And they suck because they aren't consistent! I never know what's actually weighing me the most accurately. I got weighed 3 times today: once on my Wii (229), once on my mom's scale to compare to the Wii (234), and once at my school's health center for our Biggest Loser competition (233). Everyone's been telling me to go with the Wii since it gives me the lower number, but what really confuses me is that since I've been using a Wii, it has told me I've lost like 12 pounds, while the other scales say I've only lost 7 or 8. This makes absolutely no sense and I don't know what to go with!
You'll get a different number on a different scale, and you'll get a different number if you weigh several times in one setting, several times a day, or even if you move the scale around on the floor. You could have eaten in between weighs, or been retaining water or wearing shoes vs. not wearing shoes, etc. It's just a crappy fact of life. So pick a scale, pick a spot, and stick with it.
Even if it's not 100% accurate, you'll still be able to tell you're losing. Just...not exactly how much.
I just got my scale a new battery tonight, hopped on it and it read 178. I went into the bathroom, peed, stripped down and hopped back on and it said 172.8. I could weigh again in an hour and probably get another number. So I'm just gonna wait until tomorrow and weigh once in the morning like I used to before it broke.
Hmmm. Every scale is different, that is for sure. Were you wearing anything different each time you were weighed? Was it at different times of the day. Had you just ate anytime you were weighed?
The first two times were this morning, I had peed and I was in a t-shirt and shorts (what I'd slept in) and I hadn't eaten anything. When I weighed at school, I had just eaten lunch and I was wearing full clothes, so I figured that added a bit for that. I still don't understand the difference between the first two weights, though.
What do you enter for clothing on the wii fit? It still wouldn't explain the huge difference between the two but it might explain a few lbs. I have a love/hate relationship with the scale...mostly hate, who am I kidding lol. I've started to focus more on measurements and clothing sizes than weight for right now.
That's why I am refusing to weight right now. So many scales will tell you different weights, which in my case gets me depressed because I feel like I'm not doing good enough. I'm just going with body measurments for now because inches don't lie! And your clothes wont lie to you either!
Personally I use MY SCALE only... I don;t pay to much attentio to the other 2 weigh in;s I do BECAUSE I know my scale is right.
I calabrate it very few months.
I put a 10lb weight on it and make sure it's right . the most it's ever been off is .2 so I just adjust the number it gives me by .2
WW scales drive me nuts cause they constantly move them around and a scale can't stay calibrated for long that way. someone actually carried in a 5lb bag of sugar once and put it on both scales to see if they were right lol
I get up, go pee and take a bath. After my bath, I weigh myself naked. Clothing makes a difference, even what may seem like light clothes. I used to weigh before my bath but for some reason for me it is better after I've been up for a bit but before I eat. I played around with it to get that data.
I log my weight everyday BUT I'm not the type to freak out when the numbers change. If this is you, don't do it. What I look for is the valleys (the lowest). Each time I hit a valley, that's my new goal to beat. Generally speaking, my valleys should occur at semi-regular intervals (but don't hold it to the T because weight loss is not linear like that).
I expect spikes for water retention (especially after high sodium days, ie. fast food and processed food), before and during my monthly period, and when my bowels haven't moved fast enough (I have sluggish ones). Are there sometimes unexplainable fluctuations? Yes. Do I care? No. I'm looking for a downward trend over time thus I only pay attention to my valleys. The rest is just water and waste of some kind. The only exception is if you held this upwards trend for a month or something.
See if you can get a digital scale to put in your own bathroom so you can weigh without clothes and first thing in the morning. (Some people have better success if they don't weigh daily. Please know your own personality for this).
I don't count other people's scales. I weigh on them for curiosity but they don't count.
Measure yourself. Don't use the scale as your only tool.
Your weight can fluctuate on a single scale about 1-5lbs throughout the day and from day to day. Mine is typically on a 3lb range. Get to know your body so you don't freak out. Besides that, you are losing. That's the important part.
Yep - your weight can fluctuate hugely during the day. If I weigh myself and then go and have a cup of coffee I can often be 2lb heavier. Clothes make a difference too.
I know my scales at home are exactly 1.5lb below what the scales at Slimming World say, but only ever go by the SW ones as it's best to pick one set of scales at the same time each week and ideally wearing similar or the same clothes so you get the most accurate indicator.
Don't get stressed over the different weights - pick one set of scales and go by them and ignore the others.
I began eating Paleo 5 weeks ago. I was weighing in about every 4-5 dys or so on my Wii. When I went for my annual check up, her scales read 1 lb over
my original weight! Arrrr...! I KNEW I was losing by the looseness of my clothing. I took my measurements before, then again last night. I have lost a total of 6" !!! * freakin evil scales*
Last edited by Michelle Grey; 03-06-2012 at 06:35 AM.
luckily my home scale and my gym scale sync up, so i go with those numbers. everyone else is gonna say the same thing - pick one scale or focus on inches. i know its frustrating, because you want to know the real number.
I don't know for sure..but aren't the scales at health centres the most accurate?? I was told by my doc that his scale was right and not my battery operated scale at home. He told me its because it is manually adjusted or something.
This my sound a bit "conspiry theory-ish">> but "wii" might give you a lower reading to encourage people to buy and use the wii?? Play with peoples minds and they make more bucks!
The scales piss me off too. I have a digital health-o-meter. I changed the batteries yesterday, and I can step on it back to back...and weigh whole POUND different! STILL after the battery change! Something is screwy. I wish I had one of those doc office counter weight scales!
Don't let one scale discourage you...you are still making good progress and the real win is when your pants are loose!
The scales SUCK!
So pick a scale, pick a spot, and stick with it.
