1.26.2007

#45 - Being weighed at the doctor's office

I've been in and out of the doctor's office for the past two years (still recovering from a bout of meningitis). Every time I go in they feel it's necessary to weigh me. I hate that. I already have the torment of weighing myself at home, but now I need to embarrass myself and get weighed in front of some stranger. I hate it when the nurse sets the scale to the 150 marker then slides the pounds up and up and up. Then they move the marker to the 200 pound setting, once again sliding the pounds up and up and up. Come one, who are they kidding? Do they really think I weigh 180 pounds or something? I guess they're just trying to spare my dignity, but really it's pure torture. Now when I go in for my weighings, I intervene and set the pound marker to my own weight. That way we both don't have to do the little pound guessing dance and get right to the point. I'm fat, I know it, I'll admit it. Anyway, I just hate getting weighed by other people. I guess it makes your weight more real, having to admit to another human being just how heavy you really are.

It's not only from the embarrassment that I hate getting weighed at the doctor's office, it's for their damn accurate scale! Apparently my scale is WWWAAAAYYYY off from accurate. I went to the doctor about a month ago and weighed 17 pounds heavier than my scale at home. Usually I weigh at home first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. By time I get to the doctor's office, I've had food and water and I'm wearing heavy jeans. I know, I know, excuses, excuses. But it's true, you probably would be a lot heavier on your scale at home too fully clothed after eating and drinking. But still, 17 pounds? I imagine my jeans weigh 3-5 pounds, food weighs a couple pounds, and water weighs a couple more pounds. But 17 pounds? I suppose this means my scale is really off. I told my little tale to the doctor. He laughed and said that it didn't matter as long as I was being consistent and weighing myself on the same scale. So I told him I was going to ignore his scale and stick with my slenderizing scale, thank you very much. I think in the end he was just happy because I had lost 6 pounds in a month. (On a side note, those 6 pounds have since been regained as a result of the holidays and adopting previous bad eating habits. I must get back on plan!) But more about scales, I think we're way too scale obsessed, aren't' we? I think I weigh myself pretty much everyday. I should probably be worrying more about inches rather than pounds. I think I like the weight loss plans were you weigh yourself weekly as opposed to daily. That way little weight fluctuations won't get you discouraged. I feel bad when I don't lose everyday. Isn't that stupid? What am I thinking, that I'm going to lose 365 pounds a year? Maybe I should switch to the weekly scale schedule to get over this obsession. It's hard though, with that scale staring at me in the bathroom. I'll just check my weight one more time. OK, one more time. Just once more. Damn. Maybe I should put my scale in the closet, only to see the light of day for my weekly weighing. Now that's a good idea.

10 comments:

Lesley said...

I agree -- that is the worst part of the doctor visit! I'm bad, though, and I refuse to get on the scale. Either I tell them my weight or I tell them to write that I refused. Anything to spare myself some embarrassment.

AFS said...

I don't mind the doctor's scale that much, actually I could care less. It's my scale at home that I'm petrified to get on. I also hate that there are differing views on the whole "how often should you weigh yoruself" thing. Some say to weigh yourself daily, that's how you keep your weight in check. Others say it is too discouraging to weigh yourself everyday and you should do it less often. So what exactly should we do? I hate weighing myself anytime, daily or weekly.

karaokekitty said...

lesley - I like your attitude on refusing the weigh-in. Maybe I'll try that next time.

afs - So true, I hate weighing myself no matter where I am: home, doctor's office, etc. Every time I get up on the scale I just take a deep breath and pray to the scale gods to be nice. Isn't that what we all do?

Anonymous said...

I was thinking about something the other day. When doctors say your weight should be certain number for a healthy BMI, they probably don't mean stark naked, after you've peed, but before you've had breakfast, do they? So if I make that my goal, I probably need to make it for several pounds less than what I weigh first thing in the morning. Do you suppose BMI includes shoes? Why don't they tell you these things? How unscientific of them not to tell you.

D

Lady Downsize! said...

I have to weight myself at the doctor's office because a home scale doesn't measure quite high enough. One time at the doctor's she had me stand on a typical home scale. When I did the digital display read "overloaded". What on earth was that scale designer thinking?

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog, and find it very inspiring. As I have a doc appointment in a few weeks, thought I'd chime in on this post.

When I get weighed at the doc's office I don't refuse to get on the scale, but I don't look and I ask the nurse not to tell me what I weigh. That way they can have the number in my records and everything, but I don't have to be depressed by it. I know I would like to lose and I know what size clothes fit, and that's good enough for me.

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog. I love it also. I used to avoid going to the MDs office because of the weigh in. Now however, I simply tell them I am not getting on that thing and I give them my weight. As a pt., we have a right to refuse this humilating procedure!

Anonymous said...

I am totally addicted to the scales when I'm trying to lose weight, but avoid them at all costs when I'm ignoring the fact that I have a weight issue lol. If I'm on plan, I find myself some days weighing myself every time I go to the bathroom, which truly is a little crazy lol. and by about week 3 or 4, when I generally start to plateau, I get depressed when I dont see daily movement, and inevitably that's when I start to give up, and end up back to my old habits again. I know the signs, but yet I still can't seem to help myself. As for my Dr, I dont think he has EVER weighed me, which is probably why I continue to go to him, even though he is about 103 yo and isn't that great anymore lol. I'm actually thinking I want to throw out my scales all together, or take them to a friends house, so at least that way I can't obsess unless I unleash my crazy on them :)

Unknown said...

I hate that. My BMI may be normal but just the way my doctor looks at me is enough to put me in an embarrassed state. I have a pretty low self-confidence so that doesn't help. My next visit is in about a week. HELLO CRASH DIET. It's not even about keeping pounds off, it's to avoid judgment.
I am a soccer payer. I have muscular legs. I am 5'6.5'' and i weigh 146.

Unknown said...

It is important to be weighed at the doctor, as they will prescribe medications and treatment that is appropriate for your size; however, if you weigh consistantly on your scale as I do, just report that weight and tell them you have been consistant with that scale and therefore want to use that weight.
I also weigh myself every day. I track the weight as well. I find that this helps me determine if there is a food or particular event that may trigger gain, such as pasta or my period. I find that I don't lose anything the week before, but as soon as it starts, I am garantees a good 1# gone. :) I just find that it helps me be in tune with my body and I don't worry about 1 to 2 pound fluctuations. Good luck!