Does anyone here know what causes an analog scale to consistently fluctuate what it reads depending on location? In one location of my bathroom, the scales always reads about 8 pounds higher than in another location, but this is CONSISTENT and doesn't change. So in one half of the bathroom today, I weigh 154, which is still in my acceptable weight range to not have a panic, and in the other half, I weigh 162, which is two pounds over my absolute panic red line. O_O And I don't understand what causes it. Or what I should do. It IS probable I may have gained a few pounds, as I've gone vegetarian since two months ago and I'm home for the holidays so all this new eating styles and being home, I could have been overeating. But I'm not sure if I should be a little cautious (since one location said one pound under my regular red line) or be in losing mode again, counting every calorie, since the other location was two pounds over my panic red line. *sigh* I don't even know what can cause this. But it's consistent. Those two areas are always that different. Stupid scale.

I thought I was the only one!! My scale is about 4lbs off depending on where it is in my house- so weird!!! I dont know what to believe either, so I tend to weigh myself in one place each time!

HAHA mine does that too. its probably the difference in the floor, its not perfectly level. Find a place and stick to that place.

I agree with lazylioness--probably the floor is more or less slanted in one area than it is in the other. If you have that handy little tool called a spirit level, you can check it out.

Jay

Not just being level but how much resistance is provided by the floor. The weight is calculated by how much the little springy things inside are compressed. If you stand on a concrete floor then there is no give at all, 100% of your weight is reflected back at you. If you stand on wood floorboards they will bend and give a bit under your weight. If you stand on very old floorboards they will sag down, and if you have thick carpets with thick underlay on top of springy floorboards then some of your weight will be absorbed by the floor.

Add a scale on top and instead of getting the full compression of weight pressing down and floor pressing up, some of the weight presses down and the floor allows it to press down, removing some of the force of the mass (weight) pressing down on the mechanism of the scale. If you have floorboards then you get a more accurate weight near to a structural wall than in the middle of the room where the boards are at their most forgiving.

Since it's progress that matters more than the actual number, just pick a place in the room and try to leave your scale there.

And this is why I use the scale at the gym, its a medical scale which is way more accurate than any other scale out there. Who needs electornics when you can have physics.

My scale at home always changs depending where I put my feet and where in the bathroom it is..

but anyways the bottomline is simple. You shoudl be tracking your loses and not focus so much on how much you actually weigh since your scale is NOT reliable. Jus focus on the loosing which doesnt matter if you went from 162 to 160 or 154 to 152. 2 pounds is 2 pounds.

IF you want to know your real weight, use a physician scale. more accruate and less headache.

Actually I think I'd say if you want your real weight then use something that has by law to be regularly tested by the inspectors of weights and measures. And no, hospital scales are not usually among those. Scales in places such as suppliers to bulk-sell groceries by weight are properly calibrated and inspected. Hospitals may choose to have accurate scales, but many don't.

I once had 3 hospital appointments in one day and each department weighed and measured me. I was 162cm tall in neurosciences, 164 in ENT and 165.5 (how very specific!) in rheumatology. I don't remember the actual weights, but I do know I was 5lbs lighter in neuro than rheum, but sadly since I was shorter down in neuro too I didn't get anything much off my BMI. My nurse weighed and measured me less than 3 days later and I was 10lbs heavier and 2cm shorter.

Mine does this too - I am pounds heavier or lighter depending on what room I weigh in or where I weigh in said room. So anyways I leave my scale on the same square of ceramic tile in my bathroom, and only count that weight. I figure it's close enough, anyways!

Actually, I've been a maintainer for about a year. My goal is just to keep my weight between 150 and 155; I'm not losing anymore. So it's not so much a matter of how much I'm losing, but if I'm staying in my 5-pound range. Any advice on what to do in that case?

Oh sorry I forgot I was in the maintainer section!

I think the advice stating put your scale somewhere and dont move it anymore is the best. Use always the sma escale at the same time in the day to have a more accurate idea of if you are staying in that range.

Roserodent: Actually I think we are not talking about the same scale. I am taling about the scales that uses the law of physics and nothing digital. Its called a physician scale here but its not doctor related. We have one at the gym and its checked once a month but for greasing and cleaning purposes only. readings are always the same since it uses weights and srpings not digitial mecanism. Im not sure how to explain it.. the scale can only fonction and give you an accurate reading or not function at all (like a psring broken or something)

Heck, my analog scale gives me different numbers in the SAME location. It can vary up to 3 pounds on some days. On other days, it doesn't vary.

I just take the average of 3 weighs-ins.

how are your clothes feeling? for me, that tends to be a better barometer for whether or not i'm in range.

Actually, the digital scales use springs. The physicians scales use leverage, like a balance scale, where you slide the weight along an arm--but I think some springs are still involved in the part you stand on. That's why they need to be zero'ed from time to time.

megwini, weigh in the same place, at the same time of day--doesn't matter whether losing or maintaining.

Jay