I know what you guys mean about obsessing about the scale. Getting one of those Tanita scales that calculates body fat and setting a specific "weigh day" have helped me a bit.
One, because the body fat scale is only accurate if you use it under specific conditions (I think it's three hours after exercising and eating, barefoot or nekkid, well-hydrated, bladder empty, etc.). I think they recommend using it in the afternoon, long after lunch but before dinner.
Well, the only time I can really control all that is on the weekends, so I've set Sunday at 5 or 6 pm as my day to weigh and measure. I may sneak onto the scale at other times during the week out of obsession, but whether I'm up or down a few pounds, I remind myself it doesn't matter. It's not accurate since the conditions are not the same. For me, my only official weight is the one I record at 5 pm on Sunday.
Two, the body fat scale has definitely shown that my body fat percentage has gone down since I started this WOE, even though the scale may not always reflect this. Again, it's touchy whether or not the conditions are identical enough each week to make the calculation accurate (a woman's TOM can affect the body fat reading, as can the amount of water you've drank throughout the day, etc.).
BUT...it has very steadily gone down EACH WEEK, even when the scale has been stuck on the same weight for three weeks or more!
Three, I always get out the measuring tape on Sundays, too. Again, even though my scale is stubborn and refuses to budge, my measurements are slowly and steadily going down. You can't argue with that.
I've been exercising, so I know that I have been gaining muscle mass and that is part of the reason the scale hasn't been showing any lost pounds lately.
In brief, my measuring tape and my body fat scale have given me tools to prove that I am making progress, even when my darn regular scale refuses to cooperate. It's a nice backup and it helps me obsess less about poundage.
Ophelia
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