Dieters have a dysfunctional marriage with the bathroom scale. Case in point: Carrie Fisher. You might know her better as Debbie Reynold's daughter, Princess Leia or Jenny Craig's new spokeswoman.
In one breath, the actress-turned-diet-advocate is telling Oprah viewers, "I'm terrified of scales." In the next breath, she's telling blog readers, "What I've ultimately decided is that by knowing my weight I have the power and/or awareness to actually do something about it."
The well-intentioned dieter's new attitude echoes the prevailing wisdom: Commit to weighing yourself regularly, and you'll be glad you did, and lighter, too! This isn't Fisher's wishful thinking; it's a solid scientific conclusion. According to the National Weight Control Registry, a research database of 5,000 individuals who've maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for one year, the overwhelming majority have committed to weighing in at least weekly.
But knowing that successful waist watchers have made a commitment to their scale doesn't mean you have to settle for a love-hate relationship with yours. If the object of your disaffection truly makes you miserable, remember: You are not legally bound to this inanimate object.
Seriously, if, in your dieting life, you've approached the scale like an on-again, off-again romance, now is the time to look before you leap on or off again. Instead of reflexively renewing your vows or divorcing your scale once and for all, ask yourself, "Has weighing in done more to help or hinder my healthiest intentions?"
If you're convinced that regularly stepping on the scale eventually pushes you off the "diet" wagon, you would likely do better with a more neutral measure (a tape measure, clothing size, fat caliper).
If your jury's still out on weighing in, give yourself permission to weigh the evidence. First, consider whether regular weigh-ins have hindered past slimming efforts. If the scales proved a hindrance, think about when that was, where you were in your life, how you approached it. On the days you gained a pound or two, did you allow yourself even an ounce of self-compassion?
Then, following the same line of questioning, consider whether the scale has proven helpful. Remember as many specifics as you can: Did you weigh in publicly or privately? Was your attitude more objective or reactive? The embodiment of loving-kindness or tough love?
My weight-management clients who consider the scale more friend than foe approach it with a mix of objectivity and self-compassion -- objectivity for assessing weight trends, self-compassion for addressing emotional reactions to less-than-favorable trends.
Before you reach your verdict, you may find you need more evidence. If that's your case, practice taking a kinder stance on the bathroom scale. Whether you gain or lose, deepen your breathing and meditate on loving-kindness. Silently wish yourself safety, health, happiness and ease. Then objectively review what you have eaten since the last weigh-in, making connections when you can between your nutritional intake and the digital read-out.
Over time, notice whether a kinder, more objective viewpoint improves your relationship with the scale. Collect as much evidence as you need in order to close the case.
Jean Fain is a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist specializing in eating issues, and the author of "The Self-Compassion Diet." For more information, see www.JeanFain.com. To weigh in on weighing in, please post your comments below.
I feel for you, and for all dieters who feel sad or bad about regaining the weight they lose when they're sick. Here's another perspective that might help you feel better about those 7 lbs. When illness suppresses your appetite, your body will cannibalize itself -- burn fat, muscle, even bone, to survive. This survival mechanism is a really good thing, but no cause for celebration. What is worth celebrating, however, is the return of your appetite for nourishing foods and physical activity. Why's that? Because your best shot for finding your healthy sustainable weight is in health, not sickness.