decided every week (or 2) on a Friday morning, I will check in...
I'm finding it is what I want to know now.... years later.
But only occasionally

[NightPilgrim 57]

3 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

I never weighed myself before WLS surgery. It allowed me to get morbidly obese and stay that way.

I'm trying to make different habits. I weigh myself every day, or every other day. I only count one day a week though.

It has helped me learn more about how my body works. There are a lot of fluctuations in weight. My weight can be 5 pounds different from when I went to bed to when I wake up.

I say if you didn't weigh yourself before, do something different and weigh yourself. A good way to disconnect yourself from the scale is to weight yourself all the time. If you are tracking your food and doing the right thing you know you didn't gain 3 pounds of fat from one day to the next.

I think a scale is a great tool, and I think not weighing yourself often is a recipe for regain. It is a lot easier to catch regain if you are weighing yourself all the time instead of not weighting and catching it at 20 pounds instead of 5.

I see what you're saying....

I've never weighed myself before and frankly have always been a bit 'head in the sand' about the workings of my body... so guess it could be good to start a new habit...

I'm self pay so unlikely to have the regular doc's appointments to track progress

So i guess the next question is.....anyone have any recommendations for good scales? ??

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I have this one. It is accurate. It is always within a pound or 2 of my DEXA scans. It balances itself and works on uneven floors. It rocks. Before this scale I had a scale I could step off of and back on and the numbers would be different every time.

http://a.co/dRh56dM

[Joann454 1,329]

I have this one. It is accurate. It is always within a pound or 2 of my DEXA scans. It balances itself and works on uneven floors. It rocks. Before this scale I had a scale I could step off of and back on and the numbers would be different every time.
http://a.co/dRh56dM

That's how my current scale is. I can move it all over my bathroom and get a different weight. I'm getting this one. Thanks!

[chuswysly 122]

Many years ago I facilitated Weight Watchers and they recommend not weighing more than once a week. I figure they spend millions of dollars on research so have always gone with that. You see more ups and downs weighing daily. Weekly is a more accurate way to judge your progress. Think it's a personal preference but I know weighing everyday can make me feel depressed if it's not what I want to see

[NightPilgrim 57]

I knew this was going to happen...

So after this discussion, I bought my scale. Was happy to discover 11 pounds lost in 11 days since surgery which blew my mind. Then the next day, another 2.5 pounds lost overnight. Wow but clearly unsustainable. Then today, (so much for only weekly weighing) I find I've gained 0.5 pounds since yesterday!! I know its only half a pound but suddenly am thinking...did I do something wrong? is this a flag?

I'm 13 days out from surgery. I'm still only on full liquids and my diet is broth, Soup (not cream soup, just regular ole veg soup), greek yogurt, some unsweetened apple sauce, 1 Protein Shake, and yesterday I also had 3x of these Bariatric Pal Store Protein products (1 soup , 1 fruit drink, 1 hot chocolate). Oh and a sh*t ton of Water.

Thats the only thing I did differently to the other days when maybe I only had 1 or 2 of the store bought protein products. I thought they would be helpful in getting protein in and staving off hunger...

Realize that I now sound like the nutso saying this over half a pound... but the whole point of going down the scale route was to "listen to my body" to stay on track.

Now I just want to make sure I understand what it's telling me.

I keep repeating to myself... "This is a marathon not a sprint. Marathon not a sprint."

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

If you want to lose 1/2 a pound just go urinate. That is 8 ounces...

Like seriously part of weighing yourself everyday is so you can learn that your body flucuates all the time and use the scale as a tool, not absolute law.

[NightPilgrim 57]

1 hour ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

If you want to lose 1/2 a pound just go urinate. That is 8 ounces...

Like seriously part of weighing yourself everyday is so you can learn that your body flucuates all the time and use the scale as a tool, not absolute law.

You're right! Will get the crazy back in the can. Onwards and upwards...

[Joann454 1,329]

You're right! Will get the crazy back in the can. Onwards and upwards...

Lol! Please remind me of this if I get all crazy. I can see it happening. Stuff it back in. You're doing great!

[CocoNina 210]

I weigh myself once a week, Sunday mornings. The reason why I gained weight before is because I didn't own a scale & didn't keep track of my habits. I find myself being more conscious (weighing weekly, weighing my food every time I eat, tracking my bowel movements, etc...) has helped me greatly loose these first 50 lbs post WLS.


Height: 5'0"
Weight for WLS consultation: 216 lbs.
Surgery date: 2/13/17
Goal: -71 lbs for healthy BMI (about 145 lbs).
Current weight: 165.6 lbs
My profile picture is not me. It's my "FITspiration" body.