I have an obsessive love/hate relationship with a small, thin electronic device.
It is not a cell phone.
It is not a laptop.
It is not even a Game Boy Advance, although I hope that would surprise you if it was.
It is my bathroom scale.
Every morning, without fail, I cannot begin my day without paying a visit to what sometimes becomes the dictator of my mood. Even if I know that certain amounts of cookie dough will most likely prevent me from seeing a good number, I still have to stand on it. I cannot go a day without weighing myself.
Surprisingly, sometimes the number is even good.
But lately, the morning number has not been all that reliable. I have been doing some intensive weight training for the past two months. And I know, without fail, that when I stand on the scale the day after doing the weights, I am going to be up. I know that it is due to my muscles retaining water as they recover. I know this.
And yet I still hope for different.
And usually a day or two later, the numbers return to more friendly ones.
So my question for you is this: Do any of you interpeeps weigh yourselves daily?
Are there lucky women out there who don't even have a clue what they weigh?
And if you see a number you don't like, do you sometimes head down to make breakfast in a bad mood?
Or if you see a good number, are you the kindest, most cheerful, Christian version of yourself?
I don't know what it is about the scale that has such power over me. But I find myself unable to go a day without knowing. I'd like to just once not know.
But I can't do it. I have to know.
Please tell me if you weigh or do not weigh, and if it affects you. I must know if I am as weird as I think I am (Shut up, Daniel. Don't even say it).
P.S. Laura C - I made your Zojirushi bread recipe. It was THE BEST EVER. Just wanted to thank you for sharing with me what is now the only recipe we will ever make again.
I also hold that recipe responsible for the number I saw on the scale this morning. Stupid, evil, warm, gooey, toast with butter and jam.
46 comments:
I always weigh in right when I wake up, before breakfast, before I drink anything, that is when I've found the best numbers.
Truthfully? I'm not a weigher. I used to be but now I go by the feel of my clothes and forego the daily check-in/mood killer.
I weigh myself maybe once a week, but it's been about 3 weeks. Basically, I don't care how much I weigh, as long as I feel good about my body.
I always weigh before I eat too, but I read that 9:00 in the morning is the ideal time to weigh yourself, even after eating. I haven't tried it yet--usually not near the scale at the time.
You are talking to the queen of weighing myself too much and obsessing. I'm a little better since I joined WW and try to weigh only once a week, but we all know that "try" means I will actually weigh myself several times a week. The number always dictates my moon and sometimes my weekend. Since I have to actually PUT ON CLOTHES for the WW scale. Their scale is exactly 2.5 pounds more than my actual weight. And don't get my started on the starvation I do before my WW weigh in. No water, gum, weights and definitely no jewelry. I've actually weighed my clothes to make sure I'm going in the lightest outfit possible. When winter time came, I had a fit because I had to wear heavier clothing.
Oh, and you know my "Saturday splurges". For some stupid reason, I still weigh myself the very next day and I freak out at the number. I don't know why I expect it to be a BETTER number!!!
I know I weigh tooo much. I was doing a challenge with my Dr boss. I was weighing my self in the pm and then in the am. That way I felt like I had lost something :) He says the time to weigh is early morning, AFTER you work out. That way you sweat it out. Oh, and no water while you're working out!
You need to love yourself no matter what the scale says. I say throw out your scale. Could you do that? or a least pack it away and see how you do for a week. See how you feeeel after a week. I know when I eat to much or eat really bad because I'm depressed because I'm not in Hawaii any more. No scale has to tell me that.
I double dog dare you to put the scale out of reach for one week. I triple dog dare you!!!!
Hi,Christie:
I am a friend of Denae's and I found you through her blog. I really enjoy your blog!
I had to comment because I can completely relate to what you're saying. I refuse to weigh myself more than once a week. I do it the same day at the same time. But only once a week.
That's because I'm amazed at how much fear that little piece of metal instills in me! Sometimes I step on with my eyes closed, completely dreading opening them.
When the number is good, I am in a great mood and full of energy. When it is bad, I am no fun to be around, and I eat a couple of cookies for breakfast.
We should just keep telling ourselves that what really matters is how well our clothes fit. ;)
I have absolutely NO idea what I weigh - for all I know I could still fit in my wedding dress!?! Okay, I know that's not going to happen but still - clueless am I, in more ways than this one.
Can I have the ZO bread recipe? I've made about 18 million loaves since Friday and have about that many half loaves sitting in the bread basket because fresh is best.... and I'm trying to get just the RIGHT bread. Can you ask Laura C. if I can have it?
Lately, I am an everyday weigher. I have been doing WW, as you know, so...if I have had a great day I have to see what kind of difference I can see. If I splurged, I DO NOT want to know. It will definitely affect my mood. Um...you know what ? You are normal. Normal, normal, normal.
Lately, I am an everyday weigher. I have been doing WW, as you know, so...if I have had a great day I have to see what kind of difference I can see. If I splurged, I DO NOT want to know. It will definitely affect my mood. Um...you know what ? You are normal. Normal, normal, normal.
oops...hit the button twice? sorry
I weigh whenever I go to the gym which is 3-5 times a week. It is depressing to see those little fluctuations. Sometimes I purposefully avoid it and say once a week should be enough. It's hard though.
Brad weighs religiously. I do it about once a week. I don't know why those numbers have so much power.
I'm starting to re-think this 'We could be best friends if only we lived close' train of thought I've had with you since "meeting you" in Blogville.
Me= messy, non-weigher, artsy type, with far too many projects and not enough time, non-baker, wishes I was a bit OCD
You= organized, weigher, with far too many projects and plenty of time (with kids in school and hubby away), heavenly baker, a tad OCD
Do you think we can still be friends? Really?
you look great
i don't have a scale
If my bathroom scale is in my...well, bathroom, I find I weigh myself everyday. But if the scale happens to disappear (has happened a few times) then I get out of the habit and am usually pleasantly surprised when the scale surfaces again. Maybe you should ask your hubby or eldest child to hide it for a couple weeks and see if that improves things...not knowing. It will be annoying at first, but then, you will just know weighting yourself is not an option.
I weigh EVERY day. I have to! I can't help it!
Seriously, when I was at my mom's house for 3 weeks over Christmas - with no scale - I gained TEN pounds!! WHAT?!? Granted I'm pregnant, but WHATEVER! I need that number to keep myself in line!
I haven't weighed myself since having the baby...it would just depress me! Once I hit 6 weeks, though, I'm pretty sure I'll break out the scale. Blah!
After I had Blake I was totally obsessed with weighing myself. One morning, I got on the scale and saw I had gained a few pounds and totally lost it!! I called Devon in tears and sobbing telling him how devastated I was over this awful weight gain. I was working out and every morning, stepped on the scale, hoping for that magical number to appear. Well, the day went on, and the next morning came, and I went to step on the scale, and it wasn't there! I searched and searched, thinking the kids must have taken it and played with it somewhere. Anyway, I finally just got in the shower, depressed that I didn't get to see if I had lost the evil pounds over night. After getting dressed, I called Devon at work and asked him if he knew what happened to my scale. He told me he got rid of it and it was never coming back and if I bought a new one he would get rid of that one too! I haven't weighed myself since then. At first , I hated it, but now I love it! The thought of how much I weighed consumed my life and made me miserable. Now I feel happy just working out and measuring my weight by how my clothes feel...you should try it!
You truly are weird. But all insults aside, you really need to throw that damned scale away. Work out, stay healthy, and if you want, I'll tell you when you're getting out of hand. Not the scale.
You are way too beautiful and smart to let that number dictate your self-esteem and mood. I am with danandcindy, kick it to the curb.
I weigh almost daily and always in the morning before I have breakfast. I have heard that is not usually the best motivator, but for me it it a good reminder that I need to stick to my goal because I still have a ways to go!
I go through spurts...I can go for weeks with out weighing but then once my jeans are feeling a little tight or my favorite shirt is showing the roll I break out the scale and weigh every single morning as soon as I get up. I am much more disciplined with my eating when I do this. As soon as I start feeling better, the scale goes back in the closet till the jeans/roll problem are back and then I start all over again. I'm sure you've seen my diet featured in Self magazine? It's so healthy. :)
And are you going to share this bread recipe or just leave us hanging? You can't dangle warm declicous bread out there and not share!
I used to have a doctor's type scale in my closet, so I could accurately keep track of each eighth of a pound. It sat on a special mat so it would be totally accurate. I was fanatic about weighing myself before I'd had a glass of water in the morning, but after I'd been to the bathroom. I had charts! I was obsessed. It totally dictated my mood and how I interacted with my kids and husband.
After going through a major pre-mid-life crisis in my thirties I recognized that I was driving myself crazy by some of the goals I'd set for myself. I lowered my standards to reality, and among other things, I got rid of my scale. I'm now fat and happy.
stie, i was going to blog about this myself. i have only been obsessed with the scale because of my pregnancy, interested in watching my bod gain the weight.
so here i go, on the scale monday morning, and i scream a blood curdling scream.
guess what i weighed in as??
965 pounds.
no joke. i couldn't believe my eyes. i ran to wake dan up and to get my camera. and he weighed his usual. 'no way' i pushed him off and got back on, oh phew, i am back to normal. but the faulty weight threw me off and gave me a bit of a reality check. no more cadbury eggs for me i guess.
you are beautiful. stop weighing yourself. but call me when it says you're almost 1000 lb.
When I have a scale, I way often. But then it gets lost in a move or it breaks and I don't worry about it. Just let the kids jump on it a few times and don't buy a new one for a while. Also, I see from Marta's post above she's got a little one of her own coming . . . guess that trip to Nathaniel Hawthorne's wasn't as eternally damaging as you thought!
I can't have a scale. I don't do well when I know how much I weigh. When I exercise each day, I can feel myself getting fit and that's all I need. It also helps to see the pants getting looser around my middle.
I am happier with my body than I ever have been. My secret: exercise, try to eat right and then forget about myself.
Did you know that you have been an inspiration for me through this process? I see you bustling about with your three kids and giving yourself time to exercise. Before I began working out I thought, "If she can do it, I think I can too." Don't beat yourself up over a few pounds. You look fabulous, and more importantly, you are an awesome person!
Throw out the scale.
I lived without a scale for years. The only time I would get weighed was when I went to the doctor. Well for some reason, we purchased a scale several months ago. I can honestly say that it has made my life miserable. I guess I should throw the damn thing out, but I can't bring myself to do it. I like Marty's comment....we should all just be fat and happy!
I bought my first scale in the last year. It's stupid. If I see it, I weigh myself and then I'm annoyed. And I'm the type that if my weight is up I say heck with it and eat just about anything I can get my hands on. I am not to serious about it but I think they are stupid to have around. C'mon Stie, throw it away! I will pitch mine too. Everyone knows by the way their clothes fit if they are putting on weight. Do we really need those silly things anyway? You are absolutely beautiful and obviously healthy. Ditch it!
I don't have one, so I don't weigh myself. But when I go home to visit I weigh myself at least once on the trip... it always surprises me. I think it's a really, really nice scale though. Which my mother hates hearing me say. Damn those contraptions to hell! But they are handy, sometimes. Stupid health. *B
I understand. I don't know why but I weigh myself, too. On some days I even weigh multiple times. I am a glutton for punishment, I guess...now where did I hide those M&M's?...
This is why I don't own a scale. No one in this house knows what they weigh, unless we have to go to the doctor... and it makes us all happy being ignorant.
well... at least me... they don't get a choice.
;)
Are you KIDDING??? I am 6 mos pregnant and am on a scale every two weeks because I am forced to, at the Dr's office.
Even then, I close my eyes and order the nurse not to say the number aloud.
P.S. Wendi does not own a scale because she weighs between 3-7 pounds.
I could go on and on.
Okay, I will.
1) I have very strict weighing rules. Official day is Friday...I am naked, have not eaten or drunk 12 hours and have run a long sweaty time.
2) I weight at various times during the week and know how much to subtract based on clothing and food intake to approximate Friday's possible weigh-in number.
3) I am completely fat or skinny based on what that thing says and am, thus, mad or happy depending.
Having said all that...I haven't weighed myself in 3 weeks. I am reading Intuitive Eating and loving it and kind of trying to decrease my scale obsession. I don't think I'm losing (and I'm at a high weight for me right now) but I've kind of had it with my weight obsession and am doing an overhaul.
What do you think of all that?
That should count for my post tomorrow.
I'm with Marty. Only I might be a little too happy about it.
All I want to know is what is Zorjurshi bread??? ( I know I spelled that wrong) And how can I get the recipe!
I weigh myself every day. I hate that I do. I wish that I didn't. But I am drawn to it just like you are. I WANT to know. And my scale isn't showing pretty numbers right now either. Sigh.
My family thinks I'm crazy and even the weight gurus say not to weigh yourself daily because it can fluctuate so much. We're only supposed to do it once a week. But what if I've gained 10 pounds that week! I could have nipped it in the bud after the first 5 pounds had been put on by my daily weighing right? OCD and me....
I do not weigh myself every day, I couldn't handle it. As women, our bodies flucuate daily with water retention/hormonal thingies, etc. so I go more by how clothes feel. I weigh maybe once a week or so.
Your weight training is much more important to your overall body, don't get freaked out by what your new muscles are doing to the scale.
I understand how the scale makes you feel though, it's a scary tool.
I weigh myself every 6 months. And if it is up, I don't care. Neither should you.
Oh, and don't whine about the temperature being in the 60's. It's irritating.
Andy
Thanks for the reminder that I need to weigh... I did...now I am depressed.
I am off to bake some of your cookies!
I think I go through phases. I used to weigh daily - but then since we've basically been sick since Thanksgiving, I haven't been steady at the gym, so I've stopped. I need to get back into it...no excuses... I think it's great that your weight training though! Way to go!
i only weigh-in when i'm feeling skinny in my clothes... that way i won't be too disappointed -and i only weigh in the morning before pounds of food..
i hate that scale though... i know when i've gained and when i've lost.. the mirror shows me that.
46 comments? You are one popular woman no matter what your weight happened to be this morning.
I do not own a scale. I don't think I ever have. I try to gauge my well being on the way I look. You know, naked in the mirror. That's my scale.
Having said that, I am bound to a weigh-in once a week with my prenatal visits to the doctor. I was becoming a bit obsessed with the numbers because I was gaining 2 pounds a week. EEEEK! Somehow it's tapered off and I feel better about myself. I just wish they'd ask how I looked naked in the mirror that morning, not please step on the scale.
I don't even own a scale and haven't weighed myself in over a year. But maybe I should start. Perhaps it would help with my futile attempts at self discipline.
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