[JennasMom]

I went to the doctor today and they weighed me and the scale there said 225. My scale says 215. I know that all scales are different, but a few days ago when I took my daughter to the doctor it said she weighed 28 lbs, and it says the same at home.

Why would it be 10 lbs off for me but not Jenna? My husband says maybe they get less accurate with more weight but it just seems weird.

[Inca's Momma]

Actually I kinda agree with your husband. My coworker and I have weighed ourselves at the gym on a doctor's scale then gone back to work and compared numbers. One is usually right on, but the other is usually 10-15 pounds off. I try to mark my progress by the "official" scale and not my home scale because I don't trust it.

[lessofsarahtolove]

Are you comparing apples for apples or apples for oranges? That is, maybe you're comparing naked at home first thing before any liquid or food to later in the day, fully clothed after breakfast and lunch and bottles of water.

Just a thought. It's hard, but I'd try not to concern yourself too much about it; just look for changes on the same scale, so you're seeing actual loss rather than basepoints. Then next time you have access to that scale, weigh yourself at home right beforehand under the same conditions and then you can more accurately compare the two scales. That's what I did and I found it beneficial. The key is just to keep on doing the right stuff, and at some point, you won't have such a concern because you'll know you're healthy and fit. Good luck!

[JennasMom]

Well I weighed in this morning undressed and it was 215. I went to my doctors appointment like 2 hours later... Dressed and with a diet Pepsi in me so I suppose that could be part of the difference.

I know I am losing even if my scale is off. I just like being 215. 225 is not a number I like to hear.

[lessofsarahtolove]

I hear you, sister!

[jkfla]

just my opinion here but if you are using your home scale most often to keep track of your losses then i'd go with what it says. when i was going to the WW meetings and had to stop i bought my own scale. there was a 2-3 pound difference but since i was going to be using my scale from then on i went with what it said and i keep track of what it says with each weigh in.

cute little toilet papering picture by the way. LOL

[SwimGirl]

I would go by the scale at home too. I know my scales at home are VERY wrong, infact, I have a skinny scale and a "fat" scale, heh, with a 15 pound difference between them. I just use them to measure how much I am losing, and sometimes to do silly things like one foot on each scale and see what kinda numbers I come up with.. I have no life... hehe.

[tolose85]

I'd stick to one scale. I weighed in at a Dr. office a few weeks ago when I was visiting a patient. I did have clothes on and it was late in the day. It showed at 17 lb difference! I FREAKED OUT! I went to my mother in laws and checked her scale, mine hers and my mom's scales all matched for me. Sometimes the Dr. scales aren't right either.

No matter what, your losing! I try not to freak myself out and stick to one scale!

[JennasMom]

Another question...

When I stand on my scale it says different things. If I lean forward it is higher and if I stand up straight it is lower. What one would I consider right? My husband thinks I should use the one that is the lowest, and I am thinking that I should use the one that is as high as I can make it.

Is that just my scale that does that? I wonder if i bought a new scale it would be more consistant... I just don't know.

[jkfla]

EEEK! i dont know if i'd be using the one that makes me look like i weigh more. LOL
when you weigh stand straight up, don't look around... don't even breathe. let out all the air you can. that's what i do. (yeah like my lungs being full of air is going to make a difference. LOL)
what kind of scale do you have? i have a tanita digital that weighs to the .2 those body fat scales are neat too but i'd be obsessing over that if i had one.

swimgirl- too funny about standing with 1 foot on each scale. what a mental picture! i have no life either but i never thought of doing that. i'm gonna have to get another scale now. j/k

[SwimGirl]

I have the 10 dollar wal-mart scale.. so you can see why my scales are SO completely off. Its fun sometimes though. hehe. I'm weird. I also like to weigh myself before I get dressed and after, and before I go pee and after, the numbers don't depress me, how could they? They are wrong! So it's like a sick little game. I need friends.

I am convinced doctors scales are wrong... I went in for a check up and weighed myself, and then went back 4 months later, after working out everyday, and dieting, and it said I was the SAME. Thats just impossible! And I told my doctor how I had been working out and really watching what I was eating and how I was *sure* I had lost weight.. and she was all mean..

How much are digital scales? I'm thinking it might be time to retire my walmart scales..

[Goddess Jessica]

Scales are scales. They are not absolute divine weight measurements. The Association of Mad Dieters doesn't come around and calibrate the scales in doctors offices or gym to be the correct.

At the gym and doctor's office, if you're using the standard doctor's office scale, make sure it's balanced before you step onto it. Most nurse's will do this for you but the one at my gym is always off. If it's off at your gym, move that little screw on the side until it's balanced.

Jennasmom - I'm not sure if you're dancing or what on your scale. If you scale is *that* tempramental, you might need a larger one. Jkfla is right, stand straight up - quit moving.

The most accurate scale (I know of) is going to be at a big shipping place. That scale is the size of a small platform and they're meant to weight cargo. They are calibrated all the time to ensure correct postage. Yeah, I'm not weighing myself in front of any strangers either.

Any weight watchers employees know if they have professionally calibrated scales?

My advice. Use a tape measure.

[JennasMom]

I think I am going to go buy a new scale this next weekend. I don't trust mine.

I use a tape measure monthly and I don't trust that either, lol. I am never 100% sure I am measuring in the same place everytime.

I know I am losing weight and inches. I just want everything accurate.

[jkfla]

swimgirl---i think i paid roughly 30-35 bucks for mine online. i *think* i got it at the tanita website but it was almost a year ago so i dont remember for sure. its probably one of the best things i've ever bought (my digital camera is #1 LOL) sorry you have a mean doctor. i do too so i kinda know how it feels.

Goddess Jessica--- i never thought of the scales in doctors offices being wrong. LOL and i also never thought of making sure they are balanced before stepping on. i'm going to have to remember that next time i go in. every time i've ever been in there the thingy is always down instead of in the middle like it would be when you stood on it.

JennasMom--- that's why i quit doing measurements. i know i wasn't doing it in the right place. someone suggested getting help measuring though. i was thinking about buying one of those big fat sharpie permanent markers and making a mark where i measured and when it starts to wear off re-mark it. but i'd probably look silly with black marks all over me. LOL

[SwimGirl]

I don't even trust my clothes! heh, I am normally a very trusting person too. I *think* my pants fit big, and yes I've had to go down a size, but I've only lost 11 pounds.. and 11 pounds isn't a size! My boyfriend says he can notice a weight loss, maybe I'll just stick to the "look - test"? lol, no way jose! I'd miss my scale games.. think I can turn it into an Olympic event??