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My scale lies to me :'-(

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2BeHappy2
2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
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I bought a digital weight watchers scale right before surgery.
I was super excited to have this as a way to keep notice of my weight and even more super excited to watch the #'s go down.
Today when I went in for my 1 month (technically 5 week) post op, I was in shock when their digital scale showed a bigger number than the 1 Id seen before leaving the house :sob:
Ok, so I did lose "some" but not nearly what "I" thought Id lost.
How do we know who's is right...I mean theirs gets used many times a day by many people, mine only gets used by my husband and I (mainly just me).
Needless to say, I was very disappointed.
So now Im wondering how Im going to get a correct gauge when I step on my home scale since clearly mine doesn't correlate to their count.
Im so bummed :disappointed:

Replies

  • klcovington
    klcovington Posts: 381 Member
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    Don't be bummed! I always weigh differently (more) in the doctor's office also. Different time of day, more clothes, after eating at least breakfast...etc. You could check the home scale by putting on a small hand weight or some other item that you know the weight of and see what it reads. The scales at the doctor's office are used almost constantly (I swear even when you have a broken bone...first stop is to weigh you!) That can throw off the calibration.
  • april731
    april731 Posts: 122 Member
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    Every scale is a little different - I have 2 and they are about 3 pounds different even with the exact same time/clothes/etc. The number on the scale isn't very important, it's the trend that matters more. Since you now know what the difference is between your scale and the doctor's, you can use that information to know about what you would weigh on the doctor's scale in the future.

    Don't let what the scale shows change how you feel about your progress. Take pictures, measurements, try on smaller clothes, etc. All of those things matter a whole lot more than a number on a scale (and the discouragement can lead you to make poor choices, which is totally counterproductive!). There's no need to be bummed - you are on a JOURNEY to better health; concentrate on the things you can control (food, water consumption, exercise) instead of the things you can't.
  • loriloftness
    loriloftness Posts: 476 Member
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    I have a digital scale too. When I'm going to weigh myself, I do it 3-4 times to make sure I am getting an accurate read. Sometimes the reading will vary depending on how I am standing on the scale. The doctor's scale is always a little less friendly than mine is. Just keep doing what you are supposed to do and the numbers will keep dropping.
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I always tell my patients that they will be 3-4 lb heavier on my scale because they have showered and eaten. I only count the wt on my personal scale 1st thing in the morning, empty bladder, naked before shower. this is my dry weight. When I would go for my weigh-ins I would wear light clothes, wouldn't shower or drink and empty my bladder immediately before the weigh in. even then I would usually be up 1 lb over my scale
  • JillC878
    JillC878 Posts: 9 Member
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    The scale is always different. Chances are if you got a new scale for home, it would read different too. Keep track of your weight on your scale and not theirs. It all kinds falls in line if you do that because there will always be that difference, 5lbs lost is 5lbs lost no matter what the number on the scale is.
  • boomerkae
    boomerkae Posts: 217 Member
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    Some of you know I blog about my weight loss experience. I wrote a post about my scale in October.
    http://kimegetshealthy.blogspot.com/2014/10/my-scale-hates-me.html
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
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    Well, I knew at my 1 week post op I would lose several lbs...that was a given being that all Id had in me was...liquid!
    So this was my 2nd post op appt (5 wks out) and that's when I saw the difference of what my scale showed to what their #'s showed....which was a BIG shock!
    I only got this scale shortly before surgery so its not like I have a history weighing on it to get a good idea of the # difference...I just wasn't prepared for the comparison.
    So this was really my 1st weigh in with the last several wks eating "real" foods compared to just consuming liquids.
    I know that scales are not synchronized to match the next but I was Unpleasantly surprised at my difference!

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