Anyone know why scales are WRONG so much? According to my digital scale, I gained two pounds since yesterday morning. I KNOW I didn't eat THAT many calories yesterday. I also got about half an hour of cardio in. Not much, but still! I weigh myself in the morning, after using the ladies' room. And always in my undies. I just don't understand how it can be so off. Maybe it's cause there's about half an inch of space between it and the floor? (It sits on wide disk-shaped things) Grrrr... Not seeing proof of loss kinda makes me not want to bother with weightloss. Cause just when I see loss, it seems to gain right back, no matter how hard I try to lose.....
Same here! Either my scale is off, or I'm going about this the wrong way. When I see weightloss, even if it's 1/2 of a lb, I get more motivated. When I see NOTHING... Well, I get annoyed and discouraged. I won't stop, though. I'm too stubborn for that.
it's completely normal for your weight to fluctuate up and down every day. There are so many variables involved, esp. how much water you drink and your bathroom patterns (trying to be discreet! lol!). If you weigh daily, you really can see these fluctuations, so it's important to look at the trend over time. For me, I don't even necessarily see a loss every single week, but when I look at the month over month numbers, I'm going down.
Ok, some scales are just off. I have definitely seen cheap, non-accurate scales. BUT, most of the time, the scales are being accurate. Most famous words around here? WATER WEIGHT. Our bodies can retain fluids for so many reasons, it's insane. Then there's the physical amount of poop, pee and undigested food to take in to consideration.
The scales aren't really wrong, just our perception of what they indicate.
I have a love/hate relationship with my scale as well. It's especially frustrating when I weigh in and I'm like "that can't be right that's too low too quickly" then I weigh in again back to back to see if it reads the same and it jumps to another ridiculous number. Like you, I weigh in wearing the same thing at pretty much the same time. I also make it a point to put the scale in the exact same place as always. I can't seem to get one number consecutively
other's have already said it - water weight. It sucks! I hate it. But don't let it be discouraging.
But - if you can step on the scale repeatedly in a row and get inconsistent readings then you do not have an accurate scale.
I had a scale once that if I steps with my heels at the very edge and put my weight on my right heel, then I could get the scale to register a pound or two less. I'd step on the scale, wiggle around to get the lowest reading, then let it stabilize and say that was my reading. Messed up! Yes.
The scale I have now is very consistent. Its a Tanita body fat scale that is probably 5+ yrs old and I can step on and off over and over again and get within .1 lb reading.
With that - I can still see a 5lb fluxuation over the course of a day or two and I certainly do not consume that much food or liquid for it to be legitimate weight. I'm super sensitive to sodium in foods - especially when combined with sugar and I'll bloat a couple lbs.
Yah, I can step on it once, get a reading. Step off, wait a moment, get back on, and a different reading. If I do it a third time, I usually get the same reading at the second time. But sometimes I don't. I'm wondering if it's cause it's cheap. Sometimes I can hear the plastic frame creak. Sounds like it cracked, even though it didn't.
We have laminate floors. I weigh myself on the Wii Fit step. It'll give me different readings depending on where I place the step. LOL
I think I found the sweet spot though right in front of the TV.
Yah, I can step on it once, get a reading. Step off, wait a moment, get back on, and a different reading. If I do it a third time, I usually get the same reading at the second time. But sometimes I don't. I'm wondering if it's cause it's cheap. Sometimes I can hear the plastic frame creak. Sounds like it cracked, even though it didn't.
Mine wasn't cheap but it still creaks.
I weight once - that's it. If it changes a few min later so be it. I am a daily weigher - Monday the scale said 163, yesterday 160 this morning 162 - it happens, it's normal. Did I gain 2 pounds yesterday? Nope. Did I eat a lot of salt and drink a lot of water? Yep.
If you are going to weigh daily, you need to learn how you body fluctuates. Otherwise I STRONGLY suggest weighing once a week.
I'll try weighing once a week. I just get discouraged if I don't see improvement. Though I will admit I've been feeling better. At least when the weather isn't messing with my sinuses. Sinus pain/pressure can kill a good mood. :P
Thanks for asking the question. I've been in the same situation in the past few days. Now that I think about it reading from the advice above, it has to be water weight since I've exercised, drank alot of water, and had more sodium than normal in the past couple of days. I also weigh daily to keep myself on track.
I've gotten to the point to where I've given up on scales. I'd do great and lose some then it bounces back up. My size 6 and 8 clothes still fit with room to spare so content.
Sinus infections used to get in the way of my work outs, I hate them too!
I weigh myself daily for accuracy, but I only compare my Saturday weights with those of last week. Saturday is the day of the week that I always hit lowest as well.
You can also try measurments, sometimes you lose inches before you lose pounds.
*BLEEP*ing Scales!!
I also weigh daily to keep myself on track.
