Are you a “weigher” or not a “weigher”?
I weigh myself daily. It's a habit now and I am comfortable with it as part of my morning routine. I was obese for years and hid from the scales. Denial was definitely not a successful strategy for me. Now I actually find the relative stability of the numbers reassuring. Yes, there is fluctuation from day to day and week to week, but knowing I am in the general ballpark is useful for my maintenance.
I am three years into a major weight loss and I need to be aware to avoid regaining weight as that is the general pattern for many people. For me, knowing is always much better than wondering or denial.
But for others, jumping on the scales can be anxiety inducing. They can fill people with fear and cause a good day to turn into a bad day filled with self-loathing and guilt. And they can de-rail any wonderful progress that’s being made as far as healthy eating or exercise.
Think carefully about your relationship with the scales. Is it an interesting exercise in self-monitoring, or is it an emotional one about self-esteem? Are you better off weighing yourself regularly or better off chucking the scales in the drawer and getting on with your life?
There's no right answer and one size doesn't fit all.
I weigh myself daily. It's a habit now and I am comfortable with it as part of my morning routine. I was obese for years and hid from the scales. Denial was definitely not a successful strategy for me. Now I actually find the relative stability of the numbers reassuring. Yes, there is fluctuation from day to day and week to week, but knowing I am in the general ballpark is useful for my maintenance.
I am three years into a major weight loss and I need to be aware to avoid regaining weight as that is the general pattern for many people. For me, knowing is always much better than wondering or denial.
But for others, jumping on the scales can be anxiety inducing. They can fill people with fear and cause a good day to turn into a bad day filled with self-loathing and guilt. And they can de-rail any wonderful progress that’s being made as far as healthy eating or exercise.
Think carefully about your relationship with the scales. Is it an interesting exercise in self-monitoring, or is it an emotional one about self-esteem? Are you better off weighing yourself regularly or better off chucking the scales in the drawer and getting on with your life?
There's no right answer and one size doesn't fit all.
