How important are the numbers?

Monster2

Monster2

New member
Your weight. 200, 150, 120, 300, 250............
Interesting isn't it? Numbers really play important part in how I see myself. I'm fat. 300lbs. fat.
This was the breaking point. Never wanted to be fat, let alone over 300 lbs.
So in a way, I guess it's a good thing that I'm motivated by numbers to lose weight, I keep track closely of the numbers on the scale, and every ten pounds is a new goal weight for me.
Does anyone else lose weight by the numbers? How do you think numbers have motivated you to lose weight?
.............
added:
Also, I'm a big fan of counting calories, and this is helping me a lot. Sometimes I think it hinders my nutrition because I buy more prepackaged foods with portions and calories printed on there so i will know what I'm eating. But I feel that in the long run calorie counting will help me.
 
Last edited:
It was all about the numbers for me. They were what kept me motivated through this whole thing. They are what measured my progress. Sure, being able to wear clothes I wasn't able to wear for years was a great deal of motivation as well, but what made me endure the whole procedure of working out like crazy, coupled with only little food week after week after week, it was the numbers.

That's why it's harder for me to stay motivated now that I've already lost so much weight and weight loss happens so much slower.
 
Last edited:
Yeah the numbers are very important to me too. Some people are happy to not weigh in and go by how their clothes feel, etc. I don't find that motivating. I'm 204 right now and I know that when I get into the "ones" I'll be so pleased. I like the realness of numbers. They don't lie!
 
Yes numbers are very important to measure I agree and feel happy when I reduce and see that but I think they haven't motivated me.
 
Going by the fit of clothes is all well and good - but I think that most of us know that if you buy clothes with an elastic waist they will keep on fitting you while you gain a lot of weight...

Numbers on the scales will stop you sticking your head in the sand and ignoring that fact...

Numbers on the scales can be your best friend - something that motivates you to lose weight and keep on going - hitting all sorts of milestones - where you would never normally put milestones... in my big project - I set all sorts of milestones - only ever a few pounds away and loved knocking them over one after another... if they are close together - the joy of seeing one milestone fall can send you down towards the next one... an excuse for a regular party...

Weight milestones that I used:
- half stone (7 pound) boundaries since I am English and weigh in stones and pounds
- 10 pound boundaries since most of my forum friends weighed in pounds only
- BMI boundaries 50, 45, 40, 35, 30 - then singles 29, 28, 27 etc
- weights where I could cut my water consumption in half litres - worked off 1 oz per 2 pounds

Naturally this was on top of the non scale victories which I celebrated...

People should beware though that the numbers on the scales can be an enemy too... I had a major binge on the Thursday after Christmas (after I had denied myself a lot of treats but had some) when my weight had gone up by a fair bit for quite a few days in a row... I ate really badly that day... I then didnt weigh myself for nearly a week and managed to stop the binge and when I next weighed myself I had gained less during those non-weighing days...

If we are emotional eaters - it is important to gauge how we will react to a gain and if it will be part of the problem and not part of the solution - we have to know when to make the decision not to weigh... The hard bit is working out when to start weighing again...

Weight is not the only number that we can use to drive us forward...

inches on a tape measure
steps on a pedometer
body fat meter - percents

all spring to mind
 
It's all numbers for me. Numbers on the scale, calories, and numbers on my measuring tape. I am somebody who is unable to see progress - if I look into the mirror, then I see the same as I did 6 months ago. If a pair of jeans fits better than before, it's because it's stretched, not because I've gone smaller. I simply don't work like that.

So numbers are all I have, really, with one exception. I don't give a youknowwhat about BMI, since it's outdated, inaccurate and possibly dangerous 'measurement'. My 'normal' weight according to BMI would put me into a weight range that would be absolutely impossible for me to achieve without losing a couple of limbs. So that's not something I pay attention to.

Other than that, it's smaller milestones, like 10 lbs down, then bigger landmarks, like reaching 350, 325, 300 and so on. Losing inches off my measurements is another.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top