Who weighs themselves in public? We went to the Zoo over the weekend and I’ve seen these scales a trillion times but never seen anyone actually weigh themselves. Isn’t it an odd place for scales? Almost as odd as the ones in the shopping centre. For me weighing in is something I try to hide from myself, let alone the rest of the world. Perhaps it’s just me. Is it?
My theory is that the elephants have a Weight Watchers meeting every Tuesday at 5pm and the Zookeepers have left the scales there as a courtesy for them to use. Or something like that.
Ever weighed yourself in public? Why?
I saw those scales before New Years and thought gosh scales for who? The Giraffes.
I gave up weighing myself daily when I moved house and my ensuite floor was uneven and the digital scales did not work. I have since lost 6 kilos. I don't berate myself daily for a kilo up or down.
That does seem a little silly. The grocery stores around here have the scales hidden so it isn't like too many people are going to be looking over your shoulder, but even so, weighing in public is just odd!
xo Heather
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Love your theory, they are pretty cute scales but I wouldn't be seen dead using them.
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Um… no. The elephants invited me to the meeting but I declined. 🙂
I go to the zoo with the Girl Guides at least once every couple of years and the kids love getting on those scales. You have to pay though, don't you? I always think it's fabulous that the teenage girls I am hangin' with – of all shapes and sizes – just jump on for kicks. They don't seem half as hung up on weight as we all say they do. It's an interesting observation and maybe says more about how comfortable those girls are with letting it all hang out with their Guiding mates. After all, they've just slept in the zoo, on the ground, sans amenities with them for 24 hours.
I weighed myself in public at the National History Museum in NYC; I only weighed 8 lbs (of course, that was adjusted to tell me what I'd weigh on the moon). Still, I'll take a good weigh-in wherever I can get one!
I have weighed myself on the shopping centre scales. I used to do it when I was a poor student and couldn't afford to buy good accurate scales but I used the ones that print out your weight on a receipt they don't flash it up for everyone to see. I've since bought decent scales but I would never use those old fashioned Ones like in your picture. I have seen kids use them though.
I saw a teenage boy weighing himself at the local shopping centre on the weekend, it was one that measures your height + weight = bmi or something.. he looked disappointed and that made me sad. I don't get it I used to beg my mum to let me weigh myself on one of the old style scales that was out the front of the chemist when I was little they looked so cool and it was only 2c!!
I don't own nor want to own scales at home, but i did step on the large dog scale at the vets the other week when I was picking up the cat! Does that count?
xxpt
I never have and never will weigh myself in public, I don't even weight myself at home! They are very pretty scales though and I am pretty sure my boys jumped on them when we were last at the zoo : )
Perhaps they're decorative?!
Years ago when I didn't want to know what I weighed, but wanted to monitor my weight (loss) when I was dieting, I would travel into work (into the city) early and go into a shopping complex that had those electronic scales. I'd put my money in, close my eyes and wait for the little verdict (slip of paper) to print… then I'd stick it in an envelope (without looking) and post it to my mum who'd ring when she got it a day or two later to tell me how I'd gone that week.
BUT… sometimes I'd have to skulk around the shopping centre for a bit to make sure that NO ONE was anywhere near me, or could even see what I was doing!
We used to love weighing ourselves on scales at the train station and other places when we were kids. I didn't know these machines were still around, they are very Victorian and beautiful.
Hate to say aloud that I enjoy weighing myself at the moment – sorry! I've JUST got to 71 kilos which is the top of the healthy weight range for my height and am absolutely over the moon. Go slow to get low is my motto… lost about 7 kilos last year and it took all year and that's FINE!
I don't even weigh myself at home!!!!!
Does anyone remember the Guess your weight game at Australia's Wonderland..where the kid would have to guess your weight, if he was far off you'd win a prize? Crowds would gather around…as a chubby kid it was my worst nightmare!!
i did weigh myself in public but that was when I was 13 and I weighed about 100 pounds. If I did that now, people would want to see if I could break the scale. haha
Quite hillarious really, “Oh, and what did you like best about the Zoo?” – “probably, no, definitely when I weighed myself”…
Haha!! The only time I weigh myself in “public” is at the doctors!~
funny – I weigh in every Friday with 3 other ladies in a public bathroom. It is our own Weight watchers.
Hahah Chantelle, I am giggling. Andrew and I had the exact same conversation about the glamorous but very public scales at the zoo.
My old chemist in the UK had scales that gave you a printed docket. As a student without scales, it was my only option. Once a year. To see how much I had managed to stack on in beer and curry…
xx
Yeah, maybe it was something people used to do long ago, when home scales were uncommon, but today it seems like a novelty. When I was a kid we would go to a family restaurant and there was one in the waiting area…it seemed kind of cruel, like weigh yourself before you eat our greasy food and then afterward. Oh look, too bad you gained five pounds!
I generally do not weigh myself. I am fairly sure that I weigh more than I would really like to, as many people do, so I just do not see the point. I measure my size, and achievement, by how I feel and how my clothes fit, not the number on a scale.
No .. I know I gave a tough time to my friends who were ever asking me to weigh myself before them. Being a little thinner than all of them makes it all the worse. As a kid many times. Mostly I do it at my Uncle's shop 🙂
Warmest regards,
Ruby
Ha, in China (where I lived for a year) I got weighed on the street. There were a few women in the city near where I lived who had scales a bit like the ones at the Dr's, set up out the front of a shopping centre. You would pay a few yuan and they would weigh you. And they would laugh at the western woman who was getting weighed, and they generally wouldn't charge me. I lost a lot of weight that year and didn't mind being the centre of attention on the street whilst being weighed! I was so much bigger than the average Chinese woman, and with blonde hair and blue eyes I always attracted attention!
Hahaha I have a photo of a friend and me on that. We are both tiny people (her more than me) so it was hilarious seeing the scales go over 100kgs – the mister was also standing on it without us realising until after we saw the photo.
I have seen people weighing themselves at the supermarket many times, right by the front door. I'm often tempted but always chicken out. Especially when there is lots of people around, I don't get it.
PS. Just found your blog and I'm completely in love!
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I only weigh myself (very reluctantly) at the doctor's office. How weird to have scales all over in a zoo? Very interesting….
xo
cortnie
I weighed myself on the shopping centre ones when I was 41+2 weeks pregnant, just to get the little print out to stick in my journal!! I would never, ever, under normal circumstances! I can't imagine anything more mortifying!!
I often do that weighing myself on the shopping centre ones. Yeah that's embarrassing but I like to get those printouts to keep a track of my weight and BMI. The analog weight machine in my home always displays the wrong weight or maybe I expect a lot from it to show me the less weight. LOL
Does anyone remember those 5c ones at the shops when you were little?! I haven't seen those in years!!
But no, I'd NEVER weigh myself in public… that's just crazy stuff!
Wow. That's pretty funny! I think the last time I weighed myself in public was during junior high health class. 😉
LOL. No I'm with you on that one.private affair indeed.
YES. I have thought this so often. They have them every where. And honestly, I don't know anyone that would just head off to the bathroom whilst shopping and think, hey, haven't weighed myself in a while, lets hop on that scale in the middle of public. I just don't understand it.
XO Samantha
Yep. Only recently did my parents allow weight scales into the house. Growing up, there were NO scales in the house so the only way I knew how much I weighed was at the doctor's or weighing myself in public.
I'm living in Asia. When I visit the Dr, there is a set of scales in the waiting room and you are expected to hop on, then announce your weight to the receptionist. Hearing some others say 48kg, 45kg, I said no thanks, and they now giggle and give me a scrap of paper to write it on, whilst the rest of the waiting room stares at my gorgeous caucasian curves! not!