I am probably not doing much good here but then this is a different perspective:

"Getting on the scale four or five times a day is a form of slow torture..."

Once I hit that 60kg mark on the scale I could not believe it. I was so happy. That scale was a HUGE incentive to me. Each time I went to the loo I would hop on it just to be sure that mark was for real. And each time I saw that number - day and night and all the times inbetween - sneak lower, it reminded me to not give up or reward myself - keep going for 54.