Friday, June 6, 2008

Week 5 - The Perversity of the Scale

Even though I'm on to it, I still allow the number on the scale to make me do foolish things.

The WW scale last night showed that I'd gotten rid of a whooping .4 lbs. This was after a week that included a walk from one end to the other of the 5000 acre state park that borders my neighborhood as well as 4 days of one hour workouts on my elliptical cross trainer. It was also a week in which I stayed within or below my alloted points each day. As I did two weeks ago when the numbers on the scale also disappointed me, I went on a miny bingelet last night. My extra weekly points kept me "on program." This is both a rather stupid use of points as well as a really brilliant one. I deprived myself of getting rid of up to a tenth of a pound on the one hand, while also enjoying a relatively safe food temper tantrum on the other. It was and is very important for me to stay "on program."

This morning, the number on my home scale was a full pound less than yesterday. My weight is the lowest that it has been in too long of a time, 194.5 lbs. this morning; 199.2 lbs. at WW last night. I know that the day to day numbers are of no real importance, that it is the generally downward trend that matters most, that my job is to "follow the program" and the weight will take care of itself. Even so, I am experiencing a softening in my determination today. I have too many things to do to make the time to work out on the elliptical. Having written this out, I have just decided to get on the damn thing anyway. By doing so, I will be allowing the stronger part of myself to speak to me.

6 comments:

Moby Dick said...

Stop being a dumb-ass. You are just looking for excuses. I know, I do it too.

If you did a lot of exercise, then you gained muscle weight. Muscle is much denser and weighs more than fat.

You never stop gaining muscle if you exercise. The question is not how much you weigh, but do you feel better every time you exercise, and do you look better when you tone your body and add muscle.

WAKE UP!!

ArleneWKW said...

Hey Spider, I usually appreciate your comments, even when they are critical. I did not appreciate this one. I've been working hard and deserve better.

Anonymous said...

The scale can be the devil and mess with your head. I've gone for weeks without weighing, just because I would otherwise obsess with weighing nearly every day. That can't be healthy.
When I used to go to meetings, which were always in the evenings as well, I would ALWAYS weigh more than at home (weighing in the morning).
You are doing great. Don't let anyone or any scale try to tell you otherwise.

Moby Dick said...

I remember once that I smashed one of those old metal scales when I took it to the dumpster to throw it away. I felt very good doing it.

Perhaps you should think about this: When you hit your goal weight, you will take your scale to the local dump and smash it to bits. I would say toss it off the side of a cliff, but that would be polluting.

ArleneWKW said...

Thanks Daniele.

Thanks for the comment Spider. I'll keep the scale, but will try to avoid giving it the power that I sometimes do.

Cory said...

Keep up the good work.