Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 44: Does Moving the Scale Help Lose Weight?
I could have moved the scale to China, but I still would have weighed 238.
Though I have occasionally engaged in the not-so-fine art of scale moving during my serious diet before Thanksgiving, it was my post-Turkey Day weigh-in (the Friday after) that sent me into a veritable scale-moving frenzy. All to no avail of course.
First, for those of you unfamiliar with the scale-moving weight loss technique, let me explain. Scale-moving starts when you weigh yourself with your scale in its usual place and you are desperately unhappy with the results. The Friday after Thanksgiving was a prime example. I hated the fact that I had gained two pounds last week. I didn't think I deserved such bad news. I thought it was patently unfair and definitely untrue. It's that final thought that the number on the scale could not possibly be right that drove me to perpetual motion scale-moving last Friday.
My first move was to shift the position of the scale on my bathroom 45 degrees. No change. Damn my sleek black Thinner scale. I moved it 90 degrees and got on again. Still no change. I moved it three feet to the other side of the bathroom (my bathroom isn't that big). It still registered 238.
I then resorted to more radical scale-moving measures. I moved my former pal Thinner to the next room, which had a wood floor instead of tile. The damn digital readout still gave me the same bad news. 238.
My final move was moving it to our other bathroom 35 feet away. Its long journey changed nothing. I had to accept temporary defeat that day. I could have moved the scale to China, but still would have weighed 238.
All that was left to do was eat in moderation all week in anticipation of my weigh-in this morning. Well, actually there was one more thing to do. Leave Thinner right where he's always been. So that's what I've done. Here we go.
The Stationary Scale Weigh-In
234. Down four pounds from post-Thanksgiving Friday. And I didn't have to move Thinner an inch. Scale-moving is so last week. Long live the stationary scale (non)movement!
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5 Comments:
Cyber high five! Nice job, Ed. I think there might be an 'Oopsy' in your post pertaining to last week's weight. It's referred to as 248 several times. If Thinner said you weighed 248 pounds last week, you should promptly throw him out the window. :)
holdthemayo at 9:24AM on 12/05/08
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!! I have tried that scale technique once or twice, it does work every now and then.... Between a great meal at Mercat and some of the recipes queued up, like the Brown Sugar Ginger Crisps from the post on old Gourmet cookie recipes, I have not had the courage to get on the scale....getting on the scale takes courage!!!!!!!!!!! For me, I will go out for my run and then I may have the courage.... Congrats on more progress....
Jbout at 9:28AM on 12/05/08
lol, I have a slanted wood floor in one part of my bedroom.. sometimes I lean on something and wistfully look at the lighter weight and think "If only"
Congrats :)
PS Yeah, the 248 threw me, I was like "but last week you were 238... how the heck did you gain 10 in a week... oh you pulled an Yvo (that's me)..." lol
feistyfoodie at 12:50PM on 12/05/08
Haha--yes, I've done this--but at first I thought the post was going to be about moving the scale into your kitchen, near the refrigerator, as a way of curbing the appetite!
HeartofGlass at 10:08AM on 12/07/08
Hi Ed, bending your knees a little bit will make you lost a couple pounds instantly! That or hold onto the towel rack or sink in the bathroom.
ag3208 at 12:19PM on 12/07/08