Withings Scale

Parent Cafe
1

So, we saw a video made by Penn Gillette, who recently lost a huge amount of weight, touting the benefits of this product. The scale uses wifi to connect to an app that tracks weight, body fat, body and water content. In addition you can set it up so that your stats are shared with others who have the app. Our family has decided that we all want to lose weight, but in the past our efforts to support one another fell by the wayside…too easy to skip a day when the numbers might be bad, or just too busy to send a text, etc. Withings is now the family tattletale as we have all committed to weighing each morning. While it was so hard to share the info–that number on the scale was just too ugly–I’m hopeful that the progress upcoming, and sadly the shame factor if it doesn’t–will spur all of us along the weight loss journey towards improved health.

Anyone else have experience with this product?

2

I don’t, however I lost 50 pounds in a very (very!) public way. On national TV, during a 1 year period of time (no, not The Biggest Loser). I can say, without hesitation that “staying honest” with yourself as well as others is a huge motivator. I can also say, that I had some weeks where the scale moved in the opposite direction or not at all, even though I was doing all the things I was “supposed” to be doing, so I had to look for other forms of “success” IE: my clothes were fitting better; I had more energy; I slept better, etc. During that year I worked with a nutritionist as well as a physical fitness guru.

I learned so very much about myself during this time, and that was key. I had to learn WHY I was overweight, WHAT were my triggers to not taking care of myself, HOW I was sabotaging my own health and progress in this area. I also had to learn that having a “set time limit” to losing the weight simply does not work, it is not a motivator, in fact it’s quite the opposite. I did not add the 50 pounds over 3 or 4 months, how on earth I could expect to shed it in that time frame was absurd. This was NOT a “fast” lose 50 pounds, get out, program. It was a very (very!) long year. I began the process in September of 2003, and made my goal on August 25, 2004.

I have since discovered that my “goal” weight is NOT the weight I can maintain healthfully. I am 14 pounds heavier now but am easily able to maintain this weight with sensible eating and regular exercise.

For the record I’m 58, and walk 3 to 5 miles a day, every single day (outside or at worst, on my treadmill), do a 20 minute interval training session 2 to 3 times a week (at home), and I yin yoga 2 to 3 times a week (at home, usually after the interval training) - at the very least. I wear a $12 pedometer everywhere (tried the Fitbit and sold it, piece of crud that it was).

I’m disappointed to say that the 14 other men and women I went on this journey with have not maintained their losses (some had far more to lose than I did). I took the program very seriously, and when I was told this would be a “lifestyle change” I committed to the new lifestyle. I actually think that’s the key to a lifetime weight loss program, you really must be committed, forever, not “just” until you make your “goal”.

@shellz I wish you and your family all the very best as you navigate this together.

3

Thanks for your honesty! I am a serial dieter…and I’m sick of it. Like you said, it’s got to be a lifestyle change, and not a quick fix approach. We are all pretty committed to that thought.
The sharing thing is what attracted me to this device. I am infamous for deflecting and hiding my feelings on this subject. I grew up totally feeling bad about what was really just baby fat. Had my mom not made such an issue over it, I do think I would not have become so dysfunctional in this arena. I made sure to not make a big deal about the normal transitioning bodies my kids wore at different stages of their lives. That said, I think they learned to love food from me, as I love to cook and feed people. I didn’t really do such a great job, I guess, of modeling healthy choices. Time for that to change.

4

It’s taken me four-and-a-half years to lose 60 pounds–I am making a push to lose ten more right now. It has required changing my life, not “going on a diet.” I have changed how and when I eat, what I cook, how much-how often-I “exercise” (move, walk, run, swim, cycle, play with my dogs). I have lost friends whom I discovered were saboteurs (“let’s go get ice cream, you deserve it!”). I have gained friends. I have discovered that some of my overweight friends are overweight because they are alcoholics and that some of my friends are near-anorexics who have truly bizarre eating patterns (“once a day, between 6 and 6:30”).

In the end, the only accountability in any of this has been to myself. My family and friends are great to have around, but I am ultimately the one making the decision as to whether I want to eat that or not.

5

@dmd77 interesting how some of us like the accountability to others thing…I suppose it would be better if one’s intrinsic motivation/desire to lose weight was enough. But for me, it’s not, for some reason. Maybe once I am further along in the journey it will be enough. Should be an interesting process.

6

@shellz - one other thing that took me forever to figure out was the exercise part. The key is finding movement daily that works for you. What you enjoy, where you enjoy doing it. I drive 5 miles to an island with ocean water and boats surrounding it, no cars to avoid, lots of dogs to see (I love them!), kids playing, families engaging. THIS I can do every day! The island is 3.25 miles around and I do at minimum once around, often more as I will revel in the sunset or the full moon (yep, it’s safe and I’ll walk at night too). It’s only 2 miles from my office so the “commute” is “only” 4 of the 7 days. People laugh at me for “commuting” to walk, but it works for me!

I found I can commit to a 20 minute interval workout. In fact recently I was feeling sluggish and wanted to stop, looked at the clock and saw I only had 7 minutes left, and really gave my self a “really??!!” talking to - I easily finished the workout.

Yin yoga - my second love (next to my D, and my walk)! Not gymnastics, not fast and sweaty, slow, meditative and restorative. My friends think I need to start a program for 50+ men & women. I feel amazing after 60 minutes and my body is responding kindly!

Find what works for you. Dancing? Swimming? Biking? Walking? A mix of them?

7

Different people’s minds work in different ways. I pay good money to Weight Watchers as a meetings member mostly for the accountability. Knowing that I’m paying and knowing that I’m going to be standing on a scale every Wednesday makes the difference for me. My husband finds this inexplicable. His mind works in different ways.

8

I love the sound of your beach walk! Sadly, we are inland…but I do think there are some trails nearby that might be pretty. My walking buddy of many years went back to work, so I easily talk myself out of walking. Must fix this!

9

I always say the best diet or eating lifestyle or whatever you want to call it is the one that works for YOU, be it Weight Watchers or this high tech scale or whatever. By all means try something new that seems like a good choice because it might turn out to be YOUR golden ticket, regardless of whether it did or did not help someone else. If your family does try the scale, @shellz, best of luck with it.

Side comment on Weight Watchers: My D has been a member of Weight Watchers on and off for years, and I have to say I think their “accountabilty” factor is weak. Yes, you weigh in once a week, but unless you care to share it publicly, only the staffer who weighs you knows the result, and when those at the meeting express their disappointment at having gained or remained the same weight in the past week, they are met with a chorus of “Oh, that’s okay–you’re doing great, hang in there” from the others (which may be motivating to some, but too much like absolution for others). And then the meeting inevitably ends with a push to buy WW’s overpriced and artificial ingredient-ridden snacks. WW’s business model depends on most members NOT achieving their goals, so they just keep coming back week after week and getting charged month after month.

As for Penn Gillette, let’s see how he looks in a few years after his contract with this company has run out. My bet is that unless he lost the weight for urgent health reasons and must keep it off, he’ll have gained it all back.

10

Other devices and apps like Fitbit or Runkeeper or MyFitness Pal allow you to work together as a team and “see” and track everyone’s progress. I know lots of people who have friends and/or family "competitions as Fitbit friends. :slight_smile:

11

I need to get a routine for exercise going, too. One of my favorite things is driving an hour away to a gorgeous hiking area. I’ve been going there once every couple of weeks for a few hours. In between I ride an exercise bike and hike nearby on the way home from work. The eating part is hard when the other family members can eat whatever they want, as much as they want, and not gain weight. (my H fits this description and it’s slightly annoying.)

12

A few comments here:

  1. I went to Weight Watchers for a while. I lost weight on their diet. I referred to it as “Monday morning shaming” – and yes, you could call that “accountability”, but I wouldn’t. It was a nice group of people obsessively discussing dieting for some time on mondays. The diet itself isn’t bad, but the commercial processed garbage they sell is horrible. Their nutrition advice is geared toward people who struggle to walk a mile a day. It was not about creating a health-oriented life.

  2. When I say that in the end, I’m only accountable to myself, what I mean is that I am the only one who controls what goes into my mouth. I make the choice to eat that cookie or not. No one is forcing me to make good choices. Or bad ones. I could post my weight on Facebook every single morning, and I might get encouragement when my weight was down and sympathy when it was up, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s my choice to eat what I eat and my choice to eat when I eat.

  3. When you decide to change your life to be healthier, it’s easiest, IMHO, to start with one habit at a time. Pick something easy. I started in 2004 with walking the dog a mile every day. Over the next 12 years, I’ve changed my nutrition, my exercise, seen a physical therapist to fix my post-surgery knee problems, and lowered my fasting blood sugar to a healthy level.

  4. it takes time. It’s easy to lose weight. It’s much harder to keep it off.

13

shellz, I have thought about purchasing a Withings scale. I have a very old scale that tracks and approximates weight and body fat fluctuations. I am sure it is not 100% accurate, but I have found it very useful in both losing weight and maintaining a 100+ pound weight loss (for over 2 years now). Mine is on its last legs and I like the “feedback” - particularly as I have exercised more and build up more muscle mass over the years.

There is no shame in committing to a healthier lifestyle, regardless of where you are starting from. I am sure I weigh at the top end of a “healthy” weight range, per the charts you see everywhere - but I am also sure that a fair amount of my weight is muscle mass and not fat. Weight is just a number - please don’t obsess over reaching a “magic” number!

Let us know how you like the scale - I for one am very interested!

14

And I’m too late to edit, but most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your successes! I’m a big fan of support and accountability -for me, it was through the Diet/Exercise/Health/Wellness thread here- but for every five pounds one of us lost and reported, we’d have a 5 pound party, complete with virtual gifts of funny light up accessories. Perhaps your family might enjoy something similar.

15

@psychmomma My hubby used to be able to eat whatever he wanted too. Now he can’t, but he only needs to lose a fraction of what I do, -and he has a high metabolism. Menopause is so not being kind to me right now! Not fair!

I did WW a few times, with eh results. I did like the support, but after awhile the hassle of driving to a meeting when I had a perfectly good scale at home–which didn’t cost 13.99 a month to use–seemed silly. The only product I ever bought was the food scale. Love it and still use it decades later!

@dmd77 I like your method of changing one thing at a time. For me, now, it’s no snacking (and no wine…a glass of red a night is just too many calories). Trying to make healthier meals as well. Regular exercise will be next…

@sabaray So far I like the scale. Hate the numbers. But that will change over the long haul. One quirky thing it does is to give the local weather forecast for the day. I guess for those who have more than two pairs of stretchy yoga pants that currently fit, this would help in the decision department. lol

Thanks everyone, for your comments, even if no one actually has the scale. The suggestions have been noted…and I am going to implement a few.

16

So it’s been almost 4 weeks, and I am really liking this scale. Down 10 lbs, with a pretty major re-tooling of our eating habits. We all agreed to get on the scale every day, regardless of how the day prior went…this was really hard. My old habits of “hiding” from the scale showed up on a couple of occasions, but I fought the urge and stepped on the scale anyway. The graph generated by the withings app was enlightening and I can now better appreciate that one’s daily weight loss/gain does not always correlate with what was eaten yesterday. As long as the overall trend is downward, then all is well! I give the app a 8 out of 10 for functionality though. It’s not exactly intuitive, and getting data out of it takes a little getting used to. I do like the accountability to my support group. It’s been freeing to just put it all out there and work as a team to reach our individual goals.

17

Thanks for reporting back, shellz - both on the scale and the support group! Glad to hear everyone is on board with the “major re-tooling” - that’s half the battle right there.

18

We made it through Thanksgiving, and all of us stepped on the scale. No fudging! (Ooooh…fudge

Down 16 lbs in 5 weeks and the graph of my weight loss is what kept me sane during a week-long plateau. Never had that insight before and it’s been encouraging. I am really liking the accountability, and in our family group texts we’ve been cheering each other on. Kinda neat.

@sabaray If you are still toying with getting one, I highly recommend this product.

19

@shellz, I’m intrigued. It appears there is more than one model and the prices really vary. Which one did you get and how did you decide on that particular one?

And congratulations on the weight loss! And nice to hear you and your family are in it together and being supportive!

20

@collage1 Thanks! Feels good to be making progress.

We got the least expensive model, The Withings Body. About 100 bucks if I remember correctly. It measures weight, body fat/bmi and Percentage of weight that is water. It also gives a very simple weather report…low and hi temps for the day. The app has a heart rate monitor feature, which is handy on my walks.