A Merry Life

Healthy Living & Budgeting Blog | Health, Wealth & Everything Else

Halfway Mark Awesome Check-In and Giveaway!!

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Ah me oh my, things are going well up in here after a few bad days physically and mentally.  It seemed like just after a day of inner turmoil passed I hit a physical roadblock of some sort. But thankfully I made it through the hump and have completed my 6th week, aka the halfway mark.  Check out the video for an awesome halfway mark update of my progress.

Weight: 231
Previous Weight: 233.5
Weight loss at GMFR: – 10 lbs
Weight loss total: – 20.8 lbs

YAY for good updates!!  Hehe. I’m off to bingo tonight to hopefully win cool things (or just have fun) so in the spirit of winning cool things, here is a little story and scale giveaway::

So.. right now as you may know I’m at a weight loss spa/health spa/fitness retreat kind of place.  Basically, women come here because they want to lose weight.  However, the awesome thing about this place is that they don’t focus on weight.  At all.  In fact, if they had their way entirely scales wouldn’t exist.  Weight wouldn’t ever be a number you knew.

A while ago someone sent me a scale to try out and now I feel like I have contraband in my room. I wanted to use it once and then get rid of it, so it will be donated to a worthy cause.  While I am at Green Mountain at Fox Run I want to abide by their rules and philosophy, so I won’t keep it around even though I don’t think scales are useless (read the reasons why I used to weigh in daily).  Right now, my decision is not to scale.  So mine goes out and I continue onward with bi-weekly check-ins.  :)

The people at EatSmart (who have cool kitchen scales for weighing food) want to give one reader of A Merry Life one of their new bathroom scales!  Here’s a little info about the scale and giveaway.

UPDATE:  CONTEST HAS NOW ENDED.  WINNER ANNOUNCED TOMORROW!

And even if you don’t want to enter, leave me a comment anyway.  I’ve got another 6 weeks to push hard and make some major progress so I could use any encouragement!

Have a great Friday!  :)

Comments

  2. Hi there Mary, Just wanted to say thanks for putting yourself out there. I came across your blog just a few days ago and it has been a real encouragement. I am married with 3 rowdy boys. I just recently moved to CA and have also gone back to school. Somewhere in the midst of all of my recent change I decided to work on my health too. I’m taking things day by day because the big picture is just too much right now. Anyways, I appreciate your honesty…it helps to see people endure and keep going. Keep up your good work, I will keep up with mine. -Autumn

  3. Since i have swore off my scale for a while, I’m measuring progress by clothes and various running bests. But this post has got me all obsessed with the scale again! Ack!

    In case you hadn’t noticed, I also linked here and tweeted about it. But I already follow you in my reader. That’s nothing new.

    Have a great weekend!

    ~krissie

  5. lol because tapping it first takes up so long of your life. ive never found weighing myself to take more than well, less than a minute. its funny how they always try to make things that are faster, even when faster isnt really needed… no i dont want the scale tho. i weigh myself too much at the gym as it is! :)

  6. Good video. By the way, they are showing up for me again. I win. :)

    I love your glasses.

    I measure progress mostly by how my clothes fit, which really works well for me, since I have to wear the same uniform several days a week. I also go by the mirror, by thinking about what I have eaten and what kind of activities I have done recently, and how good I feel.

    I am getting back into checking the scale, because it has recently become a bit of a necessity for me to stop just trying to be healthy, and start losing weight. I weigh too much, and it has been very hard on my body lately.

  8. Yahoo! You go, girl! I am proud of you.

    I want to win! I measure my progress through the scale…I’m going to check out your why you weighed yourself daily thing. I’ve lost 70 pounds through frequent weighing (though I only “count” it once a week). Hope I win…thanks!

  9. Mary, I measure my progress using a variety of techniques. I weigh, I measure, and I measure body fat. Of course, the loop I use on my belt is also an indicator.

    By the way, I am subscribed to your blog through bloglines. I have tweeted about it this evening, and I am going to mention it in my post tonight. Here’s hoping for a new scale! :-)

  10. Yay video!!!! :)

    You’re doing awesome, Mary. Seriously. You are going to kill the next 6 weeks. And by that, I mean you are going to grow and learn more about yourself and help people and help yourself :) And those are some great goals! Especially the running one! We can run! Although, I hate running :D But it’ll be fun :)

    Piggyback rides FTW! :D

  11. I will never again be without a scale, and yes I’m somewhat obsessive about it. Do you know how easy it is to gain 5 pounds and not notice? I’ve even been able to gain 10 but by then I would have to admit that my clothes were a little tight. My scale keeps me honest, keeps me on track. It was damn hard to lose almost 100 pounds and I won’t be gaining it back.

  12. I’ve always measured progress by using body fat %, but that’s definitely more of a guy thing. Have you tried circuit training yet? I think it’s some of the best workout out you can do – It combines the heart rate of aerobic exercise and burns calories after the fact like weight lifting. I find it’s great for when I don’t have lots of time and want to get in a killer workout. I’ve got some posted on my fitness site. Good luck in the next half!

  13. Mary, I just use the scale. Using a a body fat measurement at this point is still pretty much useless. I will also know if I am losing when I can get back in my 38 Jeans. I had to go out an purchase 3-4 pair of Size 42 just to get me by until I can get down. BTW: I still have a bunch of 34’s in my closet in the hopes of someday being able to put them on too.

  14. I measure progress with the scale but also with how my clothes fit, how defined my arms and legs look in the mirror, how far I can run. how long I can sit in squat or stay in plank position. I think the number on the scale is only one small way to authenticate that everything I do is leading me towards a healthier life.

  15. Congrats Merry!!!! Good stuff! Keep it up!

    Me, I am a scale person & weigh myself every day in the morn. This is perfect timing cause my scale is “dying”. ON NO!

    But I use many ways to “check in” on myself. I use the scale but I also use clothes as a HUGE indicator since how they fit tells me what is going on & where.. meaning are they tighter in the hips, legs, middle or everywhere. Since I lift weights a lot, scale weight is deceiving for me. I also have been pushing a bit heavier weights for the legs but since I get big faster than most women, the clothes help me make sure my legs are not getting bigger than I want them too.

    I also use how well I am doing in the gym too…. am I staying the course or getting weaker. If weaker, I know I may have pushed to hard & need to pull back. I strive to do better each time in the gym so those are measures for me too.. better in all ways like cardio, weights & flexibility.

    I think we all measure ourselves differently & like all else, find what works for you & motivates you without making you feel bad. I have bad scale days but good clothes days or vice versa…. or great workout days but bad scale days… it all evens out & they all help me keep tract of what I want to do for me.

    You can do it Mary!!

    PS: I will link to this post on my Monday post.

  16. Wow, great giveaway, wish I lived in the US! I measure my progress by how I feel. If I feel myself getting sluggish or uncomfortable with myself or how I think that I look, then I reassess what I’m eating/how I’m exercising.

    That would be awesome if you started running! You should definitely do it. I like your idea to re-evaluate your goals, too; sometimes we don’t know exactly whats best until we’re halfway along.

  17. I don’t own a scale so I measure my weight and strength with endurance. At the beginning of the summer all I could do was walk several miles each day without running. Now I’m jogging without being so out of breath which tells me that my body is slowly getting healthier. I wear around the same size but my jeans are definitely looser and I tried on pants that were two size smaller and I fit into those so I think I’ve definitely lost a bit of weight – not a lot – but it’s an improvement.

  20. After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes I knew I had to lose weight. So far I have lost 30 pounds, and I like to keep track of my weight loss by using a scale. I also love to see how loose my clothes are getting. Exercise is important! Good luck to you and thanks for the give away!

  23. First congrats for your success so far, second thanks for putting yourself out there for others to follow and get inspiration and for letting others know they are not alone.
    I weigh myself once a week, I was weighing in almost daily and driving myself nuts. I also measure my success by my clothes, when my jeans got too big I knew I had lost enough to go down a size. Imagine my surprise when I went shopping and found out I had actually dropped 2 sizes……oh what a happy dance.
    I know where you are coming from with the scale too, I always have to zero mine out before I can use it, it is crazy annoying
    iheartsweeping@aol.com

  25. I measure my progress by my clothes. If they feel looser then I know I’m losing weight. I would love to have the scales though to see how much I weigh.

  29. Hi! Congrats on your loss so far! I generally track my progress via my scale, but just today noticed that I could button a jacket that I haven’t been able to in ages, so I also do use my how well my clothes fit as a measurement. I’ve lost almost 100 lbs to date, but have quite a bit to go. Good luck!!!

  30. I use the scale to measure my progress once a week, but my current scale is very inaccurate.

    Best of luck!

  33. I use clothes and my scale, on their own – they don’t work. Together, they are a formidable force!

  34. I weigh in daily except for after the weekend when I wait until Monday to weigh in. I always gain approximately 2# over the weekend. By Monday I usually have 1# left and by Tuesday or Wednesday I’m back to my pre-weekend weight. I gauge myself by the scale. And by the way, I’ve never owned a digital scale so this prize is very attractive. Especially if you can lose 20# in 20 minutes.

  36. I measure my success not only by the scale, tape measure and fit of clothing, but also by my endurance, strength and compliments at the gym. (Others are noticing.)

  38. I track my progress mostly by how my clothes fit because my scale is not very accurate. I can step on/weigh/step off 3 times and get 3 different readings. I would love to have a new scale that I could depend on. Thanks!

  40. Hi Mary,
    First, I want to congratulate you on you loss so far. I too am trying to loss weight, I weigh the same as you. So far, I’ve lost 14 lbs. in 3 months. Not the greatest progress, but it’s something nevertheless. I use a scale to calculate how well I’m doing. Keep up the great work. I really apprecite your keeping us updated on your progress.

  47. I don’t think weight is the only consideration – I look for the time it takes me to run 5 miles. I also measure by how my clothes fit. Most important is how I feel.

  48. I measure sucess with how good I feel. If I am putting in too much excercise or too little, it makes me feel off balance.

  50. The first place I can tell is my clothes. There is nothing more exciting to put on a previously tight outfit and have it fit better.

  51. Basically always by the weight I’d lost in one week, because that’s how my doctor does it.

  53. I’m definitely not a scale person, but, hey, it’d be great to have one around. I think the best way to measure is by how strong your feeling or how much better you feel after a great workout and healthy eating, particularly if you stick with it. I love feeling strong! Clothes are the next best way. Or seeing friends who haven’t seen you in a while. :)

    Keep up the good work!

  55. I always measure my progress by trying on my bathing suit every two weeks and have my hubby take a pic. of me. I can see the difference even if it doesn’t show up on the scale. Works great and keeps me inspried.

  56. I just go by my clothes. I do weigh myself maybe once every two weeks. I am wanting to lose 50 pounds and then try to maintain it if possible. It has been very hard and I lost 10 and now I am back up 3 pounds..

  58. I measure my weight loss by how my clothes fit. The scale would help boost my morale, but I am gaining muscle which weighs more.

  59. I am a scale nut. Every single morning I jump on but I always fluxuate the same 10 pounds. One day up, next down so the only real way to tell is by my clothes

  60. You go girl…..I want to lose wight too, I lost 40 lbs after my second baby turned 1 year old and am ready to lose the rest now! I would love that scale!

  61. Thank you for the giveaway and congratulations on your weight loss so far, wishing you the best of luck!!

    Well, I had a scale but, it was cheap and didn’t last long so I measure myself now by my clothing and how they fit. Weight loss is so hard to achieve, I’ve been yo-yo ing for so long now and I really long to lose my weight and become healthier.

  62. My primary physician suggested that I monitor my weight during the use of a new medicine. 1 from a thrift store & a cheapy from WalMart both got tossed out for lies : I don’t really believe I gain 5lbs in a day…?

  63. Congratulations on your great progress. Keep up the good work.

    I struggle every day in my battle to lose weight. My best ally is internal insurance that good health comes with every lost pound. It’s easiest for me when I write down everything I eat.

  64. I use the scale-I used to do once a week but I moved it to once every two weeks to give me a bigger number and to give me time to mentally prepare. I also use a tight outfit as a guide. When it becomes the right size I chose something else as my ‘guide’.

  66. Great job!

    I like to use clothes, especially jeans to measure my progress. It’s very encouraging and scary, LOL.

  70. i weigh myself each week & use measuring tape to measure my arms, chest, waist, hips, and thighs — sometimes the scale doesn’t move but the tape does!

    autumn398 @ yahoo.com

  73. i’ve been using the clothes method because i only have an old analog scale, so i’m not very confident in it. this would really help

  75. I use the scale and how my clothes fit. I have also use body fat and measurements to see results.

  76. Aside from losing weight I also monitor my stamina and my general well being. After getting used to exercising, now my body feels bad if I don’t exercise. Usually I just swim around 800 meters 4times a week.

  77. Only check your weight once a day, and always at the same time, like in the morning. Then you really know your progress.

  78. Congratulations! I’m glad you had a nice gain and are getting back to a better state of mind :)

    I always use the scale…having the clothes fit looser is a good indicator as well, but I need a number to confirm it :)

  80. I currently use the “look in the mirror and guess” method of knowing my weight. I think it’s about time to win this and STOP fooling myself.

  81. I most certainly go by jeans. There are the prebaby jeans, post baby jeans and maternity jeans. The goal is the pre baby jeans, the disaster would be maternity!

  82. I definitely use clothes to measure my progress, but I also use a scale and just my general energy level. When I am losing weight and getting healthy, but energy level rises substantially and that always feels great!

  83. Congratulations on your motivation to get healthy! I have been really depressed about my weight but can’t seem to get motivated. I think the main reason why is that I am laid off and broke so no money to buy healthy food regularly. I need to lose 30 lbs. I am going to try harder today.

    The easiest way I can tell I am losing is by my clothes and the scales. I’m rooting for ya, you can do it! :)

  90. I don’t own scales, so I don’t weigh myself very often. When I lost 60 pounds recently, I mostly judged my progress on my clothes sizes.

  91. i determine my wieght gain or loss on the way my clothes fit and the way i look in the mirror (not always a happy moment).

  92. You should be very proud of yourself, keep up the great work. I pretty much tell my weight by how my clothes fit. I do not own a scale and am kinda afraid to get on one and learn the cold hard truth about my weight. If I was to win, I guess it would be time for my reality check though. You are a inspiration to us all:)

  93. I used to weigh daily but that frustrated me. It’s hard to deal with delayed gratification when you’re working so hard towards something. Now I only do it once a week and sometimes I actually forget to weigh-in. I take basic measurements monthly but mostly depend on how my clothes fit. I feel that as long as my nutrition is on track then I’ll be ok.

  95. I have a pair of jeans I have been trying to get back into since after college and before my baby. They are the cutest most awesome jeans and every couple of pounds I lose I try to get em on, the closer i get to zippin them up the more I have progressed.

  96. It’s the scale for me. We are currently doing a weight loss challenge at work and I’ve discovered that the best thing to help me lose weight is to have my friends trying to lose weight alongside me.

  98. Thanks for the chance to win, I measure myself by clothes but I think I should get a scale to know that i’m making slow progress, because by the point i would show myc lothes are getting loose i’ve lost motivation.

  102. I do weigh myself once a week. But mainly I go by clothing size. When I needed a belt, it was a good sign. When my pants fell off, it was great but annoying! This weekend my husband took my to get new bras and clothes and I was a size 12 pant (down from 20) AND my bra size was 36B!!! Ack, I used to be 42C sometimes D!!! I have NEVER been a B!!! It felt odd, I got a little defensive because B sounds so tiny! But it doesn’t look so tiny on me, so I’m cool with it. :)

  103. I’d love a new scale as mine does not seem too accurate. I do weigh daily, but having my clothes fit properly is probably a better indicator.

  108. Oh wow, Man if I got a scale….some people in my life would be very happy with me…:-) I typicaslly weigh in once a week. In addition to that I am looking at total health so I pay attention to how I feel and my thoughts. I also notice differences in clothing fit and I notice how much more I can do these days. I.e running 5K and training for a 10K…etc.

    You are looking great! COngrats on your WL!

  112. I’ve been using the way my clothes fit as a guage, but I’d really like to weigh in. However, I don’t own a scale, so would love to win one! Thanks for the chance :) Your story is inspiring!

    Jamie
    jamiejaws@gmail.com

  120. I mostly use clothes + how I feel, but at the gym I use the scale, would love to have that option at home as a reminder to check in with myself every day!

  121. I use the scale almost on a daily basis…but the fit of my clothes is usually the best indicator.

  126. I use the way my clothes fit as a barameter of how I am doing weightwise.

    madamerkf at aol dot com

  128. I weigh myself once a week. I also measure progress by the way I feel. If I feel worn down, it’s mostly because I ate junk the day before or that day.

  129. just stumbled on your blog..i’m totally intrigued by the green mountain spa/retreat..
    it’s something i’ve always wanted..but i’m assuming there is a hefty price tag that is not in my budget =(..
    i’m glad you’re finding such success there..looking fwd to your next video post..
    as for different ways to measure my weight loss success, it’s how i’ve been eating i know when i eat healthily i feel better how i my clothes fit..it always shows in my thighs =X..thanks for the chance to win!

  130. I keep track of what I’m eating, and feel I’m making progress if I can stick to the plan! P.S. You’re doing a great job. Congrats!

  132. I have to go the clothes route to monitor weight loss because more than once I have blown a diet out of literal “scale rage”.

  133. I use my clothes as an indicator. When my jeans get to tight to button I know I have to start getting better. i.e. excercise and eat right

  139. I use a scale and tape measurer to keep track of my progress….Comliments from others also help = )

  142. Rather than focusing on how-much-more-weight I need to loose, I choose to be positive and look at my efforts by how-much-I have already lost. For each pound lost I put a dollar bill into an enveloped marked, “My Reward.” In this way, when I get to my ideal weight, I can go out and buy an outfit I would otherwise not be able to afford {without having saved up for it over a period of time.}

  144. I use my clothes to measure my progress, but I think I’m going to look into the resort it sounds fun and I could use a jumpstart.

  145. I go by all the above. :D What the scale says, whether or not my clothes fit, my endurance level and flexibility too. Right now, I’m not doing so good….

  148. I use my clothes to tell me if I’m making progress–I love to see when my jeans are lose! Unfortunately, I’m currently 26 weeks pregnant so NO loose clothes here!

  149. I use a scale but my digital scale seems off about 8 lbs in my favor, I thinks it about to break. I need a new one

  150. Some hate “the SCALE”… some love it. For me, it is the easiest way to monitor ME. I am not able to exercise much and mostly in bed due to chronic illness the past year. It is amazing what STRANGE things can happen to your body when you cant use it. Weighing myself every few days helps me monitor at least some portion of my health that I have control over.
    THanks for the chance to win this. My scale has to be set on 4 or 5 lbs. to match the doc office. It gets bumped all around by my kids. Would be nice to just have my own that actually WORKS!!! Good luck with your conquests!!!!

  151. I measure my progress by my jeans I wore 6 years ago.If I can fit in them then I know I am where I want to be(has not happened yet though).Thanks!

  152. I definitelty measure progress by the scale.
    If I don’t weigh I forget to watch what I eat.

  154. I like to use the scale to keep an eye on my weight. Over the past couple of years I have lost 54 pounds and feel the need to weigh myself every day to keep it in check. We have two old scales and they both say something different from the scale at the Dr so I would love to win this one.

  159. Hubby and I haven’t had a scale in the house for over five years. I would like to be able to check my weight once in a while. I agree that it can be a horrible thing to weigh constantly. It can really hurt your resolve. On the other hand, when I did try a daily exercise routine, I wished that I could check my weight once in a while, just to see if it was working at all. I like to use clothes as a gauge — if the pants that were a little snug are feeling more comfortable, I know I’ve lost weight.

  169. I just started walking again. I turned 50 and haven’t had scales in years. BUT I weighed myself at my dad’s and about gave myself a heart attack. I think having them around to just check in would be wise for me. I gauge how I am doing by how I feel physically.

  171. I use the fit of my clothes to let me know how I am doing. The tighter they are the more I watch what I eat. Thanks! Good Luck you can do it.

  172. A scale would be great to keep track of my weight while I try to reach my goal of losing 35 lbs. =)

  174. Congratulations on your continued progress! I use clothes and my general sense of well-being to monitor my weight.

  175. I use a scale, clothes, and the sometimes ‘brutal’ – yet ‘loving’ – honesty of my kids!

    Thanks for the great giveaway offering!

    Please, include me in your drawing!

    Good luck to all!

  179. I can’t go by clothes. I had gastric bypass surgery and lost over 300 pounds. I guess in a way, I can go by my sagging skin?? LOL

  181. I hadn’t weighed myself for a couple weeks, but I could just tell I had put on a couple pounds by the way my clothes fit and just by the way I felt. I do like to use a scale, though. It gives me motivation.

  185. I use the scale and what others say. I work in an office full of petite women and if I lose 5 lbs, they notice it! Thanks!

    sherri419 at gmail dot com

  188. I know some say don’t focus on the scale. But, I like the scale. To me, its the fastest way to see progress.

    l

  189. I weigh myself every day and also go by how my clothes feel. I can tell when my pants get tighter usually.

  193. I usually rely on how my clothes are fitting — I have some shirts and jeans that are a little more form fitting, so I notice immediately when I’ve filled out a little. I also gauge how in shape I’m staying by how out of breath I get when jogging — if I can make it a couple miles without a struggle, I know I’m doing okay. Congrats on all your progress so far, and thanks for the giveaway!

  197. i keep track of my weight by knowing i gained more when i get out of breath walking up the steps or just when im sitting.i also measure by my jeans,if they fit looser or baggier!
    my scale is broke!
    thanks,shannon f
    shannpf1977@yahoo.com

  202. I weigh myself weekly but my scale is outdated so it gives different weights at first and then after a couple of tries, it gives me the actual number.

  207. I use the hill near my house. If I can walk up it without getting winded or my legs burning, I’m doing pretty good.

  208. I messure by progress by weighing in the morning naked.
    If I weigh at night ~I gain 3-5 a day in just fuilds.
    If I take my fuild meds & go to bed……….
    in the morning I weigh less & feel better.
    I knew I got to big when just walking to the mailbox made my face beet red & I was out of breath!

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am about the same size as you give or take a few pounds & love me some Bingo too!

  209. I subscribed & look forward to following your blog!
    You sound so much like myself & facing the same struggle!

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  6. […] One EatSmart Digital Bathroom Scale will be sent to the winner of the contest. Contest lasts from Oct 16 – Oct 22 at midnight. Shipping is free to anywhere in the U.S. (Sorry for the rest of you!)   Check out A Merry Life to enter. […]

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