lewber Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 And for that effort I have to show -- a 4 pound weight gain! Losing weight is so frustrating. I am trying to relish the fact that I do feel better. I truly enjoy my walks. It's a great way to start the day. But I was very sedentary before, so it is a lot more exercise than I would have gotten. I am not dieting, but I really don't think I've eaten that much more that on top of all that walking I should have gained weight. I probably should just stop weighing myself. The scale has too much power over me. I hate the number that shows up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Pitch your scale!! I did and I'm so much happier. I gauge my weight loss by my pants and the mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Sometimes when you first start seriously exercising, you gain what is basically water weight. Your muscles are working harder than usual, and you might even find that the legs of your jeans are a little too tight. (It's only temporary, but it can be discouraging!) As weird as this is going to sound, take a few days off from exercising and see if you lose a few pounds. Otherwise, it may be time to look at your diet and see if anything has changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 My advice is, don't change anything diet-wise yet, just eat normally and track what you eat. You may be really surprised how much you are taking in. Or not. Could be muscle, or water, or just that you weighed on a day that you retained more fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I read an article about people who chucked their fitbits after weight gain. I don't know if this is the case for you, but in all those examples, the users were relying on the calorie counting apps you can use with the fitbit to tell them how many calories to eat and they were eating more than they should have as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Lose the scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I'd back over the scale after throwing the fit bit off a cliff. Anger management issues, perhaps? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I'd back over the scale after throwing the fit bit off a cliff. I think the FitBit is a great motivational tool. The scale--not so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I have read many times that the scale is a good motivator and that people who weigh themselves regularly are healthier... but I loathe the scale so much. I just can't imagine that's really true for everyone. Feeling better when I eat well and exercise a little is what motivates me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I have read many times that the scale is a good motivator and that people who weigh themselves regularly are healthier... but I loathe the scale so much. I just can't imagine that's really true for everyone. Feeling better when I eat well and exercise a little is what motivates me. My dh has to weigh himself daily for medical reasons, so I'm trying to figure out which scale is the most accurate. For his purposes, all that really matters is consistency, because he needs to monitor weight gain or loss, not the exact number, but I feel that if he's getting weighed anyway, he might as well get the right number, too! Right now, we have three different scales, and every one of them tells me I weigh something different. Clearly, one of them is my favorite. I'm almost 5 pounds thinner on that scale. It's a good scale. It's my Happy Scale. The other two are BAD. I'm thinking maybe we should get one of those balance-type scales like they use in doctors' offices, because it seems like they would be the most accurate. But accuracy kind of scares me. What if I weigh more than all three scales are saying??? :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Nah. All three are probably wrong. You probably weigh LESS than any of them are showing. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Nah. All three are probably wrong. You probably weigh LESS than any of them are showing. :D I like the way you think!!! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 What if I weigh more than all three scales are saying??? :eek: So what if you do? :grouphug: We'll still love you! :) You are so much more than a number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 You are def more than a number, that is for sure. I totally feel your frustration! After many years of doing battle with my weight and working so hard to get to a healthy one, I have learned it is just not possible for me to out exercise my diet. I absolutely love exercising and try to get an hour a day. I have done this for 6 years at least, so it's not a new habit. But, I have to monitor my portion sizes and monitor my intake or I gain weight. That is just the way my life is. I run and walk and own a Nordic Track and do weights and I own a crazy number of exercise DVDs and I love them all. But the best investment I ever made in getting to a healthy weight was a small kitchen scale and a set of measuring cups and spoons, and a notebook to keep track of it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinaPagnato Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 It's true for me, too. I cannot lose weight unless I cut way back on my eating. For me, it has never been an issue of eating too much at one time--the problem was snacking throughout the day. Little bites here and there add up. I weigh myself regularly, and have stopped thinking of the scale as the enemy. Instead, it's the honest friend that says, "Girl, you are too much yesterday. Back on the wagon!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewber Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 You all are right. I don't think I ate more but I probably did. Calories add up fast, and take such a long time to burn off. I just really love food. I'm afraid if I got rid of the scale it would be even worse. I think I need that accountability to keep me on track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 I was told to ditch the scale. I did. I gained 20 pounds without really knowing I had. Now I am so angry that I ditched the scale. It kept me a bit more on track. Dawn I have read many times that the scale is a good motivator and that people who weigh themselves regularly are healthier... but I loathe the scale so much. I just can't imagine that's really true for everyone. Feeling better when I eat well and exercise a little is what motivates me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 You all are right. I don't think I ate more but I probably did. Calories add up fast, and take such a long time to burn off. I just really love food. I'm afraid if I got rid of the scale it would be even worse. I think I need that accountability to keep me on track. I weigh myself every day. It really helps keep me honest with myself. You can still love food, and feel full and satisfied and keep calories and portions under control. It takes experimentation and being open to trying things. I am a big fan of fiber and get about 30 grams a day. I eat veggies with every meal etc. You will find what works for you. It doesn't have to be drastic changes or anything that feels unmanageable. Make small changes, very small, and live with them for a while before trying something new. You are already walking so that is a big change to maintain. Someone upthread suggested keeping a food diary. That is a powerful tool. I use My Fitness Pal on my phone, but there are lots of ways to do it. For years I used a paper journal. My only dietary rule is that I can eat anything I want and as much, I just have to keep an honest account in my food diary. I have to write down what and how much I ate. No judgement, just honesty. Maybe your next change can be keeping a food diary. Just do that and keep walking for a couple weeks and see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 And for that effort I have to show -- a 4 pound weight gain! Losing weight is so frustrating. I am trying to relish the fact that I do feel better. I truly enjoy my walks. It's a great way to start the day. But I was very sedentary before, so it is a lot more exercise than I would have gotten. I am not dieting, but I really don't think I've eaten that much more that on top of all that walking I should have gained weight. I probably should just stop weighing myself. The scale has too much power over me. I hate the number that shows up. The scale was bad news for me. I played lots of games with it. It effected my mood. Not cool, especially with my weight going up and down and all around with four consecutive pregnancies. Now, I use pants as my measurement. I have a few pairs of jeans from different times in my life, and I use those to let me know how my body is changing, for better or for worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 This article was helpful to me: Why the Scale Lies A personal note on scale accuracy. Several years ago I went to Weight Watchers. WW has their scales regularly calibrated by a professional service, so I trust their scales. (I've never heard that doctor offices ever have their scales calibrated.) I bought a Taylor scale and weighed myself just prior to going to the WW meeting. The Taylor scale always matched the WW scale within 0.2 pound. Best wishes. ETA: The scales you find at Walmart, etc. under WW brand are not WW meeting quality. Some unknown manufacturer makes them and puts WW brand on them. Since the manufacturer is unknown, I wouldn't trust them. YMMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 This article was helpful to me: Why the Scale Lies A personal note on scale accuracy. Several years ago I went to Weight Watchers. WW has their scales regularly calibrated by a professional service, so I trust their scales. (I've never heard that doctor offices ever have their scales calibrated.) I bought a Taylor scale and weighed myself just prior to going to the WW meeting. The Taylor scale always matched the WW scale within 0.2 pound. Best wishes. ETA: The scales you find at Walmart, etc. under WW brand are not WW meeting quality. Some unknown manufacturer makes them and puts WW brand on them. Since the manufacturer is unknown, I wouldn't trust them. YMMV I am less interested in scales being accurate when being compared to each other than being consistent with themselves. I own one scale and as long as it seems consistent when I weigh myself from day to day then it is fine with me. If it tells me I weigh 150 and the doctor's scale says I weigh 152, that isn't going to bother me, because they are different scales. But if my home scale says 150 one day and 157 the next and then 142 the day after, that isn't a good scale. If I am worried about the accuracy of my home scale I will weigh myself and then weigh myself again holding a 5lb bag of flour. If it detects and adds the 5lbs then I am fine with the scale. It is consistent with itself and I can work with that. Because I weigh myself daily at the same time (first thing in the morning after going pee), I can tell you my weight can increase/decrease as much as 2lbs in a day depending on what I ate, where I am in my cycle, the season (hot weather makes me retain water), or my workout schedule. A restaurant meal will show up on the scale as 3lbs every time. Clearly salt makes me retain water. It doesn't bother me because I look at the general trend over days. I really only pay attention if a 'new' number shows up. If I am in the 147-150 range, and am happy with that, I won't worry unless I start to see 151 on occasion. That tells me I am creeping up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 It's possible that you've gained some muscle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Over how l long did you walk the 250 miles? I have a FitBit also and I love it. But one thing to remember is that a lot of what it is tracking is normal activity. If you are walking a mile or two extra in the morning, that is great but not necessarily a huge amount of calorie burning, it would be easier to eat a little more than you were burning, especially if you think "oh, I walked today, I'll have that extra ________". Not saying you do that...but I sure do. :) I find what has worked the best with the FitBit is to try and increase my level of activity every week rather than worry about the absolute numbers. And to track what I'm eating at the same time so I'm aware of what I'm actually taking in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 This article was helpful to me: Why the Scale Lies A personal note on scale accuracy. Several years ago I went to Weight Watchers. WW has their scales regularly calibrated by a professional service, so I trust their scales. (I've never heard that doctor offices ever have their scales calibrated.) I bought a Taylor scale and weighed myself just prior to going to the WW meeting. The Taylor scale always matched the WW scale within 0.2 pound. Best wishes. ETA: The scales you find at Walmart, etc. under WW brand are not WW meeting quality. Some unknown manufacturer makes them and puts WW brand on them. Since the manufacturer is unknown, I wouldn't trust them. YMMV Thanks! I'm pretty sure the one my dh uses every day is a Taylor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewber Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Well I just weigh a lot! I hate seeing such a large number. I sound like a football player when they give the height/ weight on tv. I don't think I look quite that big. I am taller and I gain weight all over evenly, so I'm more big than fat. But I digress. I just need to keep exercising and eat better. It's my health that really matters. I shouldn't give the number such power! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewber Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Over how l long did you walk the 250 miles? I have a FitBit also and I love it. But one thing to remember is that a lot of what it is tracking is normal activity. If you are walking a mile or two extra in the morning, that is great but not necessarily a huge amount of calorie burning, it would be easier to eat a little more than you were burning, especially if you think "oh, I walked today, I'll have that extra ________". Not saying you do that...but I sure do. :) I find what has worked the best with the FitBit is to try and increase my level of activity every week rather than worry about the absolute numbers. And to track what I'm eating at the same time so I'm aware of what I'm actually taking in. Yes, this - it was 6 weeks. But I was pretty sedentary before - so even though it wasn't enough to show a huge loss, I thought I should have at least maintained. I know I should track calories too, i just don't wanna :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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