Scale Issues and Pants - Advice? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

onic28 · 10-15-2012, 08:20 PM

Hello

So I have two questions in one! First, for reference, I'm 5'2... sometimes it helps to know height!

Question 1) How do I know if my scale is actually working? To start with, I've totally changed my diet and started working out so I've gone from 226.4 to 216.8 in two weeks and one day. Losing 9 pounds in two weeks really doesn’t odd to me because I literally went from eating McDonalds for breakfast 4x a week and eating out for dinner all the time to portioning, eating 1200 calories and actually getting off my butt! The issue here is that I can step on my scale three times in a 30 minute period and weight 3 different weights. I can also move my scale across the bathroom and weigh up to two pounds differently. Is my scale just broken? And if it is, omg, maybe I haven’t lost even one pound?

Question 2) How many pounds does it take to notice a difference in your clothes? 9 lbs down, I’m still in the same pant size and feel/look no different

Is this normal? Or maybe I’m not 9 lbs down… this is the pattern that runs in my head all day.

Any words of wisdom?

LockItUp · 10-15-2012, 08:49 PM

That's typical of a digital scale, don't freak, just stop weighing 3 times in a half hour. And stop moving the scale, it has to reset every time it's moved PLUS if the ground is uneven at all that will also effect it. Trust me on these things, I am a scale addict and have gone through 5 scales in the past months and just recently cut myself down to only 1 scale in the bathroom (I couldn't trust either on its own, what if one was lying). I know these things! LOL. When in total doubt, go buy a new scale (I don't recommend Weight Watchers scales, they have a memory and will just keep showing you the same number unless it's a pound or more difference). I just bought a Taylor brand scale at Target for $19.99. I much prefer it to the Homedics digital or Homedics analog scales I have, and I returned the weight watchers scale I had bought. Ya I'm a total scale psycho! See, I told you I know what I'm talking about!

Great job so far! 9 pounds in 2 weeks is totally amazing, what a great start. Gotta love that initial loss, it's very motivating.

Steph7409 · 10-15-2012, 08:53 PM

Scales can be wacky, so just be consistent: weigh yourself at the same time every day (just once) with the scale in the same place. What you're looking for is a downward trend, so it doesn't really matter if you're getting a super accurate reading from your scale. You might want to invest in a good digital scale, though. I got an EatSmart that also measures body fat (not necessarily accurately!) for about $35 on Amazon.

I have similar stats to yours and it took me 20-25 pounds to feel the difference in my clothes.

9 pounds is a great start. Good luck!

masterptr · 10-15-2012, 08:55 PM

each pants size is about 10 - 15 lbs. to see the difference I think.

Paja · 10-15-2012, 08:58 PM

I'm no scale guru, but I know a lot about how clothes fit (on me at least). Let me preface this by saying that I think that I'm on the extreme end as far as losing/gaining weight without much of a change in size. That being said... for any given piece of clothing, I can generally fluctuate in about a 20 lb. range and have it still fit (looser on one end, tighter on the other, but all totally wearable). So I wouldn't worry too much about not noticing a difference in your pants after 9 lbs. Especially because (again, for me at least) size loss sometimes comes a few weeks after weight loss.

LockItUp · 10-15-2012, 09:02 PM

Oh and in regards to your pants question. It took me probably 25 pounds to go from an 18 to 16, 20 to go from 16 to 14, another 15 to go from 14 to 12, and just 10 to go from a 12 to a 10. I'm in a 10 now and I'll probably be in an 8 in another 5 - 7 lbs. Seems the smaller you get the less weight you have to lose to go down a size.

masterptr · 10-15-2012, 09:06 PM

Right On. LockItUp.

onic28 · 10-15-2012, 10:09 PM

Thank, guys! This does make me feel better! I am keeping the scale in one place and only letting myself on it once a day! Good advice. And hopefully in another 10 pounds I can drop a pant size... I am ready to be in 16s again. thanks so much!

shcirerf · 10-15-2012, 10:25 PM

The scale, weigh once, under the same circumstances, note it and move on.

Pants sizes, depends on brand and fabric. Straight cotton denim has less give, if you're wearing the denim with the stretchy built in takes longer. And brands and fabrics and cuts all differ.

If you want real consistency in pant sizes, go buy a pair, and when they are to big, go buy another pair of the same exact brand/cut/fabric, and see where you are.

Theoretically, anywhere form 8 to 12 or so pounds is a size, but again, depends on fabric, cut, brand.

dstalksalot · 10-15-2012, 10:31 PM

If it helps, I am 5'3 and I was in regular sizes ( missis 16) at 190-200 pounds.

juliastl27 · 10-16-2012, 12:43 AM

i agree with stephanie. the smaller you get the faster the sizes go in pounds. id say you need to get to 20-25 lbs.

LaurieDawn · 10-16-2012, 09:38 AM

One additional variable in how clothing fits is exercise. Because I am weight lifting, I am. wearing a smaller size at this weight than I could when I was at this weight previously.

gailr42 · 10-16-2012, 10:35 AM

Another scale psycho here. I bought a balance beam scale, so there is no question about anything. I kept the old digital and weigh myself on it sometimes because it weighs me quite a bit less, but I know the balance scale is the right weight. I just use the digital when I want to be in denial.

angieand2girls · 10-16-2012, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaurieDawn

One additional variable in how clothing fits is exercise. Because I am weight lifting, I am. wearing a smaller size at this weight than I could when I was at this weight previously.

This makes sense as a certain amount of muscle (in pounds) takes up less space than that same amount of fat. I'm looking forward to putting this to the test when I start lifting.