Follow up to last week’s “Notes on How I Lost Weight” post. I’m breaking down each tip with a video.
My first note was – I didn’t make a goal to lose 10 or 15 pounds. I didn’t weigh myself.
Why?
I’m explaining why I don’t know how much I weigh, why I threw away the scale and why my goal weight is BS on today’s video. Also – I share my ultimate goal weight for the first time and how tall I am.
(I don’t share what I weigh right now because – I don’t know. )
Here is #1 from that weight loss post. I’m talking about it to breakdown why I don’t know how much weight I lost and more on NOT setting a goal to lose a certain amount of weight.
Notes from my Weight Loss Post…
1. I didn’t set a goal of losing 10 or 15 pounds.
I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost because I don’t weigh myself. I don’t want to know. It has never once made me feel good to weigh myself. Even at my lowest weight – it never made me feel better or happy or anything positive.
I’ve been living my life and I NOT thinking about diets and food and my body helps a lot. When I dieted in the past all I thought about was food. Since that wasn’t my focus – I didn’t focus on what I’m eating next all day.
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve lost that much weight because my clothes have went down 1 size but I still can wear 92% of my old stuff.
Oh, and I ‘know my angles’. I stand in a certain way in pictures that I think is flattering. That’s important.
I’m going to explain each of my notes on how I lost weight via video over the next few weeks. One by one I’ll talk about what each tip meant for me. It’s a journey I’m still on – not to lose weight, but to figure out what makes me feel good and what habits I should probably break because they’re bad for me.
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to follow along.
Question: When was the last time you weighed yourself? Do you own a scale?
Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor, best friend, neighbor’s dog and/or acupuncturist before trying any diet or exercise advice on the internet. Do you.
I totally agree with you! I lost 85 pounds 5-6 years ago and have been more fixated on wanting to hit the magic ‘100’ pound loss that I think I miss the point of WHY sometimes.
Never once has getting on the scale made me feel better. Sure it felt good to see the numbers drop, but the landing number was still ‘fat’ and nothing to brag about! I would have been happier sticking with a tape measure for documenting my progress.
I am also 5’6” and should be more fixated on looking great naked than how much my body weighs. I should worry about whether I feel good physically and emotionally, not about a number on the scale defining anything for me. Thank you for your insightful perspective
As a former dancer who’s struggled with disordered eating and a current actor who can oftentimes fall into the comparison trap, I’ve learned to steer clear of the scale. I’ll even go as far as turning my head at the doctor’s office.
We are so much more than a number, and that’s with weight and clothing size. Who cares? If you’re fueling yourself well, regularly exercising and also enjoying indulgences when you want them as to not deprive, you’re doing great.
I was weighing myself at least once a day. My trainer has me now one weighing myself first thing Monday morning and Friday morning. This helps me to try and keep my weekends in check, which seem to be the worst for me.
Thanks for sharing this topic and inspiration. here, I found some other essential, quick tips for lose weight.
I own a scale, but I only weigh myself like once a week or so, just to keep an eye on things. I am still slowly and steadily losing a little more than my baby weight, so it’s good for me to see what works. BUT, the minute I start getting obsessive, that thing is going in the trash!
I do own a scale and weigh myself at least once a week. I’m pretty overweight right now so keeping track of my progress is helpful to me. It’s not at the point where I obsess about it but as I get closer to my goal weight I hope to cut back on weigh-ins.
I was deployed last year, and I think it finally helped me being so obsessed with the scale. I got into the best shape of my life and felt really, really good about my body. I limited myself to one weigh-in a week there, but it was frustrating. After some initial weight-loss when I first got in country, my weight started going back up. I felt good about my progress, about the tone I was noticing on my arms and everywhere else, until I got on the scale.
Finally, I stopped getting on the scale. It just didn’t make sense for me to weigh in anymore. I was eating well, I was working out every day and I looked good and I finally realized that mattered more than any number the scale could possibly show me.
Back home now, I don’t even know where my scale is. It used to be in the bedroom and before I deployed, I’d weigh myself every few days.
The scale can be like a bad addiction, I think. It’s helpful sometimes to track progress, etc., but so often it can be detrimental to healthy progress.
I don’t weigh myself and when I go to the doctor (I have hashimoto’s and celiac so it’s about every four months) they always want to weigh me and I’ve actually had techs get bossy about me saying no. I weigh the same, my clothes fit the same, you don’t need to weigh me. I’ll let you know if there’s a change. It’s always such a shock to find out that I’m the boss of me.
Hi!
I’ve just started reading your blog (even though I had heard of you in the famous runner blog universe!). I am not a blogger (full-time desk job) so it took me a bit to add another to the list. In any case, I’m happy to have started catching up (and my runeatrepeat shirt is in the mail)
I remember reading or listening on a podcast a simple but brilliant snippet from another famous runner-blogger along the lines of “if someone writes/says something mean, it took me a while to understand that it is not directed at me . It is that person needing help because THEY are the ones that are hurting.” I’ve thought a lot about this in my own life. Like when I get a mean thought about someone, I stop and think “why am I angry about this?” and it’s usually because I am envious. I noticed that when someone gets a new guy or something I lash out and think “oh that person stinks blah blah blah.” Nope, just me wanting the man of my dreams 🙂
For your case, full disclaimer, I am a (very grateful) stick figure runner and am never jealous when people lose weight 🙂 I say wonderful for you if you feel better! I think anyone who says “oh, you look too thin now, make sure you are taking care of yourself…” or anything else disparaging/defeating/negative… Well, they want to be you. And they maybe aren’t feeling that great about themselves. We all just need to kind of turn the mirror on our own faults (soooo many over here in my world) and be happy for others. Anyway, you are beautiful in ALL the pictures I’ve scanned on your instagram – past and present.
Your point about getting on a scale NEVER feeling good is so spot-on. Amazing I never thought of it that way. I don’t weigh myself either. Really, what good does it do?
Look forward to following along!
Just wondering if something you have been doing with your thyroid has also contributed to this weight loss. I ask because I’ve always had a hard time and was recently diagnosed with hashimoto thyroiditis.
The scale never makes me feel good! I am 5’7″ and since I started marathon training and really running lots of miles in 2013, I have been 140-145……………….before that I was in the 130’s and active, just not running more than 10 miles a week. I struggled for a while being heavier even though I was kicking butt on runs, but now I realize “so what” if I need to replace a few pairs of pants because my thighs are bigger………they are muscular and help me run half marathons! And most clothes still fit the same, only a few things had to be replaced, and feeling fit and strong is so nice. That doesn’t mean I don’t have days where I eat cookies and drink soda and then feel out of shape, but I get up and run the next day and all is ok with the world.
I think I had gotten obsessive about the scale for a few years after college (where I probably weighed 20-25 pounds more and wore pants a few sizes up from what I do now). I had never been fat in school, just not the skinniest friend…………luckily I am athletically built. I saw the scale go down to 130 and I desperately wanted 129, but I don’t think my body can maintain at that low weight. I was drinking diet soda (so bad for you, I know) and eating 300 calorie frozen meals and lots of fruits and veggies, but not a balanced diet. Now I eat whatever I want and when I have soda I drink the real stuff (still not the best, but i do it in moderation) and my body has been at the same weight (give or take 5 pounds) for 4 years. I still have days where I don’t like the mirror, but I am feeling better in my skin.
Thanks for sharing your story!
I’ve shifted my focus to muscle gain lately, so the scale mentality is tricky. When I first lost all of my weight (30 pounds), I was incredibly focused on the art of maintenance and thus weighed myself EVERY morning to see how on track I was. Now I do it about once a week or less, because 1.) if I’m in a bad mental state then the weight gain (even if it is all muscle!) will freak me out, and 2.) because subconsciously I keep comparing myself to the unhealthy low I’d hit last summer (I mean, I passed out WHILE running). Now it’s all about balance and only stepping on the scale when I trust I’ll have a healthy reaction to the number either way. <3 Love this post!
This is a great post! I appreciate you sharing your journey. I am a registered dietitian who works with a lot of people on weight loss and has also struggled with weight much of my life. I think it is awesome that you did share your height and the weight range you’ve been at because people place so much value on what the BMI chart and ideal body weight calculators says and for many those numbers aren’t realistic. I think you putting yourself out there and sharing can help other people realize you can be healthy and look GREAT at a weight that is not what you ever thought was your goal or ideal. I can very much relate with being at my lowest weight and looking and feeling good, yet still feeling disappointment in not being able to achieve the 130’s (I’m also 5’6″).
Keep doing what works for you and focusing on that important stuff. You look amazing and I wish you much happiness!
Thank you for sharing this post! You look great! (And if you’re happy with yourself, that’s really all that matters.)
I maybe weigh myself once every couple weeks…I use the one at my in-laws house because I threw mine away a few months ago. I was tired of stepping on it every day (sometimes multiple times a day) and feeling happy/sad/like a failure because of a number.
Thanks Erinn! That sounds like a good balance – using it somewhere else so it’s not in your house.
Ohh My God, This Is Really Awesome information about losing weight. Thank you for sharing. I like that.
I think when you are significantly overweight, using the scale helps you to see your progress. It’s measurable. But when you are close to your “goal weight”, it does become obsessive. I weigh myself about once / month and truth by told, I NEVER feel good about what’s on the scale. If I lose 4 lbs., I want to know why I didn’t lose more. If I gain the 4 lbs. back the next month, I get upset, “Why did that happen?” I think it’s super important to be comfortable in your skin – to eat SMART, to exercise, to wear appropriate clothing that suits your figure. If you are “fluffy” and your doctor has told you to lose weight, then you want to make an effort to do that. It’s a big picture, it’s not a small, narrow, “Go on a fast” or “Try this cleanse” sort of thing. It’s drink water, eat more protein, eat less sugar, eat more veggies, exercise – do cardio AND strength training. Be consistent. Be consistent. Be consistent. If you are doing all the right things and aren’t seeing results, whether it’s on the scale or in your clothing, then you should see your doctor. Your thyroid could be off or you might have something else going on. I do use my scale. Only about once / month though.
Yeah, if it’s a health concern then you definitely need to pay attention but that’s often about eating healthier or being more active – which are things you can measure another way. I like your perspective on it. And I 100% agree about being consistent – I always say that the only thing I have going for me with running is that I’m consistent.
It is something I struggle with – letting the scale dictate how I feel about myself. You are so right that it does not measure so many other great things about who you are as a person! Do you ever get tempted to get back into weighing yourself?
I haven’t been tempted to weigh myself – I 100% know there is no way it would make me feel good.
I own a scale and have to admit I’ve been caught up agonizing over my weight in the past. Since I am pregnant right now it has been kinda important just to make sure I am going by what my doctor recommends. Luckily once the baby is out I’ll be able to go back to how I feel in my clothes vs that number.
I do have a scale but I haven’t weighed myself recently. I know I am on the higher end of my range but I also know seeing a number WILL mess with my psyche. So I’m just going to work on not eating as much sugary foods and processed foods and just start there.
Good mindset Marissa!
Monica,
Hello! It’s ironic that you mention 139 and wanting to me in the 130s in the past. I am still stuck on that number. I am 5’6″ as well. I am a lifetime member of weight watchers now for 3 years and below my ww goal weigh (145). I hover between 140-143 on any given day. I am a daily weigher which works for me. I use it as data and it does not affect my mood or emotional state at all. I decided back in March to stop weighing myself daily and I gained three pounds! I want to be in the 130s so badly, but my body just doesn’t. I hope I can accept my 140s… I feel amazing and like the way I look in and out of clothes, so there’s that. Thanks for the post and the video. Very helpful and informative. Oh and since your vitamin post, I am finally going to start taking a multivitamin. I take probiotics and a few supplements, but needed to do the multivitamin, so thanks for that too.
Amy
Thanks Amy 🙂 You are awesome just as you are today. I promise. Sounds like you’re taking great care of yourself and know what to do.
Love this!! Especially about not letting the scale decide your fate for the day which I do! I can feel really good, energetic, excited about my day and then I ruin it by getting on the scale. So, I love the idea eating to feel the way you want to feel because I do know what that looks like and it isn’t a number on the scale.
I weigh myself once a week or so. It’s silly because for the last 10 or more years I have been between 139 and 149. Usually I’ll see the 149 creep in around Christmas when I am nonstop with the desserts and then in the summer I’ll be lower probably because I sweat more and am walking around dehydrated. I don’t allow the scale readings to mess with how I feel because I know it’s a slippery slope. I just wish I didn’t have so much excess middle weight and wish I didn’t get shorts creep lol. But even if I lost 10 pounds those things will still be an issue. It’s just my body shape.
I dont weigh myself regularly but I had a doctor’s appt yesterday. I weighed 114 and I am 5′ 5″. I have always been thin and much of my high school years were spent trying to GAIN weight haha. I remember drinking Ensure… little did I know the solution to that problem was to just go to college 😉
I think you look great but definitely very thin for your frame!
Ha! The go to college comment 🙂
I like the video idea…sometimes its just easier to say what you feel rather than try to write it all down and words can be taken the wrong way depending on the reader.
Yes, I do have a scale and I just weighed myself this morning. I don’t feel I’m defined by the number on it but it does feel nice when I see it going down vs. up…ha!
Yeah, I agree – I didn’t feel like I was really explaining it well. And I felt like since it was in writing I was saying these things like they were so official – but it is meant to be more tips and a chat about it.