Weight Loss Tips: 3 Signs You May Be Addicted to Your Scale and What to Do About It

When it comes to losing weight a lot of people tend to live or die by their scale. They get obsessed with the number they see and nothing else matters to them. The thing that you have to remember with weight loss is that you can't let the scale control you and how you feel. Even if your overall goal is to lose 50 pounds your scale should not be something that controls your whole life. Here are 3 signs you may be addicted to your scale and weight loss tips to help you see why you may want to put your scale away for a few days.

1. You weigh yourself more than once a day.

Most weight loss programs don't even recommend weighing in every day, so if you are weighing yourself more than once a day you have a problem. Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day and it can be frustrating if you gain a pound or two throughout the day. Weighing yourself more than once a day only sets you up for a constant up and down roller coaster of emotions about your weight. If you find that you weight yourself more than once a day, try to go at least 2-3 days without weighing yourself. If you have to put your scale somewhere you don't see it on a daily basis or give it to a friend for a few days. It's a lot more rewarding to see the scale go down 2-3 pounds in a week than see the scale go down half a pound or nothing at all every day.

2. The scale determines how you feel every day and if you follow through with your weight loss plan for the day.

The scale should not decide if you are happy or sad on any given day. The scale should also not determine if you are going to follow through with your weight loss plan or ditch it. Your self-worth is not determined by a number on a scale. Just because you have a bad day or even week and you gain weight or you don't lose a pound that doesn't mean you should give up completely on your weight loss goals. If you are letting your scale control your life too much then you need to get the scale out of your home for awhile.

3. You freak out the day before you weigh in.

A lot of people who try to lose weight often have hesitations the day before or right before a weigh in. They want to know that their hard work has paid off and the lost a few more pounds. This is completely normal. On the other hand if you freak out every week about a weigh in or you make yourself sick over it, then this is an unhealthy relationship with the scale. If you put in the work and live the healthy lifestyle you should be, then the numbers on the scale will eventually reflect that. There will be good and bad weigh ins and you can't let those take over your entire life.

If you are addicted to your scale, it may not be helping your weight loss at all. In fact, it could really be hindering your progress and motivation to lose weight. If any of the above three instances sound like you when on your weight loss journey then you need to take a step back and stop letting that number on the scale control you so much. Put your scale away for a week or even two and just continue to follow your healthy diet and exercise and when you pull that scale back out you may just be surprised at how little you have missed the device and how much better you feel about your weight loss journey.