Yesterday I weighed myself 4 times.
I’ve been able to go one week and not step on the scale. When that week was over I went back to getting on that damn little square box 5 – 6 times a day. Next I went two weeks without getting on the scale. When that was over old behaviors crept in within a few days and I was back to weighing myself multiple times through out the day.
This is NOT a behavior I wish to keep.
I know I have a hard time setting boundaries for myself when there is no accountability involved. I can say I’m not going to get on the scale but if someone one isn’t involved personally in this challenge I know it would be good for a few days (as with the one week) but then old behaviors (thought patterns) begin to push their way back into my everyday life. I walked into the gym last night after weighing for the 4th time yesterday (one should not weigh themselves before boot camp for sure, since it makes it harder to feel good about the ass kicking you’re going to receive), on the verge of tears and asked Godfather for another no scale limit. He said two weeks. I said I could go longer…
He said one month.
This morning is my last official weigh in until October 29th. As I stepped on the scale for the final time at 4am I did so with a smile on my face and my heart a little lighter today. I’m hoping this will finally break the addiction (and I’m not afraid to call it an addiction) to the scale and the number that constantly defines who I am as a person.
This LCJ is about knowing what you need in order to make these changes stick for a lifetime. I need to break this addiction. So today is my final weigh for a month. I am going to make this happen.
Do you know what you need to make lifetime changes?
Are you willing to make it happen?
you can do it! it is possible! and each day that goes by you will think about it less.
I go through phases, but with maintaining my weight now almost 10 months (and not that I wanted to) I’ve learned to focus on other things. do I still get on the scale? yes. but I don’t have that need anymore because it never tells me what I want to hear anyway 😉 seriously, the LCJ *is* not only about the number on the scale. It’s so much more and learning to change behaviours that have no real added value is really important as well.
When I went for two weeks I was almost not even thinking about any longer by the beginning of week two. I’m amazed at how fast the old behavior crept back in. This time around I’m not playing, it will stick or the next time I’m setting it for 6 months.
Yes! I am SO proud of you, Tara. Cuz you could have just not said anything to anyone, and continued on with this “one little obsession.” But it’s so not worth it. You’re so close to 170 AND you’re starting to focus more on your long-term big-picture goals, rather than reaching *that* weight… Your behaviors and feelings matter WAY more than what any scale could ever tell you.
I am definitely willing to make the changes I need to make in order for this success to last a lifetime. I know you are, too!
I contemplated not say anything to anyone about getting on the scale. It was hard to ask for another challenge but this is for Life and I’m not setting myself to go backwards when all I want to do is move forward.
Hi – very proud of you. This is an amazing thing. I love that GF can lay down the law. 4 weeks! You can do this!
I may have to send you an email, I have some crazy news to share that I cannot post in blog land, but I know you’d be psyched for me.
– M
You can do it! The very fact that GF was going to give you 2 weeks and you said you could go longer shows that you will do it. All of the puzzle pieces are fitting into place for you, and this one will, as well. I have every faith in you.
Thanks! I really do feel like it’s all coming together now. A lot sooner than anticipated but I’m one to take it when it comes!
Good for you Tara! Keep pushing through, your progress is amazing so far. <3
I’m gonna keep pushing until I’m pushing up daisies!
Wow, you’re so close. You must feel amazing and excited. I’m about 59 pounds away from my goal. I think it’s the first time I’ve had one within sight. Eight pounds out I think I would be peeing my pants every day!
I weigh myself sometimes twice a day and I need to stop to. I’ve gone from once a week to daily! I kind of like having a daily report card though. I’m gonna try for once a day for a month. Thanks.
You deserve some bullets here:
* Amazing job on your weight loss thus far!!!
* I do kind of pee my pants everyday at the thought of being this close to my first goal
* Peeing my pants everyday puts me in awkward situations constantly
* I hope you are totally high fiving yourself EVERYDAY while on this journey cause you totally deserve it!
That’s awesome Tara, good for you! I really should do the same thing myself, I know I can get way too obsessive about the scale at times as well.
Thanks Brandon, not getting on the scale is so much more easier when laid down by some authority called the Godfather lol. I couldn’t bring myself to self impose the challenge. Keeping my fingers crossed it sticks this time.
This is my take on it. Losing weight has become an obsession for you because you see the results of all your hard work and are pleased. Every day your focus is eating healthy and excercising because you like tHe effects it has on your body. This is an exciting time for you so its understandable why you would weigh yourself multiple times a day. I wouldn’t be so hard on yourself cause once you are use to eating right and exercising then the obsession will slow down and uou won’t think about it so much. Don’t worry.
Hi Tara, this might seem left fieldish but I really think that you shouldn’t worry too much about weighing yourself all the time. Even if you do it 15-20 times a day. As far as addictions go, its a harmless one. Unless you’re beating yourself up and getting down everytime you get on the scale, I don’t think its a problem.
I just hope you aren’t creating more stressful situations to think about than you already have. Worry about the things that harm you, and not the things that don’t.
I hope this didn’t sound rude. Have a great day and thanks for the inspirations!
I was thinking this exact same thing. I’ve seen a lot of bloggers recently deciding that they need time away from the scale, and I never really understood why. Unless, as Kyle says, you’re beating yourself up about it each and every time, what harm is there in weighing yourself?
I weigh every morning, and I find it’s a helpful reminder to me of what I can be doing better today than I did yesterday. If the scale’s up, I’ll review my day and say, “Oh yeah, there was a lot of sodium in last night’s dinner, so I’ll need to be sure to drink my water today,” or whatever the case may be. But if it goes down, it’s a pat on the back and motivation to do well again today.
I fail to see how that’s a bad thing.
Have someone hide that thing for you. Get it out of your sight.
I’ve been forcing myself to not write down every calorie each day, and it is making me crazy, so I know how habits/obsessions are when it comes to monitoring progress. You can do this…and one day, I’ll be better too. Here’s hoping we’re successful for many decades before we’re pushing up daisies. 🙂
I may have to work on this one at some point, because I’m at LEAST a twice a day weigher, and I know I should stop. Really, what good is it doing me to know what I weigh at 10 pm before I go to bed?
You are my favorite! But I can’t help but play a little devil’s advocate: why can’t you do it for yourself? Why is The GF a requirement?
Rachel, if I had the answer to that delicious question, I’d be out on the road making a million bucks a day with my knowledge. To be totally honest with you: I don’t know why GF is a requirement. I just know right now he is. Whether I’m trying to make him proud of me or acknowledging my weakness (addiction) to the scale I just don’t know. I know there is a child like need to not disappoint but there is also the “someone just take this shit away from me” need too.
Awesome!
I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for posting your story online.
For me to make a lifetime change – I had to move away from Japan, after living there for 9 years. Now two years in Taiwan – I am fit, alert, and I enjoy the year round cycling weather.
Tara…I have just given up the scale. I have given up my past thoughts on about a diet. I am calling it a MODIFIET. For me, one of the things about this journey IS admitting the obsessions, the addictions….I have a similar upbringing to yours and for me, I still search for validation! I look to others to share my goals with to validate my GOOD intentions because I still have a tendency to search for the negative validations I was raised with! That negative self-talk was Learned….and reinforced so…I need to find things to validate the intangibles…those new behaviors that often are viewed as natural SHOULD’s. It is all about modifying not just changing…that’s my thoughts today anyway!