Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Hello. I recently returned from the 10 day live-in program in Santa Rosa, CA. It was my first experience with the Dr. McDougall plan and I am excited to carry on what I learned during my time there.

What I am struggling with is my fear of the scale. Not fear of what it will tell me, but fear that I will once again allow it to take over my life. I used to weigh myself every day and I allowed the scale to determine what kind of day I would have. I dealt with that by removing all scales from my life. Until my recent stay at Dr. McDougall's medical centre, I hadn't been on a scale in a couple years. I realize I need to weigh myself in order to track my progress, but don't want it to take over my life. I was thinking I would use the scale at the gym once per month.

Do you think that weighing in once per month is often enough? Has anyone else struggled with this and how did they overcome it? I would appreciate any advice you have to offer.

Thank you, Deb

Oh, I love your username! You know that now I'm ridiculously tempted to invoke all the horrible slang and terrible english I can think of.

For example: Oh-Em-Gee, I definately just luvvvv pressing people's buttons!

There are actually a ton of wonderful posts already on this topic -- do a quick search so you don't miss out!

My only thought for you is, that no one assigns the scale any fearful properties but you. So it is just a matter of if you wish to continue telling yourself how scary scales are.

I think there are people who are afraid to check their bank balance. They conjure up all sorts of weird stories -- what if I'm overdrawn? I don't wanna look. it winds up being some weird anxiety about money at the heart of it, and with scales, there is some weird anxiety around food and success and failure.

You're not afraid of your blender, are you? Hopefully not. But a blender is another small appliance that you could easily develop anxiety over. "I can never make a smoothie right. I am just so afraid of failure. Last time I made a smoothie, I had to throw the whole thing out; it just wasn't the right consistency; I just can't bear to fail again."

Do measuring tapes scare you? If you don't want to bother with the scale, you could just tape yourself at a couple key places. Thigh, waist, whatever.

But maybe it would jsut be easiest to tell yourself a different rationale about stepping on the scale, and seeing some number there, and like to know that over time the number is shifting in a direction that you like it to shift, or is helpfully telling you if you're a little off the mark. (Wait, no, if YOUR a little off the mark, is what I meant to write.)

I don't know. Do you like any of those pathways forward? Tape measure? Get over it? Make it all the blender's fault?

Those are my thoughts for you! Hope someone else can offer a more coherent take on things for you.

Thanks so much for your reply! I will do a search and check out the previous posts you mentioned. But what you said about the scale just being a small appliance and me giving it all that power makes a lot of sense. I will work at "getting over it."

And thank you for all the chuckles. When I'm not being paid for editing, I do my best not to notice spelling and punctuation. Imagine how few friends I would have if I was constantly correcting them!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Who needs a scale?

Your clothes (and I assume you wear them ) will tell you when you are losing weight.

When what you wear now starts feeling too loose, take a measurement if you must. Or get on a scale, if you really feel you must.

Otherwise, just go to the store and try on something smaller.

Relax, enjoy the food, and starting budgeting money for you new smaller wardrobe!



Just one lunatic's opinion, or course .

I second the above advice. I have found that letting my clothes speak works well for me, usually. Over the years I have been steadily shrinking out successive pairs of my jeans (my best barometer), so much so that I have donated them, instead of keeping them around.
Another option would be to join our weekly Maximum Weight Loss group, which does weekly weighs on Friday. I find that although I may be tempted to weigh in the interim, I hold myself to this once a week, to enjoy the surprise (i.e. does the number on the scale match what I am feeling).

I keep my scale out of sight in the cabinet. I bring it out once a week to do my weigh in on Friday mornings and its back in the cabinet for the week. It has the entire cabinet to itself so I have no reason whatsoever to open the cabinet door except for Friday.

I then weigh myself first thing out of bed, I take 3 measurements, record the lowest number and shove it back in the cabinet.

Thats it. I will admit one day I was not happy with my number so I weighted myself 8 times!!

Stupid scale kept giving me the same number no matter how many times I got on the damn thing

Best wishes.

Minnie, thank you for the smile Yes, I do wear clothes and they are getting looser.

Yomom, I thought about joining the Maximum Weight Loss group, but wondered if the fact that I'm not weighing myself might be an issue. Hard to participate in a group if you can't discuss your weight loss along with everyone else lol

plant_eater, the cabinet idea is a good one. I will give it lots of thought and if I decide to buy a scale, I will definitely use your cabinet idea.

Thanks everyone!