The Decision – Scale & First Race
Posted: February 4, 2011 at 7:23 amI have reached my decision on the scale. At this time, I feel using the scale is worth it to my goals. I think it will provide additional motivation, accountability, information, and ease of mind for me personally. Before I do so, I want to clear up a few things that go along with this decision:
1. FFF will still not be a “weight loss blog”. I will not share weekly weigh-in stats or anything of that nature. I have no problem with blogs that do so, but FFF was not built on that. It did not become what it is today with that style and I don’t feel comfortable shifting it there now. The use of the scale is for my personal use and tracking. I will share thoughts and emotions I may encounter along my journey, but in a very general way.
2. I will weigh once a week. Absolutely nothing more. It is plenty to track progress and it helps maintain consistency if done the same day, at the same time, under similar conditions. I will do so Saturday mornings.
3. I am still not going to know my weight. I don’t think I would, but this will help ensure I don’t get caught up in a number and comparing that number to previous weights. For this reason, I decided to have Peter weigh me in each week. I will not look. He will not tell me. The only thing I will know is the shift in weight each week (up 1/2 pound, down 1 pound, etc) to track progress. Kind of like my own version of this scale…
4. It will not be the sole factor in how I track my success. The fit of my clothes, regular progress pictures, achieving new things in workouts, etc will still be more important to me.
5. If I find myself facing a negative relationship with the scale or getting frustrated/obsessive with weighing, I will stop. No question about that.
So, that’s that. I appreciate all your faith in my ability to continue being true to myself, despite this change. I felt it was best for me and could have just gone with it…but I wanted to keep things open and honest on FFF. The real deal is what I stand for. And, as my tagline states, life will still be more than diet and workouts. 😉
Although now I must talk about workouts. How can I not? I have found the perfect race for my first 5K!
I branched out my search a bit and found the Run the River 5K. Look at how perfect!!
- on April 16, just under 2 weeks after finishing the C25K program (great timing)
- its local (within 30 mins driving distance)
- the course description = FLAT, fast (ha, not me!), and easy (yes, please!)
- along a river, so beautiful scenery according to my friend who has raced it
- an out and back loop, which I was informed is a very good thing so you don’t have to walk back to parking (I can see how that matters!)
- my blog buddy Lee said she can do it too!!
Now I just need to decide if I should register now to commit to it…or wait to be sure nothing happens with training since I literally JUST started. Decisions, decisions!
Question of the Morning– Do you like signing up for things early or wait?
Tags: 5K race, body after baby, couch to 5k, post-pregnancy fitness, scale
I think you should sign up for the 5K now. That way you will be committed and and you can use it as motivation for your C25K program. Since there is still 2 weeks between the completion of your C25K program and the race, there is some wiggle room for any training issues.
Sounds like a great race!
Good thinking on there still being wiggle room. I will keep that in mind.
I think this is such a positive way to use the scale, instead of the number and the scale becoming a negative obsession. I think that the feeling of how your clothes fit will be the biggest motivator!
I like to sign up early for races… I feel that keeps me accountable so I don’t slack off!
I dont own a scale! I never liked them and just never kept one, only time I get weighed is when I go to the doctor ; ) I like how you feel about the scale too ; )
I say go for it! I think you will be happy you did and you still have time to train! If you do sign up for it, Im saying Congrats early ; ) xoxo
Happy Weekend!
I love your goals and the scale guidelines you set for yourself. I think a scale is fine, as long as it doesn’t control our life. And it sounds like you have a very healthy attitude about it 🙂
I like the decision you made – I especially like how you’re not going to know WHAT you weight. I know for me that would trigger some unhealthy behaviors. I’m glad you made the decision that fits you best! Your’e a rockstar!
I’m so excited for all these decisions! The scale can wait, but the race, thats a good way to motivate yourseld. SIgn up early! You got my support all the way woman!
LC
I think your going about the scale issue in a very balanced way!
Cheers to that 🙂
I’m an early bird for EVERYTHING!
You just never know 😉
I love running 5K races 🙂 I say sign up now!!
Great idea about having Peter read the scale for you. I have never thought of that option!!!
Sign up for it! Even if something happens with your training and you can’t run it all, you could run/walk it. Being signed up gives you motivation and excitement!
Good point on run/walk. For my first race Ijust want to do it and have fun. And finish. LOL
I always wait, but I should just sign up early since I always end up doing the races anyways!
And flat races = good races. 🙂
I love the idea of still not knowing the number! That is awesome tina! You have to do what is best for you!
I love that your husband is so supportive – it’s always nice when the hubby is on board 🙂
I just signed up for my first race a few weeks ago – it’s a 15K at the end of February, the first time I’m doing something for Gasparilla other than drinking, lol! I actually ran about 9 miles a few weeks ago with my running buddy, so it’s nice to know I can do it. Good luck with your race! sounds fun
Ok…wow that your first race is a 15K! Thats awesome!
I like ti sign up for things early-that keeps me committed to my goal!
I think you should sign up for the race now. Then you’ll have a set date to work up to running in.
I also think that your scale plan is great. Having someone weigh you in instead of doing it yourself will probably take a lot of stress off the number.
Good for you! It sounds like we are similar! I weigh myself once a week too because I don’t want to obsess over it as I lose weight.
Good for you an signing up!! I generally like to sign up way in advance because the fees are usually cheaper but because I am not sure where I will be in the Spring/Summer (I am a law student and I should be at a law firm working- markets are tough so I am not quite sure if and where that will happen), I am holding off for a bit. It’s hard because I really want to sign up! LOL
I like what you’ve decided with the scale Tina.. way to go in finding something that works for you!
I like signing up for races early because then I get the cheaper price hehe!
I am kind of known for waiting until the last minute to sign up for races. It’s kinda my trademark… 😉 I always recommend signing up early , to fully commit and to also get the cheaper entry fee!
I already have paid for 2 races this season…one in April and one in June. Very odd for me, but the prices were too low to NOT sign up early!
i signed up for my sprint tri on a complete whim – no training started, no real steady workouts even. i just knew it would motivate me to train. (its august 7). then i signed up for a 5k at the end of march – 2 weeks after i complete the c25k!!! its really keeping me motivated and accountable at the gym!
I like signing up for things earlier rather than later. It gives me that extra push to keep working out:-).
i think having Peter look at the scale is a great idea!! good luck with your race 🙂
That sounds like a great race for you Tina! And yes, a loop course of some kind is great — no walking to your car or waiting for a shuttle to go to your car (the worst situation in my opinion!)
I like your attitude about the scale, and I like how Peter will tell you what you lost, etc instead of the number. It can be discouraging to see “I weigh this much” vs. “I LOST this much this week”. I look forward to hearing more about your progress!
I love the way you are going to use the scale! Very positive and healthy! 😀
I say go ahead and sign up for the race! It gives you the goal and gets you excited! 😀
The thought of the race does get me excited!
I always sign up early because it usually saves me a couple bucks! Plus, I love having something to look forward to!
Hmmm…this looks like a nice race, I may sign up for it myself!
Do it! 🙂
I love how you set paramaters for yourself on the scale usage – and it’s so nice that your husband supports how you’re going to use it. My husband helps me out too – with portion control – totally different scenario, but it really really helps to have him there helping me reach my goals! Yay for wonderful husbands!
I say sign up for the race now! I try to register for races early, just to keep myself on track with training. I’m much less likely to skip workouts if I know I’ve already committed to an event! (Right now I’m registered for events through April…and I am eying one for May and one for August already!)
I love your plan–smart, balanced, and hopefully will help you know you’re making progress without going crazy!
im so glad you are doing the scale thing .. i think your logic and how you are going about it is perfect!!!
That’s great news you found a race!! Im still looking for mine! Most of the ones in my area tho dont post up for a few more weeks or so. Then again, I need to internet search more. IMHO, if you just started the C25K i’d wait until past the halfway point before you go and register. You know, just in case. My reasoning for saying that is because last year I was doing the C25K, signed up for race just two weeks in and then I tore my meniscus in my knee causing me to quit and heal up. Not saying this is the case for you but it wouldnt hurt to wait just a few weeks. Im giving myself three weeks to find and register for my first 5k this year too. Now, if I already had my first race under my belt, no doubt about it, i’d be an early register gal. Im a little impatient and have this anxiety of being late to things so i am ALWAYS early with stuff. HA
Thats a very good point and kind of the thought process I have with waiting. Im anxious to register…but will it be smartest?
That sounds like an excellent plan! My fiance and I just had a discussion about buying a scale. I said I wanted it because I was curious how my weight would change during half-marathon training this time (Last time, I didn’t lose weight but I definitely lost inches). He agreed to it, but if he noticed me putting too much emphasis on it instead of the running he’s taking it away.
That sounds like a great first race! I usually try to commit as early as possible, because it keeps me on track and it usually is cheaper the earlier you sign on. I’d say go for it! Is there a walk that goes with it, too? Because if there is, and the running thing doesn’t pan out, you can always walk it (I’ve known of some people who have done that.)
Good luck and happy training! 😀
Yay. I’m excited to do the race too. It’ll be fun.
That sounds like a great first race! I say sign up now! I find that singing up early on really helps with motivation and excitement to get through your training plan. 🙂
What a great idea to have Peter look at the scale for you! I will keep that idea in mind! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us 🙂
I think that is a great decision. Plus I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you still aren’t going to know the number. I love that. It seems like so much freedom…that way you can’t get caught up in reaching a certain number. Instead you will go based on how you feel. So many people say I need to weigh “x” and until they see that number they ignore every other signal the body gives. This way you will be able to listen to your body to tell you when you feel like you are at a happy place. That may be higher or lower than said weight of “x” but it won’t matter because sometimes the body’s happy weight isn’t what we think it should be. By you not chasing a number makes this blog even more REAL and I love it.
That is EXACTLY why I don’t want to do the number games. You hit the nail on the head. 🙂
The funny thing is, you are actually in a situation in life where a scale is beneficial. It’s not like you are at your ideal weight and then you want to use one. You just had a baby and you are trying to get to your healthy weight. Sounds like you have a good plan set up!
Having someone else weigh you is a great idea! I think you came up with a great compromise:)
I’m so happy that you are using the scale in such a positive way. I’m a early bird when it comes to signing up for stuff.
So glad you found your first race. That’s fantastic. Really excited for you. I really wait to sign up typically b/c I don’t like to race….but then I sort of do or want to…
I love your idea of using Peter as your weekly difference scale. It’s funny, but sometimes a specific number can make us feel really crappy, in a way that even an upward fluctuation doesn’t.
I sign up for races at the last minute.
i like to wait.. depending..
i actually really like your idea of having peter know the weight and tell you. your outlook is great and you obviously know that the scale is not the only way you will determine your successful weight loss, but it is a good way of keeping track. once you get to where you feel great and lost the baby weight i don’t think you’ll need it anymore- its just maintenance from then on!
I think it’s a great idea of knowing the difference vs the actual weight. That sounds like a great race, especially the scenic part – I love scenic races! I usually sign up early but wait or sign up at the last minute for 5Ks.
I wish we had more scenic routes/races in Oklahoma. You need to do what is right for you and bravo for being real about it. 🙂 I tend to wait until a month before a race to sign up. I don’t know why I do that!
What a great way to weigh with Peter’s help. I wouldn’t mind having one of those fancy scales though.
And I say–sign up for it!
I think your scale perspective is wonderful. It’s good to remember that your weight isn’t the only defining factor in health. I had to stop weighing myself after I started running more because I was getting really confused by my weight increasing while my pants were getting looser. I knew I was gaining muscle/toning but seeing a higher number felt negative and I didn’t want that.
I think signing up for the race now is a good idea. It will give you something to be excited about while you train. And, if the training doesn’t go well, you can always walk a 5K and enjoy yourself. It seems like a win win 🙂
I like signing up early so that I hold myself accountable!
Your scale goals are so awesome! I can’t wait to hear how this method works for you. What a motivating lady you are!
I’d say put the race on your calendar and commit to it mentally, but wait to actually sign-up and pay the fee “just in case.” There are always potential injuries as others have mentioned, and there is always the chance that you’ll end up not liking running. I’ve tried the couch to 5K plan twice and always end up getting bored/frustrated after week five or week six (and the novelty of doing something new had worn off, too). I’m a total group exercise/workout DVD kind of gal. The first time I tried to C25K plan I did sign-up and pay for a 5K race. When race day came I still went and just did a run/walk combo, but was slightly irritated because I felt like I had “wasted” the money on the entry fee.
Thanks for this insight! That’s a really good idea to commit mentally but hold off on the paying until there is absolutely no doubt of any other issues.
I think that is a great weight loss plan with the scale!!!
And that race looks awesome!
I usually sign up for things later than I should…its not that I am not commited to it, its because I am a procrastinator. So if your heart is in it, then just do it and sign up!
You are so smart! I never would have have thought to ask my husband to weigh me so I’d never know the “number” just the up or down weight. That is an awesome idea!! You are going to do great, I am LOVING your approach to this! Wish I could run that 5k with you!
I think you should sign up now! I ran my first 5k in December and it was an amazing experience. You will love it 🙂
i like signing up early. that way i am COMMITTED and it’s even more motivation to keep working toward that goal. 🙂
i think your decision on the scale is a great one and you’re making it work for YOU.
Hahaha…thanks for giving me credit for the loop. I love signing up in advance! Almost to the point that I want to sign up for a 5k in July…but I think maybe I should wait and see how I’m feeling.
Wow, that is commitment! I haven’t done many 5ks because I feel they are hard. =/ But I think it’s a great, attainable, and exciting goal!