Stop weighing ourselves??

[buhbye12]

I am certainly no Atkins veteran - I have attempted the necessary change in my eating habits several times and have never been able to stick with it. I probably weigh about 10 pounds more now than when I started reading this forum almost 2 years ago (I'm guessing I weigh about 180 currently).

So here's my observation: everyone (myself included) gets SOOO hung up on the number on the scale that it clouds their otherwise sunny days! For years I weighed myself EVERY MORNING, and every day I would let that number on my scale dictate what kind of day I would have. That number would make or break me - but more often than not it broke me. It was an addiction that was destroying me - because even if that number was smaller than it was the day before, I STILL didn't like that number.

Time and time again I will check in on this forum and the thing that sticks out the most to me is the number of posts by people who are dissatisfied with the number on their scales: "Stuck in a weight-loss stall - please help" "How do I break this stall?" "Why did I gain 5 pounds back?" "Why can't I lose like I did on induction?" "How long did it take you to lose XX pounds?" "Why haven't I experienced a 'WHOOSH'?"

I have read a lot of really good advice on here from people who were successful and have kept their extra weight off, and one of the best pieces of advice is in the FAQ area - it's called "Weight loss is not linear". That is a piece of wisdom that is totally undermined by an obsession with the number on your scale.

So I submit: Would it be possible to STOP weighing ourselves? This "diet" is not supposed to be a diet at all, but a permanent change in our Way Of Eating, right? If you are going to make a PERMANENT change, why does that number on your scale matter that much? Shouldn't we be going by how we FEEL? You can tell if your clothes are looser that you are slimming down. You can see it in your face, you can feel it in the spring in your step - maybe it's time to take the focus off that darned number and make it all about HOW YOU FEEL.

If you are committed to making this a permanent change in the way you choose the foods you eat, then adding back 5 carbs at a time should be intuitive - meaning: listen to your body, go slowly so your body has a chance to register the change you've made, and STOP looking for that magic number to tell you when it's time to move on. THERE IS NO MAGIC NUMBER. We put so much emphasis on reaching that "goal weight", but maybe there's a healthier way to go about it - simply ASK yourself "How do I look? HOW DO I FEEL?"

I also read that people get "bored" with the food choices in the beginning of the diet and that's why they (myself included) fall off the wagon. But I remember my way of thinking when I was starting this journey - I was always thinking in terms of what I COULDN'T have (which made me miserable and resentful), rather than relishing the things that I could have - which are plentiful, satisfying, and tasty.

So when you feel trapped by that number on your scale that hasn't moved in 2 weeks, maybe THAT'S when you need to remind yourself you are in this for the long haul. So what if you're "idling"? If you are following the diet accurately and are committed to a permanent change in how you deal with food, a stall on your scale does not mean a stall in your getting smaller and healthier. The stress you put on yourself every time you don't see the number you hoped to see isn't helping you in your quest for health and happiness. Your success in this new way of life is the SUM of the parts you chisel out of each day, slowly and patiently, accepting the setbacks as part of the journey.

Does anyone else out there feel this way? Obsessed with that "magic number"? It's even part of the roll call here: 180/162/130 sound familiar? Is that necessary? Can we go by inches lost or clothing sizes instead? I know those are numbers too, but surely those numbers aren't as mentally punishing as the numbers on our scales - DAILY reminders of how "good" or "bad" you were the day before. Maybe we can have a smiley-face scale instead of the start/current/goal weight scale... something like: "My size 14 pants are finally loose today and my knee stopped hurting - 7 out of 10 smiley faces! My goal is 10 smiley faces, so I'm getting closer every day to my goal! Yay for me!"

Anyone?

[Slapshot]

180/162/130 sound familiar? Is that necessary? Can we go by inches lost or clothing sizes instead?

Great post. I like your thinking. I have two things to add here:

1. We are a numbers/results oriented society. Frankly, life is (often unfortunately) about keeping score, so I'm not sure we'll ever move away from the numbers on the scale. For me, seeing progress on the scale motivates me to keep moving downward. I don't get frustrated with higher numbers because if they're higher, I know why and it's always my fault they're higher.

2. Measuring inches and clothing sizes are problematic for me. Certain stores have vanity sizes (Old Navy, e.g.) while others, are down right sadistic (Abercrombie and Fitch). I fit in a large Old Navy T-shirt, but need an XXL at Abercrombie, and that's still tight!

[Elizellen]

Although i agree with you that letting the scales dictate your mood each day can be detrimental to how you approach the Atkins way of eating, I find the numbers at the top of everyone's posts very useful when responding to questions, as it tells me a little about how far along their weightloss journey they have travelled.

For example

Q: I have completed 14 days on induction and have only lost 5 pounds. Others have lost 10 or more pounds, which really upsets me as I think I should have lost more. What should I do?

If the numbers by the posters name say something like 150/145/135 it tells me they have lost 1/3rd of the weight they want to lose already and I can respond that they have done really well and need to move on to the next phase of Atkins now.

[pinkfusion]

I dont weigh myself. I guessed at my starting weight because of my clothing size and that I used to weigh myself in the past.

I will use my weight as a marker for where I want to stay once I reach my goal. When I DO reach my goal I will weigh myself a few times a week to make sure I am on track. Clothing fit can lie for longer than I like.

My theory is that if I continue to eat this way and just go up the rungs, if I stay on it a year I will still lose the weight. I really don't care about "stalls".

[phil h]

I weigh myself daily to identify trends.It doesn't make or break my day.I hid from the scales for years.Never again.

[Ohbehave007]

I weigh my self every other day. I do this for many reason...the most important is so I can track my trends and second is it helps me track my cycles. I don't get upset by it. I know my weight fluctuates throughout the month. Of course I do smile when it goes down .

[thefemalegreenday]

I stopped weighing myself.
Personally, I don't give a **** anymore.
I see from how my clothes feel on me.

[imagood1]

I weigh at the beginning of each 6WEC.

[IrishIrish]

I only weigh when I'm at my doctor's office every 2-3 months.

I'm a firm believer in not letting a scale dictate what kind of day I'm going to have. You have the right attitude understanding that this is a way of eating and can be for life if you choose one day at a time.

[susan423]

I weigh myself every morning. I have to. If I'm eating something that's causing me problems I'd rather know sooner than later.
I don't let it dictate my day. It's just part of my morning routine...
Get up, pee, weigh, shower, blah blah blah.