To weigh or not to weigh...

I just read a post about scale addictions. After the birth of my first child, I was a big time scale junkie. I loved stepping on the scale SEVERAL times a day. First thing in the morning. After working out. Again before stepping in the shower (sans clothing). After a bowel movement. At night. I wouldn't say my mood was necessarily dependent on what the number read. But I just had to know. And I was fascinated by how many pounds I lost while sleeping, pooping, whatever. It was actually during this scale-obsessed period that I eventually weighed less than I remember ever weighing pre-children. My weight was the same weight I reported on my 16-year-old driver's license. Go me.

And then I got pregnant again. I put the scale away. I found out how much weight I'd gained along with my doctor each month. By the end, I'd gained around 40 pounds. The baby was born, and for some reason, I didn't take out the scale. When I've weighed myself since, it's been for a family "biggest loser" competition. And honestly, I've forgotten the weigh-in most weeks. So I haven't been the "biggest loser."

I don't think I want to go back to weighing myself every day (and definitely not multiple times a day). I'm not obsessed about my weight (although I know enough to know that I haven't lost those last 10 pounds...which does drive me a bit crazy). I KNOW that numbers on the scale don't really matter. It's more how you feel, how your clothes fit, blah blah blah.

Why is it, though, that when I was weighing myself more often, I was in the best shape of my life? Meaning: I was working out regularly, eating healthily, and weighing-in daily. Are regular weigh-ins the answer?

I definitely have an opinion on this. I don't want my kids to see me obsessing over the scale. I don't want my moods determined by the numbers. I don't want to "reward" myself for lower numbers with a treat. So maybe I really don't want to know. I've been living pretty happily without the scale (for the most part) for about a year and a half. I haven't weighed myself in over a month. But I would love to lose those last ten pounds (and by lose those last ten pounds I also mean those last inches around the waistline...again, I know the numbers on the scale don't tell the whole story).

I've heard of Mary Lou's weigh. It's a scale that doesn't actually tell you your starting weight. It secretly records it, then coaches you along, and reports the weight lost or gained (while also giving advice). Sounds interesting, right? But I know that I would already know my starting weight. So if the scale shouted out that I'd lost 5 pounds, I'd be mentally telling myself the real number anyway. Thoughts?

I'm leaving the rest to you, fit-a-licious readers. How do you feel about the scale? Does it determine your mood every morning, or is it collecting dust in your basement? Do you even own one? Should I start weighing myself regularly again to keep myself accountable? Or should I ban it for life? Please to tell us your thoughts....