I don't diet. I just don't eat as much as I'd like to. (Linda Evangelista)

It's time for a Friday Favorite, and I've decided to talk about my scale. It's not my favorite as in something that I really like a lot. I don't like it at all. It's only counts as a favorite because I use it all the time, probably more than I use anything else in the house.

I have become totally obsessed with checking my weight. I know that you're not supposed to. Weight Watchers encourages you to have your weekly weigh-in at the meetings. Most diets and weight-management plans will say the same thing. You're told that obsessively weighing yourself (obsessively is usually defined as more than once a week) can actually prevent you from reaching your goal. By becoming so focused on the number, which can vary from day to day, you aren't able to accept the larger (ouch) picture. Factors such as water retention, hormones, glycogen storage, and even how long it's been since you've eaten can cause your weight to go up or down a couple of pounds. So it makes sense to weigh in just once a week, at the same time of day.

However, I am the same obsessive person I've always been. I have a tendency to go overboard with whatever I happen to be involved in. Which would explain why I step on the scale several times a day. I check my weight first thing in every morning, to see what I really weigh. Just before I go to bed, I'll check my weight again to see how well I did that day. Usually there's about a three pound difference between the morning and the night; anything more and I know I have to do better the next day.

If I could stop with just using the scale two times a day, it wouldn't be too bad. But I find myself getting on the scale throughout the day as well. It's not that I really think that I'll see a difference in my weight after my walk, but I have to check anyway. I know that eating an extra spoonful of mashed potatoes won't really make a difference (as long as it really is just one extra spoonful), but I'll weigh in just to be sure.

The funny thing is that I really don't care about the numbers. I've been going down steadily since September, and there is a notable difference in how I look and feel. Because of that, I'm confident that I'm going to make my goal.

I think that for me, getting on the scale is just a reminder to be aware of how I'm doing. I need to know that I'm focused on staying healthy, and that I can bring myself back on track at any point of the day/week. The scale is just a number, but I have the power to control it.