Being Realistic

[karibensea 7]

Hello everyone,

I do hope this finds all of you doing well today. I just wanted to touch base on a topic that seems to bother a lot of folks on this forum. This comment is only a personal observation.

"THE SCALE"

Stay off of it! There are so many of you who seem to jump on this evil thing every single day, wrong my friends. I personally never even owned a scale till the later part of last yr. The scale seems to give a very bad taste to some who do not see fast results so if you do not see what you want on this thing has to show you then "WHY" do you feel the need to step on it each and every day? This is crazy to put yourself in a self inflicted, self induced state of depression and dispare. Please just stay off the darn thing each and every day.

When you are only weeks post op it seems it is bad enough that some of you seem to feel the need to start heavy duty exercise programs, some who want to start eating bad foods again just in smaller portions and such. Rest, take it easy and yes let your bodies heal. This was a major surgery everyone. Just because it was done in a lyproscopic (spelling) fashion it was still a major deal. You still had to have knock me out juice flowing through your bodies, some had overnight stays, some had really bad pain, etc.

This is a journey that we all chose to take and together we will all get through it. We are here to support and encourage each other. I really would love to see those of you (and you know who you are) who are obsessed with that scale just be happy that this journey has begun and take it one day at a time. This really is the beginning of something wonderful and just think of all the friends you have made here who share the same happiness and long term goal that you do. Sharing and friendship is a wonderful thing.

I will continue to encourage each and every one of you to bigger and better things. And if I lived close to all of you I would get in my car and come get those scales and toss them. We will beat this and we will overcome some of the intermost feelings we are all going to go through. You noticed I said we right? We did not get overweight over night folks and we are not going to get skinny overnight either. Gosh I do know I would love it if we could. The reality of this process is this will take time and lots of it. Be paient, be kind to your bodies and your body will be kind back in spades.

Do not avoid it totally as it is a tool, but just do not be obsessed about it and be willing to accept what it says. It can work to your benifit for sure in time and do not get on it every single day.

Here is hopeing that all of you have an awesome weekend.

Edited August 1, 2009 by karibensea

[LindaD 3]

When I am avoiding the scale, that's a bad thing. It means that I am in denial about what I would see.

I realize those who are obsessive, who let themselves get down in the dumps over no-loss or whatever, might need to avoid it.

I don't think it's a problem for me. Being willing to get on the scale FOR ME means being willing to be culpable, to take responsibility for my eating and exercise. Avoiding the scale means avoiding the truth of my choices.

So I'm good with it...

[Cleo's Mom 257]

What is the first thing the doctor's office does when you go for a follow up appointment? Weigh you. So what that number on the scale says must be important, at least to them. If there is anyone out there whose doctor does not weigh them as the first thing, I would like to know. And also if their weight loss/gain is not the first thing the doctor discusses with you when he/she enters the room. I think this should make an interesting discussion. I know my experience with both the nutritionist and surgeon is that you are weighed first. That is what they equate with success (theirs and yours). Therefore, I can understand why people get obsessed with their scales at home. This is the message they get from their doctors.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I think the "STAY AWAY" caveat works during the early days when you are healing and working on your sweet spot. AND...it may be true for many even AFTER the sweet spot.

For some of us though, that scale keeps us real. I do weigh daily; it's like, um, taking my pulse or blood pressue. I need the info. HOWEVER I don't fret if it goes up and I've been working the band....quick gains like that are Water. I look at what I was last week...so each day I compare to a week ago.

It's more important to not obsess. This is a lifestyle...and for life

[greytz 4]

I believe it is every person's personal decision. I weigh myself every morning for my own specific reasons. One of them is that I have hypothyroid disease and I can gain 2 or 3 pounds or more in one day. It helps me determine by what I ate the day before what to stay away from right now. Doesn't mean I will forever just in the beginning of my journey to help me right now. It also helps keep me focused as it seems to help a lot of us on this forum. I know I will be weighing in that morning so I am careful the day before. It has become a ritual for me that I actually look forward to now. I use the scale the same way I use the band. As a tool. I don't obsess over it if I backslide a little, I just pick myself up dust myself off and move on to the next day. I don't think that is a bad thing at all. And isn't that why we are all here? To lose weight? The scales to me are an important part of that endeavor.

[pvgrl 0]

kari-thank you so much for this post. It was just what I needed today. My surgery is scheduled for next month, and I had already started in my head, thinking aobut how hared I was gonna exercise (which is not a bad thing) so that I could lose really fast-maybe that's my /our porblem-always looking for a quick fix. Reading your post made me recognize that ALL I need to focus on for the first few weeks after surgery is my recovery-letting my body heal. NOT putting all the focus on how much weight I lose or don't lose. Thank you-I know that I will go back to your post the day/weeks after surgery.

[11c22 0]

I weigh myself once a week and I think it is REALLY beneficial for two reasons:

1- it keeps me accountable to myself. having a solid number to look at lets me know which way the scale is going.

2- it gives me a chance to do a quick briefly self-evaluation. if the scale is going in the right direction, i look back on the week and figure out what i did right. if the scale isn't going in the right direction, i identify what i did wrong that week and try to improve in the future.