Scale Dilema!

[Rusty]

Does anyone else have this problem. I have a digital scale in my bathroom. My weight fluctuates some days and really frustrates me. I can be 294 one morning and the next morning weigh 297! This can be really frustrating to me as I am working at losing weight.

Yes my clothes do fit better and I haven't taken my measurements, but ultimately I want to lose weight.

Thanks for your comments. :D

[DWRolfe]

Oh yeah...it happens to all of us...

Seven days ago I weighed 348.5. Yesterday I weighed 351.5. Today I weighed 349.0.

That's why we always stress the importance of taking measurements and deciding for yourself how often you want to weigh in.

If it's going to cause mental anquish, I wouldn't recommend weighing every day. And you might want to use the averaging method, where you weigh every day, but average the results for a 7 day period.

Good luck!

Donald

[Marlaine]

Hi there.....

You are simply experiencing something that every one of us experiences. Fluctuations in weight caused by a multitude of things. As long as you are alive, you can pretty much count on these fluctuations.

I have weighed myself pretty much every day for the last six months, and what I have discovered is that although my weight may bounce up from day to day, the general trend is down and down and down. Nothing to worry about....it's normal!

Here's a graph of what's been going on, so that you can see how it has been going for me, over time....

[Rusty]

Thanks Donald and Marlaine.

Do you have a hard time visualizing yourself at your ideal weight? I see the success stories that people post here and on the Atkins website and have a hard time visualizing myself as thin.

I don't know about you guys, but I have been heavy my whole life. I weighed 160 lbs when I was ten, 215 lbs. when I was thirteen, 240 lbs. when I was 15, 260 lbs at sixteen, and the list goes on.

I actually wieghed in at 320 lbs. at 28 years old, and then lost 80 lbs. during that same year to get into the Law Enforcement Academy. Even though I was working out 6 days a week, I didn't get below 238 lbs. I shot up to 270 by age 31, and was recently at 325 lbs. January 2002.

What a rollercoaster. This is the first time that I have ever written it down, and to tell you the truth, it is pretty depressing.

The good side is that I am down about 30 lbs. and don't feel deprived from foods (for the most part). It's hard sometimes eating a totally different meal than my wife and kids.

Ok, I'll quit whining now. I really enjoy this "Triple Digits" area of the forum. It is hard to relate to people that weigh 135 lbs. and would like to weigh 120 lbs. (roughly the size of my left calf!).

Thanx for the support!

Rusty

[cimart]

hi rusty,

just wanted to tell you keep up the good work, and you're a funny guy! :D i enjoy reading your posts. keep 'm coming

cimart ;)

[KetoisKid]

Congratulations on your progress so far. I am with you as far as deciing how low to go. Funny thing is, i remeber certain numbers from my childhood just like you. I remeber that I was a size 36 waist in 6th grade. When I stop to think that that will be the next size pants i go into at age 34 it is truly amazing to me.

I am about 235 now, and just at the 90 pound loss mark. Friends tell me to slow down, or be careful, but they are crazy. while I realize how far i have come in such a short time, I also know exactly how far i have left to go. The biggest mistake i have made on past attempts at weight loss was not going all the way until I felt I was at my ideal weight. That allowed me to add 5 pounds without noticing, then another 5, and so on and so on and so on.

I suggest you go until you feel right. Good luck with the rest of your loss, and join me in wondering how the rest of our lives will feel as we live them through the eyes of thin people.. Be Well.. Jason

[slimchance]

Yes Rusty! I feel your pain!! Those darn scales are not always the most motivational things. :(

If you are like many of us here that are having an affair with our scales you may want to either hide (or give away...temporarily) that scale or make a certain day of the week the IMPORTANT weigh in day. If you must weigh in everyday, make a specific day of the week your comparison day to compare week to week or month to month in order to get the overall loss in perspective.

If you haven't already gone to Fitday.com, you can go there and post your weight everyday to come up with a graph like Marlaine's to get a visual over time. I know when I step on the scale and see a gain after a good day I am setting myself up for a depressing day. When I go in and look at my progress over a certain period of time and see a downward trend, my spirits lift every time.

Growing up I never had a problem with my weight. I was moderately active and must have had a great metabolism because I could eat more than my father when I was 10 years old. :eek: My brother, on the other hand, hit 8 years old and developed what we would now consider a "beer belly" of sorts and he was WAY more active than I was. He was always a big guy, but played sports and exercised everyday and ate well. There just seems to be no way of accounting for metabolism, it is such an individual thing. It would be a perfect world if it was supposed to speed up instead of slow down as we age, but I guess we can't have it all! :rolleyes:

One of my best friends decided at 5'10" and 305lbs that he wanted to change his life and went LC and went down to about 180. He's actually trying to GAIN weight now in the form of muscle mass. He was very dedicated and started working out a lot and the transformation has been absolutely astounding. He is a great source of inspiration to me. I know that it can be done, as I have seen it with my own eyes. Have faith that with hard work and dedication it can happen for you too.

I hope you don't mind me posting here as I don't have much left to lose, but it is still a fair bit on a girl of my frame. I just wanted to share some of my experiences with you. Keep up the great work!!

KC :wave:

[Victoria]

Rusty,
I think we can all relate to Scales being fickle. I know you said that you haven't measured....go ahead and measure! When the scale is bouncing up and down, turn to the tape measurer. It can be quite encouraging to see the inches melt away. I have noticed with this WOE the fat loss is much more noticeable than when I was at this weight on the way up. My wedding ring is a size and a half too big now...even tho I know I weighed more than this when we got married. So for another assessment of your success, measure yourself every month or so and see the progress. ;) Victoria

[Rusty]

I want to thank you all for your replies to my initial questions.

It's good to have the support of so many good people.

Fight the good fight! (against carbs, that is)