1 Scale, 2 Scale, whacha gonna do scale? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Beach Patrol · 04-08-2007, 10:35 PM

I like weighing myself at the SAME time of day, completely nekkid

... you know! - So I can really gauge my progress (or not). I like to weigh in the morning, before shower & breakfast - to get what I believe is my true weight.

My doctor's scale is different than my scale. I've always heard that the scales at the doctor's office are completely reliable & home scales are not. But these days, everything is so digital & blahblahblah... and when I weigh at the doc's office, it's usually after I've had breakfast & lunch plus at least one snack, & I'm fully clothed.

YEAH..... I admit... my scale makes me happier than the doc scale (usually about 4-6 pounds lighter!

) But I kinda think I should go by MY scale anyway, since I use it way more often than the doc scale.

Good Friday, I was at the doc's office & the scale read 168. But my scale at home read 162.

Perplexing? Not so much... I mean, I understand it IN THEORY...

... but I STILL wanna go by MY scale!

Just makes me wonder... Am I being too easy on myself?

What to do, what to do....

Heather · 04-08-2007, 10:41 PM

My scale is always lower than the docs for the reasons you mention and I always use my scale as my weight. It's actually pretty consistently 7 pounds lower than the doctors.

I don't think it matters so much, as long as what you record is done using the same scale at the same time, etc.

ennay · 04-08-2007, 10:53 PM

I always use my home scale...have you ever weighed your clothes? I lost all faith in dr scales when dd was born. They are only accurate if they CALIBRATE them.

use what you have most access to

FreeSpirit · 04-08-2007, 11:05 PM

As long as you have your starting weight as your scales weight, and not your doctor's... you won't be lying about how much weight you've lsot.

Janie Canuck · 04-09-2007, 10:18 AM

They say to allow for 5 pounds of clothing and food/drink consumed when weighing at the doctor's office. So if you do that, they're actually pretty close. I say go with your own scale - you use it more often, so it's a more useful tool in tracking your progress. And really, the actual number is less important than the movement up/down. After all, if you reach the point where you look and feel good, it doesn't really matter if the number is 130 or 140, right?

Rock Chalk Chick · 04-09-2007, 11:26 AM

If you were to come straight home from the doctor's and weigh on your scale (or weigh, fully clothed, just before you go to the doctor's), you'd probably be within a pound of that weight. Ever weighed yourself during the day on your own scale? It's probably very similar.

Clothes, water, food in your system, etc, all add weight. Weighing first thing in the morning is probably the most reliable way to keep track of things, since it's going to be the least variable (though even that depends on water retention, etc). I weigh myself every morning under the same conditions (I find it's easier to see general trends over a month or so instead of weekly weigh-ins), and I tend to get a very similar weight from day to day unless I've overdone the salt or I'm bloating due to my period. Obviously when I get dressed and head to the doctors, I expect a few extra pounds from clothes and such. Use your scale to measure progress and don't worry much about a few pounds' difference.

GatorgalstuckinGA · 04-09-2007, 11:27 AM

who cares as long as it isn't off by a long shot. And yes, dr scales are usually more accurate...but first...has the scale been calibrated, the ones the dr's use need to be calabrated frequently (since sometimes they get knocked off whack) and second...do you weigh nakid, just after waking up and peeing at the dr's...nope. So don't worry what that scale says....use the scale you've been using....good luck!

ellabella · 04-09-2007, 11:39 AM

I have actually solved the problem of home scale vs. doctor's office scale by not getting weighed at the doctor's office. Of course, I am indubitably older than most of you, and have perfected that regal " NO, thank you" when the nurse says it's time to weigh in.

So far, they haven't insisted.

Something that interests me about your posts, tho, is that everyone seems pretty much in agreement that the best time to weigh (at home) is right after you get up & pee, and before you putcher clothes on. I weigh once a week - nekkid - but not until I've been up and around for a couple of hours. I weigh in every Saturday morning at @ 11. I've found that when I first get up, for some reason, I'm always a few pounds heavier than I am once I've been up for awhile. Am I the only one who's noticed this? (Not that it matters...if you weigh consistently at the same time, you're obviously still going to get a true reading of weight lost. I'm just curious.

Have a great day, all,

Ella

Beach Patrol · 04-09-2007, 11:49 AM

Ya know, it's really FUNNY in a way... if you weigh yourself & you're, say, 154 lbs, and then you take off all your clothes including undies, etc. & weigh again, you'll be at least 3-4 lbs lighter (maybe more! depending on what the heck yer wear'n!!! LOL!!!) - but if you put all those clothes ON the scale by themselves... they don't weigh "that much".

Weird.

Anyway, I've decided that you all are right - I'm sticking with my home scale. It's close enough, IMHO, and if I get mad at it, easier to throw out the window.