My Scale Sucks!

smandymail

I bought a scale for the first time ever, ready to lose a few pounds. But the thing doesn't work properly! I can step on it five times in five minutes, and get a different weight every time. I asked my friends whether a digital scale would be better - mixed results.

What do you guys do?

teagirlmedium

I use a digital scale, I put it in the same place every time I weigh myself and it is on a tile floor so that it gets my weight properly.

smandymail

Ok thanks! And if you step off and on again, it tells the same story? What brand is your scale?

ana3067

I can step on my scale and get a different weight every time, too. It changes based on how you stand on it, clothing, food intake, etc. If I step on it in the exact same place then I get the same number (or off by a small margin).

malibu927

Every scale will do that. I only get one more than once if I have a major drop or rise and I want to reconfirm it.

smandymail

Well, this is frustrating for me since I only need to lose about 5-6 pounds. Guess I can estimate, then check at the doctor's office

AskTracyAnnK28

my digital scale does the same thing. I only count the lowest weight though

teagirlmedium

smandymail wrote: »

Ok thanks! And if you step off and on again, it tells the same story? What brand is your scale?

Health o meter. If I step on the scale and off and then back on again it tells the same weight. I have had it for a while and it takes batteries. It tells me when they need to be switched. It is digital, checks more than weight and tracks four people. However, your scale may be malfunctioning. Can you not return the scale and switch it out for a new one?

lfrazier2482

I recently bought this model.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00472I1V2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It was cheap and accurate.

kiwigal1956

throw the scales away! Get out the tape measure - measure bust, waist, hips, thigh, upper arm.... once per week! Truly - I have been over scales for some time now - fickle darned things! The tape measure never lies and it so much more accurate (if you know how to use it correctly of course)!

TossaBeanBag

smandymail wrote: »

I bought a scale for the first time ever, ready to lose a few pounds. But the thing doesn't work properly! I can step on it five times in five minutes, and get a different weight every time. I asked my friends whether a digital scale would be better - mixed results.

What do you guys do?

Get two scales, put one foot on each, sum the amounts, divide by two and keep an average. Just kidding. It could be the batterie.

onefortyone

Are you on carpet? Our Wii Fit did that - under and over by 10-25lbs each time we stepped on it. We had to buy a stand for it. But resting your scale on a solid surface or on top of a plank of wood can help.

ShellyBell999

Mine too

eldamiano

They are always a bit fruity. Do several weighs simultaneously and take an average.

brightsideofpink

I must reiterate what others have said. Being on a flat tile or wood surface is key. Even thin commercial carpeting can throw the scale off. I learned this the hard way when I first started budgeting calories and exercising. All of the scales on carpets were easily 5-10 lbs less than I actually weighed.

Anyway, I've since weighed myself on a dozen different scales, ranging from expensive ones at fitness studios to a mediocre one at home, to a 20 year old scale at my parents. When on a truly flat stable surface they don't change just because I get off and get back on.

If you can't find consistency on a flat surface, and the battery isn't the issue, try a new one.

lemurcatta85

My scale sucks in a different way. It'll tell me I'm the exact same weight for days in a row, so I "test" it by getting on holding heavy objects and it'll tell me I'm still 140.2 (or whatever) holding the objects. So then I get on without the objects and usually get a different number...
I just need a better scale!

gothchiq

okay, I agree, you need a different scale. If you pick up something heavy and it shows no change, then it's a piece of junk!

jen350z

I use a digital one and I keep it on a flat surface. I always keep it in the same place. I don't seem to have an issue.

smandymail

Mine is on a perfectly flat, tiled floor. I guess I just need to get a different one!

Joannah700

onefortyone wrote: »

Are you on carpet? Our Wii Fit did that - under and over by 10-25lbs each time we stepped on it. We had to buy a stand for it. But resting your scale on a solid surface or on top of a plank of wood can help.

I found my Wii Fit is accurate on tile (matches the doctor's office) but on carpet - it's always off. I just move to a tiled area to check in my weight for the Wii Fit and move to carpet when I'm ready to play.

smandymail

kiwigal1956 wrote: »

throw the scales away! Get out the tape measure - measure bust, waist, hips, thigh, upper arm.... once per week! Truly - I have been over scales for some time now - fickle darned things! The tape measure never lies and it so much more accurate (if you know how to use it correctly of course)!

That's a really good idea, thanks!

sweetteadrinker2

Another thing that will throw off scales is if your muscles are tense or relaxed (think sucking in). Sucked in I weigh less, relaxed I weigh more. Dancers, gymnasts, and those with anything similar in their pasts often have this problem. It comes form the natural resistance to gravity from "holding yourself up and being light as a feather".

tulips_and_tea

If it's brand new and is that inaccurate, just return it. Get one that has been suggested here, make sure it is on stable ground, but definitely don't rely on it only! Measurements are just as, if not more important.

KANGOOJUMPS

throw it in the garbage, I do not even own one.

Falcon

I bought a 25.00 glass scale at walmart and it is more accurate then the fifty dollar weight watchers scale. And consistent. My dad used it once and shocked himself with it and they bought one of a similar model. Bought it five years ago and haven't looked back, I had to change the batteries once already.

gvhunterollie

tracyannk28 wrote: »

my digital scale does the same thing. I only count the lowest weight though

Yep!

Chezzie84

Maybe I am weird but I stand on my scale, look at the weight, record it on MFP and then shove it in the corner for a week.
I didn't realise I had to stand on and off multiple times

smandymail

Chezzie84 wrote: »

Maybe I am weird but I stand on my scale, look at the weight, record it on MFP and then shove it in the corner for a week.
I didn't realise I had to stand on and off multiple times

LOL. Duh :P

njmilton

I have a horrible time with my Health O Meter scale. I use it on my bathroom floor and if i don't put it exactly the same spot it can vary a huge amount. This morning I weighed myself 5 times with 5 different results from 225.4 to 240.1. It’s extremely annoying.