"4 Signs It's Time to Step Off the Scale"

Does Weight Weigh Heavily on Your Mind?
-- By Jason Anderson, Certified Personal Trainer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=1178

It cannot talk yet it speaks to you. Some days it makes you giddy with delight. Other days it puts you into a deep depression. It judges you on a superficial level. The thought of it is enough to worry even the most optimistic person. What am I talking about? The notorious bathroom scale.

What is with this obsession we have with the scale? For most people, the scale can be an adversary or an ally, depending on the day. We often hate what it says or argue with it, but we still feel the desire to use it. When used properly and taken for what it is, it can actually be a very useful tool for weight management. But for many, the scale does more than measure the total weight of all your various parts. It somehow defines who you are as a person. And sadly, it can determine your own self-worth. We read way too much into this single-purposed tool.

Here are four signs that you might put too much weight on weighing in:

1. You constantly worry about weighing in.
When you're trying to lose weight, it's normal to experience some hesitation when it's time for your weekly weigh in. After all, you want to see the numbers go down as confirmation that all of your hard work has paid off. We all want to be rewarded for our efforts, and it can be discouraging when you have done everything right and things still don’t pan out. However, if you find yourself preoccupied with worrisome thoughts of what the scale is going to say tomorrow or the next day, then you might be a little too obsessed with the scale.

2. You weigh in more than once per day.
SparkPeople recommends weighing in once a week (or even less). Ever wonder why it's not a good idea to do it more often? Your body weight can and will fluctuate from day to day, and change throughout a single day, too. There is no sense in putting yourself on that roller coaster of ups and downs. In the war on weight, if you become so concerned that you weigh yourself daily or several times a day, you are fighting a losing battle and you will be discouraged. If you feel like you can't control yourself or stop yourself from weighing in each day, then you could be headed for trouble.

3. You can recite your weight to the nearest fraction at all times.
This is a sure sign that you are relying too heavily on the scale. Anyone who can tell you not only how much she weighs each day, but measures her weight loss to the nearest quarter of a pound is probably weighing in too often. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see a lower number on the scale, even if it's a quarter pound lower, but remember that weighing in is more about trends (an average decrease or consistency in weight over time).

4. The scale determines how you feel about yourself for the day.
When the number is down, you step off the scale singing and have a jump in your step all day. When the number goes up (or stays the same when you expected a loss), you feel like Charlie Brown walking around with a rain cloud above your head. To me, this is the saddest situation of all—to let the scale dictate how you should feel. How would you feel about yourself if you hadn't weighed in that day? What other ways would you determine your self-worth if weight didn't exist?

If one (or all) of these situations sound familiar to you, it's time to step away from the scale. Go cold turkey. Or at the very least, weigh in less often. But what's a "compulsive weigher" to do?

Instead letting the scale alone determine whether you're a success or failure, use more reliable measures to determine your progress. My philosophy is that weight loss is not a goal, but the result of healthy habits like a better diet and regular exercise. When you do step on the scale and don't see the reading you had hoped for, ask yourself these questions: Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Am I making healthy food choices most of the time? Am I exercising consistently? If you are, then rust that your body is making positive changes, and the results will come. If you are not, then resolve to be consistent in healthy behaviors to see the results you want.

Weighing yourself is definitely helpful and it has its place. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and give too much credence to this one measurement! After all, other measures (like how much energy you have, how much easier it is to climb a flight of stairs, or how well your clothes fit) might not be as precise or scientific, but they're sure to make you feel happier and more successful than a scale ever can.

Thank Goodness!

This past weekend I went out of town for a trip up to the local mountains. A weekend trip to relax and enjoy some time with the boyfriend. Sure we did tons of relaxing... but we also did tons of eating! I made pretty healthy meals but my mistake was making cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries. Just too much temptation.

Since we ate our way thru the weekend we put our gym clothes on before driving home - that way we would be forcing ourselves to hit the gym before finally returned home. We made it but we were tired from the drive. Once done, I was just proud of myself for not bitching about going and that I pushed myself hard while there... The thought of the cupcakes and the sick feeling I got of how much I ate was a real motivator.

When I got back I had to force myself to weigh in on my weekly weigh in's. I knew I had to weigh in since I had not in two weeks. (I loath the scale recently) To my surprise it did! The scale finally moved... down... two pounds! Amazing! It is very encouraging when the scale is on my side. It has recharged me. Things are lookin' good.

Goal for this week: Do more cardio!

Weight for today: 205

Good and Bad Days

I feel the need to eat, eat and eat. The past week or so I have felt the need to consume whatever is in front of me. I have increased my cardio recently but also have been drinking less protein waters. That is my key to success and I have been not drinking them. I have different flavors and even a big tub just to keep at work. I have everything set up for me but yet... I am not drinking them.

I just have to really focus on my goal of hitting 200. I have to lose 7 more pounds and I am golden! It is such a big deal for me to be at that number - you would think being so close would motivate me more.

I honestly thought that having a fill would recharge me and help me get back on track... it has only helped some of the time. I need to stick to my protein waters and maybe instead of eating a lunch I should have a protein shake first - then eat something small a bit afterward.

Maybe I should hang my old bikini up on a hanger in front of my closet. I had read recently on someone's blog (forgive I forget who) that she hung her goal jeans up. She pinned clippings of photos to it for motivation. I don't think I am going to pin things to the bikini but it will just be my reminder each day that I have to focus on my goal everyday. Today I wrote my goal on my hand since I am pretty hungry. I just need even the simplest of reminders too.



(Just lacking motivation and needed to blog about it. That way when I am looking back it will remind me that everyday is a struggle but the rewards are even greater.)

I have bones

Yeah, you heard me BONES! I have bones... many of them that I didn't even realize I had... cheek, chin, collar, shoulder, wrist, forearm, rib, hip, and down to my toes. It is a bizarre feeling since it has been so long since I have felt them. Knew they were in there somewhere. Oh, bones, oh how I have missed you so!

Since my fill last week I have felt fuller quicker and have not ate as much. I needed that little bit of a fill. I guess this is what I should of been feeling all along. It is just finding the right adjustment for me. I think when I have my appointment in one more month that I will want to add more in my band though. I keep reading about how certain bloggers feel that they found their "sweet spot". I am almost there. But just having that little 1cc makes a big difference already. Need to eat slower and eat more proteins - follow the plan so I make better choices for myself.

I finally went out an purchased clothes. I needed pants the most. I found a pair of 14 slacks. Yeah sweet 14s.... I don't think I would be able to fit into all 14s but my size 16 jeans are loosening up. I am becoming one of those people who buy clothes in the regular woman's section - not plus size. I didn't even bother looking in that area. I even picked up a few items from the juniors section.

Goal for this week: Eat slower! Chew! Chew! Chew!

Weight for today: Haven't weighted myself in 2 weeks now. Maybe I will have the courage when I get home later today.

Reality Check

Thank you for those who commented on my last post. You are right, I am being to hard on myself and I have to think positive... and to think more about how far I have come. Your comments snapped me back into reality and also the fill I had this morning.

I realized that where I was with my last fill was not the right restriction for me. I think it was the hardest because it was my longest period without a fill. Today my surgeon added one more cc. So now I am at 6 total cc's. I hope that the added fluid will help me feel restricted and full longer. I confessed how I was feeling frustrated and disappointed with my scale, but I also stressed how much progress I have come with the gym and exercising. They told me to up my protein with my meals and to pay attention to head hunger versus real hunger. To continue what I am doing and that they kept reminding me that weight loss is slower with the band. The NP told me she was proud of me and that meant a lot.

I reach out to the blog world since I don't know anyone who is in the area nor have any friends who have been banded. So if there are any San Diego bandsters out there - hit me up. I would love having someone in person to relate too!

So I hope that my next coming posts I will have some negative numbers on my scale. Thank you again for the comments and support.

Could I Fail?

I am struggling this week and I need to snap out of it...

Could I fail at loosing weight and keep it off even though I have a gastric band? I fear with all of this is that having a gastric band is no guarantee that the weight will stay off forever and it will come off easy. I have failed at so many weight loss plans that what makes a band any different in how I view my eating and old habits. I know it is more mental in many ways but I wish that when the band went in, that it could change my mind at the same time. I have been pretty good these past few months but I feel like I am struggling with the scale and staying full. Cause when I am hungry I make bad food choices.

I have an appointment to see my surgeon on Wednesday so maybe I will get a fill and I will feel fuller and be recharged for success.

Goals for this week: Confess my struggles to my surgeon & Log my foods into fitday.com

Weight for today: (I didn't weigh myself for the week - intimidated by what it would say)

Social Eating

Social eating I wouldn't of thought to be a problem but this weekend when I ate out, I found myself eating more than I should of. From sitting at a table with friends (who know I have had surgery) for a few hours and eating the bread samples and then drinking with my meal - I felt like I ate more than I should. (I can only pawn so much onto my boyfriend's plate) I resorted to drinking ice tea instead of eating more but I felt it did make me want to eat. I didn't feel full as quickly as I normally do. Maybe it was the distraction of catching up, the ice tea or comparing how much I ate to what they did.

[I ate: 2 slices of bread with butter, 1 ice tea drink, 5 scallops, cooked veggies and coleslaw, bread pudding]

Then the following day, eating at a birthday party where there is tons of great food and sweets I felt it difficult to control myself. No one knew I had surgery either. Granted I didn't eat a huge plate of food, but I did tend to snack my way thru the party and eat carbs. I need to find a better way to be social and not over indulge myself with the overeating.

[I ate: fried rice, celery with ranch, 3 brownie bites, 1 mini muffin, 3 cookies, 1 fruit punch drink, 3 mint Malano cookies, 1 bottle water, 1 hot dog, 1 slice of cake]

I feel myself saying that it is okay in my head to eat not-so-good foods or eat more since I have lost so much weight. Like I am making an excuse to say it is okay. I have done that with so many diets in the past. It is like I am constantly rewarding myself with food instead of rewards in better ways. I wonder why I keep doing that to myself? I don't want to sabotage my success so far. I am only hurting myself. How can I ever stop that 'love' of food? Will I ever just not have that desire?

On a lighter note... I am on my quest to find more pants to wear. But yet, I can't find any. I do keep finding cute tops and jewelry though :-)

Goal for this week: I never went to the Yoga class last week. I was so tired. So maybe that will be my goal again this week.

Weight for today: 207