Scale variations: which weight to go with? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Kashi · 04-04-2006, 08:19 AM

I weigh myself every morning, but pretty much only really note my weekend weigh-ins. But, I had a busy weekend last week and didn't get to weigh in until this morning. I hopped on the scale, and it said 242.2lbs, which is the same as I weighed in last week, which was a bit discouraging since I'd done well last week.

But I decided to get on it again, and this time it said 240.2lbs. Stepped off, reset the scale, got back on: 240.2lbs. I tried again, got the same number.

So what is it?! Did I lose anything or not? This is a fairly new scale, bought in January when I started this journey. Why would it initially put me two pounds heavier than I actually am or, alternately, put me two pounds lighter? I'm pretty sure I'm stepping on it correctly.

Ciarra · 04-04-2006, 09:24 AM

Maybe it was a little cold? I don't really know, but since it weighed you once higher and 3 times lower I would go with the lower number.

Jennifer 3FC · 04-04-2006, 09:26 AM

That happens sometimes with digital scales. If you have springs under the platform (in the scale) stepping on one hard, or at an angle, can give an incorrect reading. The most accurate scale is an old fashioned doctor's scale with a slide that has been reverted to Zero prior to stepping on it. I'm not sure they even make those anymore!

If it were me, I'd go with the number you reached multiple times. So congratulations, you lost two pounds!

Less of Lena · 04-04-2006, 09:55 AM

Jennifer, yes, they do still make those! I have one! I have the DemeTech Health Scale. I ordered it online and paid about $160, including shipping. I had to assemble it when it arrived, but it took maybe 15 minutes and was VERY easy (basically just sitting the pieces on top of one another). The hardest part was lugging it upstairs.

It's VERY accurate (I compared it to my doctor's scale last month and they were within 1/2 pound of one another).

stacylambert · 04-04-2006, 12:24 PM

You know what I use and it's ALWAYS the same? A $6 analog scale from Wal-Mart. Everytime I'd get weighed at the gym it would be different bc people mess with the adjustment. I used to get weighed at my sister's who had a digital and it was always a little different. But that cheap one is always on. And it is almost exactly what the doctor scale says. Which, by the way, was 8 pounds LESS then the gym scale last time I tried it!

SwimGirl · 04-04-2006, 02:09 PM

I would definitely go with the multiple number, I find I get on the scale once, and always get off and get back on. I can never get a duplicate of the first number, so I figure the scale needs warming up? heh.. Congrats on your 2 pound loss!!

-Aimee

newfiedarling · 04-04-2006, 02:13 PM

I got a new digital scale after Christmas. I read the instructions that came with it (I'm anal about instructions) and it said to always ignore the first reading. So far it's been true to the instructions. I get on the first time, get one reading then get off and get on again and it's different. The third reading is always the same as the second. So I'm with everyone that says go with the number that comes up more than once.

~Dee

kittymuse · 04-04-2006, 02:41 PM

My digital scale instructions also said to ignore the first number. I just sort of step on it with one foot first and it seems to warm it up. Even after warming it up, I can still make my scale vary by 10 pounds by placing my weight on it differently. My day to day weights are probably wildly inaccurate, but I figure if the 10 lb range drops, that's a good thing!

I try to be careful to put my feet on it in the same place each day and try to stand the same way. I always weigh in the morning after going to the bathroom and before eating. I have heard that having a flat surface is important. I have tile in my bathroom that might be throwing it off, so I'll have to try out on the wood floor in the living room one of these days.

Kashi · 04-04-2006, 03:42 PM

Yay! Thanks guys!

I guess I'll have to be stepping on it multiple times from now on, and take the number it gives me the most.

Jennifer 3FC · 04-04-2006, 11:51 PM

For future readers of this thread, I'd like to throw something else in - I have read more than once where somebody said to weigh a 5 pound bag of sugar to verify accuracy. That isn't so for higher weights. Scales might calibrate accurately at a lower weight, and generally will lose accuracy as the weight gets higher. This can be insignificant amounts, or not. Ok, that's all with my boring calibration talk. I have to know it for my job and I can't get it out of my head.

Swimgirl, the warming up comment cracked me up.

Ready2ShedLBS · 04-04-2006, 11:57 PM

I have beef with my scale. lol Its a digital scale, and it says I weigh 169.2 but the sliding doctor type scale says I weigh 160. Hmmmm also it says it measures your body fat, which is crap. It just using the weight to height formula because all have to do is say I am taller than what I am and magically my body fat percentage goes down. Riddle me this, I am 5'4 169 (according to my scale, which I use that number because its the one I weigh on all the time, and I can just use it to chart loss) I wear a size 8/9 and it says that my body fat is 38%. I just doubt that, because I know a feel people the same weight as me, same height and they wear 11/12's. So I know we cant possibly have the same body fat percentage. My scale is soooooo whatever. Like I said before I just use it to chart loss. Thats about it.