Scale discrepancies... Can I celebrate? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

vdander24 · 12-08-2010, 10:12 PM

So, you may already know this, but my scale stinks. I don't think it is balanced, and so depending which way I lean, there can be a swing of close to 10lbs. I know I need a new one, but money is tight. It is my reward for going under 250 by January 1st.

I decided that I was going to look for a public scale, or one of those ones you put a quarter into, and after looking for a while, found one in the mall.

According to my HOME Scale, I am somewhere between 250-262. The range has dropped from the 265-275 range in late October, and I can feel like I have lost weight.

My problem (or not) is that the digital scale at the mall said that weighed 246.7. I did it twice. Once with shoes on, once off. My shoes added less than a lb. this is a HUGE difference, and maybe a great thing. Has anyone used these "accurate weight" scales? Are they accurate? The machine said it was accurate up to 500lbs, so I am under the limit.

Can I be excited about this, or do I need to find another scale and do a triangulation, or an average or whatever?

Arctic Mama · 12-09-2010, 12:30 AM

I'd celebrate, but you really should find an accurate home scale

Nikki6kidsmom · 12-09-2010, 02:05 AM

Celebrate and toss out the old scale, it seems way off. Congrats on the new low!

JayEll · 12-09-2010, 08:12 AM

Your weight didn't "change." You have just been using a bad scale. If you want to be accurate, you have to go by what the scale you've been using all along says.

To change scales, you'd have to estimate how much of a difference existed between your original start weight on the old scale and what it would have been on the new scale. Then you're good to go and start tracking again.

Jay

Ky30 · 12-09-2010, 08:21 AM

I would go with the scale at the mall and toss the old one and go buy a new digital one. Congrats on your loss.

TooManyDimples · 12-09-2010, 09:32 AM

I would trust the digital scale. Which also means you never weighed as much as you thought you did to begin with. =)

DixC Chix · 12-09-2010, 09:34 AM

Until you get a new scale and a new starting number, keep track of all the numbers-- the high at home, the low at home and the mall scale. Just measure the loss and ignore the number representing your current weight.