|
Post by Joanne on Jan 9, 2012 16:55:39 GMT -5
I have a question for the rest of you "maintainers".
Every other time in my life that I lost weight, and I did that plenty of times, I would always regain, plus some. Now, of course I know in my head that the DS is different. I know the rules. I follow them most days of the week.
But, I have a huge fear of regaining.
Every other time I was in a "regaining phase", I avoided the scale. In fact, I avoided that damn scale most of my whole life. My pattern had always been:
1) Lose weight 2) Feel great 3) Start gaining, and even though I knew it at some level, I would stay off the scale in denial. 4) Compelling event to be weighed, like doctor's visit. 5) Holy shit, I'm heavier than when I started.
6) Repeat every few years.
So, somewhere in my mind I have it set that my way to not do this is to weigh myself every day. I'm sane enough to know there are fluctuations, and I try not to let them rule my day. But it's not easy. I bounce around the low to mid 140's. So, for example, if the scale says 141 on a day, I flounce around like a little sprite. If it says 145, I stomp around feeling like a bloated rhino. I'm sure there is no discernable difference in my appearance from day to day. I know this is not healthy.
To me, the final phase in my weight battle is to stay off the scale, and accept myself as I am. To use the fit of my jeans as a barometer. I know this in my head, but mentally I'm just not there yet.
Anyone else feel this way?
|
|
|
Post by happycatbert on Jan 10, 2012 12:20:53 GMT -5
I get nowhere near the scale these days....it's all about how my clothes fit.
Sharon
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2012 14:45:37 GMT -5
I'm a scale person. I don't weigh every day. It's often a challenge to use the number as data without getting my emotions involved. As for using my clothes, I've found I can lose inches without losing pounds. Therefore, I use clothes fit and scales to give me data. This whole process has been wild, eh?
|
|
|
Post by KathyF on Jan 10, 2012 15:31:24 GMT -5
I stayed off the scale for years. Gained 55 lbs. I think I do better if I keep a closer eye on my weight otherwise I tend to go into denial.
|
|
|
Post by Joanne on Jan 10, 2012 17:15:55 GMT -5
I stayed off the scale for years. Gained 55 lbs. I think I do better if I keep a closer eye on my weight otherwise I tend to go into denial. See, Kathy, that's my fear. That's what happened to me too many times pre-WLS. I just wish I could find a better balance between staying off the scale denial, and weighing myself every morning obsession. Not there yet.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2012 17:18:11 GMT -5
I still weigh 4-6 times per week at almost 7 years post-op. I can gain 10 lbs and not tell in my clothes with my body shape and 10 lbs is too much before knowing I need to buckle down.
|
|
yorkie
Junior Member
Posts: 83
|
Post by yorkie on Jan 10, 2012 17:42:12 GMT -5
Joanne, that sounds just like me, even down to the 141 & 145 LOL I KNOW logically that this small difference on the scale doesnt show, no one knows but me, and I hate that it bothers me so much.....I too am hoping one day to achieve emotionally healthy vigilance wiht my weight that doesnt border on obsessive.....but in the meantime I weigh in on a monday morning only and try and not let it get past the 146lb mark before knuckling down...... I try and remember even my "normie" friends who have great bodies are always mindful of their weight and are usually trying to lose 5 or 10 pounds....I guess the DS just put me on a level playing field lol
Yorkie x
|
|
|
Post by shann_ds on Jan 10, 2012 17:43:32 GMT -5
I'm terrified od regain too. I weigh every other day or so. I don't pay close attention to what I eat at all so I think I figure if I actually start going up I'll have to start counting something!
|
|
|
Post by KathyF on Jan 10, 2012 18:24:00 GMT -5
I stayed off the scale for years. Gained 55 lbs. I think I do better if I keep a closer eye on my weight otherwise I tend to go into denial. See, Kathy, that's my fear. That's what happened to me too many times pre-WLS. I just wish I could find a better balance between staying off the scale denial, and weighing myself every morning obsession. Not there yet. It can be difficult to strike the right balance. On a positive note, I was amazed that I only gained 55 lbs. Any other scenario pre-WLS would be that I would gain everything back plus a few extra. And I have lost that 55 lbs. plus 20 more.
|
|
|
Post by Happy DSr on Jan 10, 2012 23:05:33 GMT -5
I still weight daily and record the number in my calendar. I does vary +/- 5 pounds over a week sometimes, but always comes back. When I start to panic, I look back over the calendar and see where I was at the higher end before and very quickly went back down.
weighing daily keeps me "mindful" tracking history keeps it in perspective
|
|
|
Post by angelohio on Jan 12, 2012 22:35:45 GMT -5
At 18yrs out I still weigh almost everyday. Its easy to cut back for a day or two and lose a couple pounds rather than 10 or more!
ds in 1994 Dr. Hess
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2012 10:46:11 GMT -5
At 18yrs out I still weigh almost everyday. Its easy to cut back for a day or two and lose a couple pounds rather than 10 or more! ds in 1994 Dr. Hess WOW!! How come we don't *know* you? 18 years out!! Awesome! Please come share your experiences on the main part of the DS board...
|
|
|
Post by mark540 on Jan 13, 2012 13:43:10 GMT -5
I like to weigh myself on a regular basis. Sometimes I will go once a week for a while when I'm being good. If I'm being bad and ignoring my carbs (around the holidays) I will weigh more often.
My scale is an old physicians balance scale, it is always set at a weight I like (275). When I step on the scale and the beam snaps up fast to make loud click I know it's time to pay attention. If the beam just hovers or doesn't go up at all I am good.
Even without the scale a gain of 10 pounds will put me into the next size up on slacks and jeans and I will not go out and buy a larger size again!
|
|
Jody
New Member
Posts: 15
|
Post by Jody on Jan 13, 2012 13:49:09 GMT -5
Precisely where I'm at now. I don't weigh every day and during my weight loss period, I was on the scale a minimum of once a day. Ok - since the scale has been going UP I haven't been on it like I should and I know exactly what's going on. I do make myself weigh at least once a week, but really should get back into daily. I need the accountability.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2012 15:14:55 GMT -5
At 18yrs out I still weigh almost everyday. Its easy to cut back for a day or two and lose a couple pounds rather than 10 or more! ds in 1994 Dr. Hess WOW!! How come we don't *know* you? 18 years out!! Awesome! Please come share your experiences on the main part of the DS board... She posts/posted once in a while elsewhere. You'd recognize her if you saw her picture .
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2012 15:16:42 GMT -5
I divorced the scale many years ago. For me it's about how the jeans fit, since I seem most prone to gain in hips and thighs. That's a terrific monitor for me.
I only weigh at the doctor's office or, sometimes, the gym.
|
|
|
Post by missliss on Jan 13, 2012 15:38:13 GMT -5
I have a question for the rest of you "maintainers". Every other time in my life that I lost weight, and I did that plenty of times, I would always regain, plus some. Now, of course I know in my head that the DS is different. I know the rules. I follow them most days of the week. But, I have a huge fear of regaining. Every other time I was in a "regaining phase", I avoided the scale. In fact, I avoided that damn scale most of my whole life. My pattern had always been: 1) Lose weight 2) Feel great 3) Start gaining, and even though I knew it at some level, I would stay off the scale in denial. 4) Compelling event to be weighed, like doctor's visit. 5) Holy shit, I'm heavier than when I started. 6) Repeat every few years. So, somewhere in my mind I have it set that my way to not do this is to weigh myself every day. I'm sane enough to know there are fluctuations, and I try not to let them rule my day. But it's not easy. I bounce around the low to mid 140's. So, for example, if the scale says 141 on a day, I flounce around like a little sprite. If it says 145, I stomp around feeling like a bloated rhino. I'm sure there is no discernable difference in my appearance from day to day. I know this is not healthy. To me, the final phase in my weight battle is to stay off the scale, and accept myself as I am. To use the fit of my jeans as a barometer. I know this in my head, but mentally I'm just not there yet. Anyone else feel this way? I weigh every day because in the 8 years I have lived post op, I have found that is what works for me. My cycle pre WLS looked alot like yours - lose weight, feel great, start gaining, avoid the scale in denial, gain it all back plus a few more. When I stopped weighing every day, I gained some weight. Started back weighing and owning it and got the weight off. Now I fluctuate anywhere between 141 and 145 depending on where I am in my "monthly cycle". And I don't sweat it. You look great by the way. I've seen pics of your journey at the OtHer place.
|
|
|
Post by Jolly Rancher on Jan 15, 2012 14:54:07 GMT -5
I'm not nearly as small as some of you, but I've been maintaining for more than a year or so. I only get on the scale about every two month. It's an old dial a weight scale anyway, and they are notoriously incorrect. I do know that my jeans still fit and are not snug and that's the biggest factor I've used to gauge where I am, and if I really am still maintaining.
|
|
inge
Full Member
Posts: 139
|
Post by inge on Jan 18, 2012 19:03:03 GMT -5
I get on the scale about every 1-2 weeks. My weight leveled at about 11 month and I went up 2 pounds from 125 to 127 at 5.4. Now most times that I weigh it's anywhere between 127 and 130. I eat pretty low carb though still, I don't like it when I get all bloated and gassy. It also helps my DH to stay low carb, it's all good. I'm happy with where I ended up at with my weight.
|
|
|
Post by ilovechocolate on Jan 18, 2012 21:46:20 GMT -5
I stayed off the scale for years. Gained 55 lbs. I think I do better if I keep a closer eye on my weight otherwise I tend to go into denial. I'm 7 years out and I have done the same, I need to get control again. But, saying that I would have regained my whole weight loss without the DS.
|
|
|
Post by bronwend on Jan 23, 2012 22:27:53 GMT -5
I'm 5.5 years post op, and I *used* to weigh daily. Now that I have a good idea of my monthly fluctuations, I only weigh if I notice that I look different naked or if my clothes are too tight. At that point, it's just a confirmation of how much I've gained and an estimate of how long I'm going to have to lay off my 2nd/3rd dessert. I don't let it get out of hand, preferring to nip it in the bud so I don't have to cut out desserts for longer than a couple of days. I'm a little spoiled by dessert.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2012 10:27:24 GMT -5
I weigh about once a week. I really don't want to obsess over the number, so I won't do it more often than that. But I do want to make sure that I keep any gains in check. So far my normal fluctuation has been between 143-148, with one bounce up to 151 right around the holidays. When I'm up, I just lay off the carbs for a meal or two and I'm right back down in a day or so.
|
|
|
Post by aa on Feb 1, 2012 16:03:33 GMT -5
Once every 1-3 months. I still dislike the scale, but I force myself.
I eat as I should & can generally tell by my clothes.
|
|
|
Post by valgroce on Feb 1, 2012 16:07:49 GMT -5
I'm with Sharon. It's all about how my clothes fit since I like my current size 8
|
|
|
Post by reinventingangela on Feb 1, 2012 16:49:05 GMT -5
I have a suggestion...it seems to me like your being ruled by the scale if it affects your mood or sets the tone for the day. You jeans will tell you if you need to check your weight so why not GET RID OF THE DARNED SCALE. That way, you arent tempted to let it rule your day and make a rule with yourself that if your jeans are too tight for 3 days in a row (period days dont count), you will then begin journaling your food and if 1 week later your jeans are still too tight, THEN you can go weigh yourself (you might need it as a motivator at that point). The truth is that you probably cant do enough damage in 10 days of not weighing yourself that you cant fix in a couple of weeks but your life would be a lot freer without the scale acting as your ball and chain.
It just seems like it would remove the problem...you deserve to be happy every day...wether youre up 3 pounds or down 3 pounds. Hope this helps and sorry for any redundancy, I didnt read every reply!
|
|
|
Post by Girlrocker on Feb 2, 2012 10:57:35 GMT -5
This 6-step life you have written about was my life too. After my first surgery (RNY), even though I never reached my goal weight, I did have a 5-year run of maintaining and learned a LOT. No question, jeans tell the story best. We're women, so it's completely normal for our weight to bounce 3-5 lbs, due to water, hormones, one food consumed, a couple of cocktails and so on. What I noticed is that really didn't affect my jeans fit; IF it went over 5 lbs, then I needed to pay attention,because I would feel it in the waistband. That became my rule to live by, and will be again now that I have a shot at a more normal weight management life with the DS. I did not have a scale in the house, I only weighed at the gym, and, only once a week, same day/time each week - mornings on Mondays, so I always had an accurate model to compare. I couldn't agree with Angela more; you have worked hard and deserve to be happy all the time for what you've accomplished. We didn't get this way overnight, but perhaps if you implement some of these tools along with your DS eating, it too will become more habit, and you'll find the balance between being accountable but not defining yourself exclusively as a number on the scale. You're more than that!
|
|
|
Post by Eileen_nc on Mar 31, 2012 8:39:50 GMT -5
Yep, I get ya. During my wl phase, I weighed myself every day. Now at maintenance I weigh myself every week, just to keep myself from gaining too much-it keeps me honest. I don't have a fear of a scale or the number it shows... those days are for when I was SMO...that's when I hated the scale.
|
|
|
Post by tldtld on Apr 6, 2012 8:44:05 GMT -5
Rather than focusing on the scale, could you focus on your reaction to it? It could become tool for your health, not of your rhino ratio for the day.
I always weigh monthly on my surgiversary, and whenever I suspect (OK, when I know) that I need to take better care of my eating.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2012 8:52:58 GMT -5
We divorced the scale years ago when my daughter was 12...and *I* gained weight, she didn't. Now that she is an adult and out of the house, we got a scale and I weigh weekly at a minimum but prefer daily. I realize things can change daily but as long as I stay in a range *I* am comfortable with weekly, I am fine. My weight at my pcp keeps going down tho.
Liz
|
|
yorkie
Junior Member
Posts: 83
|
Post by yorkie on Apr 10, 2012 9:45:05 GMT -5
Yep, me too. During the weight loss phase I jumped on every day but continued to hate the way it made me feel if it went up (despite perfectly good reasons for it like PMT, chinese food and bloat blah blah).I am a catastrophiser by nature and it can seem like the end of the world etc so I am working on not getting my sense of self bound up with an arbitrary number on a machine but boy is THAT a tough one lol. Now I try and get on once a week, usually on a friday for some reason. I think that if its a number I am happy with then I let my carb guard down a bit over the weekend but if it's teetering on the unacceptable then I pull in the reins and up the exercise ratio and water and maybe use a double scoop shake as a meal like breakfast or a quick lunch.
What I know is that no matter what, I love my new life and shape and confidence too much to ever let this get TOO out of hand and I never had that feeling before surgery.
yorkie xx
|
|