Would You Consider Not Having A Set Of Scales In The House?

[Bathsheba]

Another thread has just got me thinking about scales. Are they really a weight loss tool? When you consider how much the female body varies in water retention rates as it goes through it's cycles is it wise to weigh yourself daily? Even if you only weigh yourself weekly is this helpful if it only upsets you? Is it tempting to think that you have lost weight when you might only be dehydrated eg first thing in the morning?

Personally I think that having a set of scales is an invitation to misinterpret what is actually going on with your body. They can be helpful as a part of a periodic health check or if you have suffered a bout of gastro (to confirm dehydration and a need to rebuild your body condition) but otherwise I can't really see the benefits compared to simply assessing how well your clothes are fitting.

It's a bit like how some medical professions rely on machines that go 'beep' during a labour instead of simply observing and listening to the woman. Both can be useful on occasion but I am sceptical when it comes to constant use.

I'm not suggesting my way is the best way but I only weigh myself at the doctors. I have no clue what i weigh today and that's fine. I know that i am a snug size 12. I know that I need to keep 3 sizes in jeans that range between 10 - 14. Two years ago my size 10s were loose and at the doctors one day i weighed in at 59kg. This was an unhealthy weight for my 5 foot 7 frame with a solid skeleton indicated by my size 9 shoe. Maybe if had a fine boned skeleton and wore a size 7 shoe then 59kg would be healthy. See what i mean? You have to think and look at your body holistically... no be swayed by a number.

I dunno... maybe I am being a bit prescriptive about this... just some thoughts.

[deletedit]

No, I wouldn't consider getting rid of the scales, but for purely practical reasons.

Children's panadol dosage rate is by weight - I need to know what the small people weigh.

Me? Entirely go by how well clothes fit, like you said.

[Caramello]

I've only bought a set of scales recently because of the pregnancy. We have survived for years happily without one. And now the current one is not working (I think it needs a new battery). So no I don't think that you need them in the house.

[Kitt3n]

I have never had scales in the house

[*LittleMissSummer*]

I have never had scales in the house

Me too.

Growing up my mum had them and as a teenager i would weigh myself every week and freak out if i gained weight.

I do fine without having one. I base how much i weigh on my clothes if they seem tighter iv gained and same goes if they feel looser.

I try not to dwell on it.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Occasionally I weigh myself on the Wii Fit, but apart from that, I don't like scales. They are not my friend. And I don't get how you can get one number at the docs, go straight home and get a completely different number.

My MIL on the other hand, weighs herself daily, and stresses herself into a little ball over it. I've tried SO many times to tell her she's working uphill that way, but as usual, no listening

[Bathsheba]

Regarding needing them for weighing children for their medicine: I guess my children are of average weight so i just use the age guidelines on the box. I also often weigh them when we go to the doctors so i usually have a rough idea. DH also weighs himself at the doctors. At our GPs there is always a set of scales in the room.

ETA: Wow! I'm surprised that so many don't have scales! I thought i was an unsual... so many of my friends and family own them.

[Junglemum]

We don't have scales in the house. When we moved recently i made a decision to throw them out. I don't want my two girls growing up thinking that their weight is important in a negative way.
I just go by the kids last weight at the MCHN/Dr or whatever. I did weigh DD1 on the cattle scales last week, just for fun

[Nelle]

We don't have scales. I am thinking about getting some to be honest - I think I need to SEE that I do not have some 'immune to weight gain when I sit on my posterior and bake/eat delicious food all the time' super power...I'm currently telling myself it's winter fat? Like I'm a bear or something?

I don't think I'd obsess about my weight. But I do think that to see my weight creeping up bit by bit might help me to go 'ooer'. I'm not particularly worried about body issues, anyone who knows me will know my ego/self-esteem is fairly resilient.

[Mother Goose]

Nope, don't have them at home. But I have them at work. Very easy access - right next to my locker! I weigh myself sporadically there. For DD, I also calculate all her meds based on her weight but can weigh her at numerous locations we frequent so I always have a pretty good idea of her weight at any given time.

[Melbournemumma]

We don't have them at home and sometimes that's a good thing and other times it's not I used to find when I was on weight watchers and i had to go and be weighed every week it kept me more accountable! But I used to go same time every week and it was always a night time class soooo, when I was going to be heaviest anyways

On the whole I don't particularly like having them at home, I know if i've put on weight!

[Raupe]

I didn't have any scales in my house for about 4 years... and I put on about 40kgs !
So now they're back in *grrrrr*. I have a love/hate relationship with them. I'm scared to way myself (I do that about once a month). But everytime I do and I have lost weight, it REALLY motivates me and gives me a health boost. So I guess it kinda works for me. But I totally agree that daily way-ins are just ridiculous. It varies wayyyyy too much! And to be honest, when you (ehmm..I..) are talking about loosing 40kgs, a couple of grams water retention is not relevant. (Maybe that's why I like 'oldfashioned' sales , they are not so accurate they show full kg and not g) So I guess what I'm trying to say is that a little variation in weight doesn't bother me, as long as the overall trend is downwards... Does that make sense? When you are as big as me, clothes have to be looser anyway (otherwise I look like a fat german sausage ), therefore I can't usually tell if I put on 5kgs or not...

Good thread though!

[black_rose]

We don't have them, I stress myself out by getting on them all the time. My gp is keeping tabs for me while pregnant. I prefer to judge by my clothes.

[Bathsheba]

With the airport thing I hate to be smug but I'm the worlds best suitcase packer Im good at packing the bare minimum so I barely give limits any thought. Even when I went to Europe for a month my strategy was to take over old clothes that I could ditch over there to accomodate my souveniers for the return journey. I find the limits quite generous but I like to travel light. My theory also is that if you don't pack it you can generally just buy it over there anyhow... So if I'm in doubt I leave it out. Pride cometh before a fall but so far I haven't been caught out. Packing for kids though can be tricky I must admit.

[misty]

I use my scales daily, and weigh in offically at WW meetings everyweek too. It keeps me honest.
From my observations, it depends on your personality type as to whether scales are a help or a hindrance. For me, I know that I can fluctuate up to 2kgs in a day just based on fluid (particularly as I am still breastfeeding). But it does help keep me on track, and is a method (or several) of measuring how I am going. If my weight is up a litttle, then I naturally find myself reining my eating habits in a bit and upping my exercise - but I don't take it badly, like I know some others do. If my weight is down, I like what I see and am motivated to continue doing what I am doing. I know my body fluctuates at certain times of the day,week and month - because I know this it doesn't phase me. I don't really take my daily weights seriously. My weekly weight on the other hand I know goes down, unless I have done something that would cause it to stall, or go up (like those 10 freddo frogs I ate today ). No excuses from me.
I do have certain members at my meetings whom I have told (sometimes repeatedly) to throw their scales out - because they are doing more harm then good. They become obsessive. These people I definitely try to encourage to use other measurements of there progress (ie, tape measure, clothing, fitness, health) and only weigh in at meetings.

[Phteven]

With the airport thing I hate to be smug but I'm the worlds best suitcase packer Im good at packing the bare minimum so I barely give limits any thought.

Awesome, you can come and pack for me because when it comes to packing ski gear the luggage allowance is barely enough

[Jas]

I agree with Misty. I bought my first set of scales 3 and a bit months ago when I started ww's and I too weigh daily, I feel for me it a positive thing and not negative at all and I agree with it being a personality thing. I have lost 21.7kgs since 1st March and I'm feeling amazing! I have 13.2kg more to go and I don't think I will ever not have scales again. I think I will keep weighing to keep track my weight healthy. I used to dance and when I stopped I put on over 40kgs very quickly so I need to keep a track of myself

[anney]

We don't have scales either. the tightness of my clothes tell me if I have put on weight. My dd has not been weighed for 4 years, since her last health centre check. Any medication she takes is usually by age so I just figure she is "average" weight.