Avoiding the scale - good or stupid?

Whenever I've tried to lose weight before, the first 10 pounds (out of 100) would come off so easily that I'd lose motivation and "treat" myself to a big juicy steak with all the fixins and a glass or two of wine. After all, if it's that easy to lose 10 lbs, what's the harm of a little treat now and then? The harm is that it would throw me completely off track and I'd have to finish that bottle of wine just to get it done with so it wouldn't tempt me anymore.

This time I thought I would measure my progress by clothing sizes rather than pounds. Dropping a clothing size may trigger my tendencies to "treat" myself, but at least the drops in clothing sizes will be fewer and further between. I'm 5' 9.5" tall and in size 24 womens. My goal is size 18 (I still own size 18 jeans) and then I'll shoot for size 16 and have to buy all new things. Wheeeee!

Then I got on this site and progress is all measured in pounds. I'd like guidance on this, please. Can anyone guess how many pounds it will take to be size 22, then size 20, etc.? Or should I just suck it up and step on the scale?

My best to you all,
Justme65

Maybe you can treat the number on the scale as uninteresting? Don't invest any mental significance in it-- just pretend it's some cryptic number that you have to report to someone.

You could take your measurements instead, and then I think there are charts on the web which match up measurements to clothing sizes?

I think weighing is important. It helps you to know you are making progress. Don't focus on what the number is as much as you focus on the fact that the number is going up or down. Also, I suggest trying to change the way you think of what a "treat" is. Don't treat yourself with food. You deserve treats but don't think of extra food or bad food as a treat. Find something else you enjoy, like a massage, facial, pedicure, etc., and use that as your reward or treat. One more things. The weight comes off faster at the beginning but becomes much slower the farther you get into your diet(or as I prefer to call it, lifestyle change).

I don't think there's any need to step on the scale. I know a lot of people use regular weigh ins as motivation, but if it has the opposite impact on you, I think trying your plan might be a good one. Remember, the scale is a tool you can use in measuring your progress towards getting healthier- no more, no less. It's actually a pretty bad measure in a lot of ways and people give it more significance than they should (myself included!). If clothes are a better indicator for you, go with that. I would definitely second taking your measurements- that's another great measure. I don't think that there's any set formula for lbs per size, as it all depends on how your body changes. I find I change sizes on top much quicker than on the bottom, which takes its time to catch up!

Losing weight is all about finding an approach that works for you- give your method a shot and see how it goes- if you feel the need to weigh in, maybe try once every 2 weeks or every month. Good luck!

I am a great believer in measurements, but instead of using clothing size (as they can vary greatly among manufacturers and even when they are made - I am a current day size 2/4 but a 8/10 in vintage clothing), use a measurement tape.

It would be impossible to correlate pounds with clothing sizes. Exercise is too much of a variable there. You can make significant changes to your body shape & size through exercise without affecting any change on the scale. I say go with measurements.

Measurements are WAY more important than the scale. Or BMI, for that matter. My signature tells my "weight" versus clothing sizes over the years.

Thanks to each and every one of you. You've given me a lot to think about and it will help me get my head on straight before being tempted to slip and slide back to my old habits. I'll keep focused, promise.

When I got home from work the first thing I did was go through some of my old clothes. (Yes, I've saved some favorite things.) They are now on display around my house. Ooooh, I can't wait to get into that lime green skirt (size 20) before the end of summer!

Wish me the best and I'll give a shout out at the very first temptation to cheat if even just a little.

Personally, I'm a scale addict. Every AM. It helps reassure me I'm doing well when I am and makes me aware of problems as they start to occur as I don't want to wait until I can no longer fit in my jeans.

Now that I hit my goal weight I decided I have identified my problem areas in my diet and have a deal with myself that I no longer have to log all my calories and exercise as long as I don't start gaining. Should I gain, I go back to logging.

Perhaps reassessing your rewards. I quit rewarding myself with food for hitting specific weights and instead reward myself with things that'll make me feel better about myself such as a new (smaller) pair of jeans, or some earrings or nail polish. Something that reenforces part of the reason I want to lose weight- to look and feel better- vs. something that could sabatoge it.

Oh- I do agree that measurements are a good way to go too. Sometimes it's not obvious that any weight has come off of my waist where in fact I've lost 4 1/2 inches since last October. It's unfortunate there isn't a measurement chart like they have the weight chart.

I certainly agree that scales will sometimes make you go nuts, if you do feel you need to weigh yourself, yeah do it either every week on Monday. 1st thing in the morning that will always give you the most acurate reading. Also yeah clothing sizes are all also a very good way of knowing how well your doing. 3 months ago I was wearing a size 52 jeans, I am now wearing a size 44!!!! I also went from a size 5xl shirt and now am wearing a 3xl shirt. I will only weigh myself once a week first thing in the morning I have a scale that not only weighs, but also gives Lean Mass% Body Mass%. So if you definately feel the need to weigh yourself do it just once a week, you'll stress a lot less.

My thanks again to all for your suggestions. I'll be taking body measurements and tracking that. (nops, I like your idea to have that on this site, too.)
An update on my personal situation, I talked to the nutritionist at my chiropractor office this morning. She likes the diet I've chosen and offered to keep track of my weight without telling me what it was. So, I got on the scale. Then she asked me what I thought I weighed and when I told her, she smiled the most mischevious smile ever. We talked some more and I let her tell me the actual number. It was EIGHT pounds less than I had guessed. Two more pounds and I'll hit one of the trigger points. The good thing is I have no temptation to go do something stupid. With all the help and support from you all, I'll "treat" myself with a movie and walk right past the popcorn stand with my head held high! I'm better than that and I deserve it. Thank you all!

Awesome!Good for you!