The doctor's scale vs my home scale

cruzmom123

So I went to the doctor today for my usual prescription refill. The nurse weighed me and said I've lost 5 pounds since my visit last month. Great! However, there is a big discrepancy between the doctor's scale and the one I have at home. In fact, it's a 7 pound difference. Should I continue to go by my home scale? At least it's accurate on the fact that I am losing weight.

Laurend224

I only go by my home scale. It may be off, but it's off consistently, so I can still see the trend. Make sense?

earlnabby

Stick to one scale and work with that. Obviously the home scale is the most convenient. Is it digital or analog? You can check the accuracy by weighing an empty gallon milk jug on your food scale, then fill it with exactly one gallon of water (use a measuring cup to be exact) and weigh it, subtracting the weight of the empty jug. It should weigh exactly 8 lb. If not, follow the manufacturers directions to recalibrate your scale.

EmmieBaby

Also depends on when you weigh yourself on your scale VS the docs (morning, evening). Do you eat/drink before weighing yourself on your home scale? have you eaten/drank before going to the docs?

rand486

Yeah, this is a horrible problem for me, because I maintain my weight for Jiu Jitsu competitions. Home scales are often quite inaccurate, so I am often worrying the night before a tournament that I'll miss weight.

For you, as long as you're tracking your weight on the same scale, you're good to go. The key is to make sure you're losing weight, and if you use the same scale, you'll see that, because the inconsistency is consistent, if that makes sense.

eg: Weigh in on Monday. Scale reads 150 lbs, but you're actually 157.
Weigh in on Friday. Scale reads 148 lbs, but you're actually 155.
Regardless, you're still down 2 lbs. Celebrate!

earlnabby

rand486 wrote: »

Yeah, this is a horrible problem for me, because I maintain my weight for Jiu Jitsu competitions. Home scales are often quite inaccurate, so I am often worrying the night before a tournament that I'll miss weight.

For you, as long as you're tracking your weight on the same scale, you're good to go. The key is to make sure you're losing weight, and if you use the same scale, you'll see that, because the inconsistency is consistent, if that makes sense.

eg: Weigh in on Monday. Scale reads 150 lbs, but you're actually 157.
Weigh in on Friday. Scale reads 148 lbs, but you're actually 155.
Regardless, you're still down 2 lbs. Celebrate!

and if it jumps around to where one time there is a 2 lb difference and another there is a 7 lb difference, change the batteries

rand486

earlnabby wrote: »

and if it jumps around to where one time there is a 2 lb difference and another there is a 7 lb difference, change the batteries

That would be enough to make me replace the entire scale, much less the batteries!

Additional tip for OP: If you have something you know the weight of (eg: a dumbbell), you can weigh that on your scale to get an idea of how far off it is.

earlnabby

rand486 wrote: »

earlnabby wrote: »

and if it jumps around to where one time there is a 2 lb difference and another there is a 7 lb difference, change the batteries

That would be enough to make me replace the entire scale, much less the batteries!

Additional tip for OP: If you have something you know the weight of (eg: a dumbbell), you can weigh that on your scale to get an idea of how far off it is.

I start with the cheaper option (batteries) first.

LOL, that is easier than my gallon of water trick (although the water is good if you don't have a dumbbell). Water is the only thing where its weight in ounces is exactly the same as its volume in ounces.

TimothyFish

The doctor's scale is more likely to be correct, since the government checks it from time to time, but what really matters is the general direction. Without taking your scale with you to the doctor's office and weighing on both scales, I don't think you can be sure how different they are. But even if your scale is several pounds off, it will still tell you if you are losing or gaining weight.

4leighbee

I don't use a scale at home, and I always weigh more than I expect to at the doc office (middle of the day, fully clothed, etc.) ... therefore, I advise practicing complete denial at the doc office. I actually say a little mantra to myself as I'm getting on their scale - this is not real. This is not real. lol ...
- Seriously, use one scale, if you're going to use a scale at all.

earlnabby

TimothyFish wrote: »

The doctor's scale is more likely to be correct, since the government checks it from time to time, but what really matters is the general direction. Without taking your scale with you to the doctor's office and weighing on both scales, I don't think you can be sure how different they are. But even if your scale is several pounds off, it will still tell you if you are losing or gaining weight.

That only happens when a doctor's office asks for it, not as a matter of course and is a very rare occurrence. It also depends on the state and/or county and how much time they have left after checking commercial scales. School and gym scales used for things like wrestling tournaments or boxing matches generally ARE checked just before the tournament but as a courtesy, not as a legal requirement.

earlnabby

lgutches wrote: »

I don't use a scale at home, and I always weigh more than I expect to at the doc office (middle of the day, fully clothed, etc.) ... therefore, I advise practicing complete denial at the doc office. I actually say a little mantra to myself as I'm getting on their scale - this is not real. This is not real. lol ...
- Seriously, use one scale, if you're going to use a scale at all.

I checked my doctor's scale by immediately going home after the doctor's office and stepping on my home scale wearing exactly what I wore on the office scale. It was a difference of 1/2 lb which is close enough for me, and could even be explained by water loss from 20 minutes of respiration and/or sweat between leaving the office and getting home.

TimothyFish

earlnabby wrote: »

TimothyFish wrote: »

The doctor's scale is more likely to be correct, since the government checks it from time to time, but what really matters is the general direction. Without taking your scale with you to the doctor's office and weighing on both scales, I don't think you can be sure how different they are. But even if your scale is several pounds off, it will still tell you if you are losing or gaining weight.

That only happens when a doctor's office asks for it, not as a matter of course and is a very rare occurrence. It also depends on the state and/or county and how much time they have left after checking commercial scales. School and gym scales used for things like wrestling tournaments or boxing matches generally ARE checked just before the tournament but as a courtesy, not as a legal requirement.

My point is still the same. The doctor's scale is more likely to be accurate than a home scale, but it really doesn't matter, as long as you are using the same scale to track your weight loss.

earlnabby

TimothyFish wrote: »

earlnabby wrote: »

TimothyFish wrote: »

The doctor's scale is more likely to be correct, since the government checks it from time to time, but what really matters is the general direction. Without taking your scale with you to the doctor's office and weighing on both scales, I don't think you can be sure how different they are. But even if your scale is several pounds off, it will still tell you if you are losing or gaining weight.

That only happens when a doctor's office asks for it, not as a matter of course and is a very rare occurrence. It also depends on the state and/or county and how much time they have left after checking commercial scales. School and gym scales used for things like wrestling tournaments or boxing matches generally ARE checked just before the tournament but as a courtesy, not as a legal requirement.

My point is still the same. The doctor's scale is more likely to be accurate than a home scale, but it really doesn't matter, as long as you are using the same scale to track your weight loss.

True, but it is not because the government checks on them, it is because they have the financial resources to pay for a higher quality and more accurate scale.

And yes, we are making the same point. It does not matter as long as you are using the same scale.

katherine_startrek_fan

I'd say your home scale is fine as long as it is digital. The other types are rediciously inaccurate.

obscuremusicreference

I go by my home scale. I plan to replace it when I get close to my goal weight because I'll care about the .2s a lot more then, but even if it's a seven-pound difference between my old and my new (or 2 pounds, as it was at the doctor's), that doesn't negate the fact that I will have fought for every single pound that I lose--it just means my starting point was a little further back than I believed.

cruzmom123

I went to the doctor around 8am (first person to be seen) I'd only eaten a banana before my appointment. I have an analog home scale which I think may be part of the problem. I will definitely invest in a digital scale soon. I understand the previous poster however, who said the inconsistency is consistent so keep my current scale. I know I am losing weight. I see it, my co-workers are noticing and at least the doctor is noticing too. However, by my calculations at home, I've lost a total of 19 pounds...at the doctor's office it's 12 pounds total loss. I live in Arkansas and I'm not sure if the government requires inspection of the scales at the physicians office. Oh well, thanks for the feedback everyone! On to the next problem. Lol

segacs

Are you saying you lost 12 pounds from when you last weighed at the doctor's scale? The absolute number might be different but the difference (amount lost) should be the same between your scale and your doctor's scale. If they're different, then either it's a time discrepancy, or one of your scales is not working.

PeachyCarol

I never go to the doctor naked first thing in the morning right after I've visited the bathroom. Conversely, I never weigh myself at home in the afternoon fully clothed wearing shoes after having had breakfast, 4-5 12 ounce glasses of water and 3 large cups of tea.

I follow my progress on my home scale, but I'm a daily weigher.

holly55555

You can fluctuate 10 lbs just based on water alone! This weekend, in the morning I weighed 135 lbs. That night I checked again *just to see* and I weighed 141 lbs. In the SAME day.

Scales aren't accurate, the important thing is that the lowest number you see keeps going down. As long as you're losing, it won't matter. This is why going off your measurements is the better way to go!

skippygirlsmom

I got by my home scale, when I go to the doctor I don't look at the scale and she knows not to tell me what it says. :-)

JeanSpin

doesn't really matter which scale you use, either one will tell you your down in weight.

DrWhoIsYerDad

I like how the weigh me while I'm wearing work boots and sweatshirt

ashley92188

I always weigh more on the doctors scale and I'm gonna assume it's because I have clothes on and I've normally eaten or drank something before my appt. whereas when I weigh at home its first thing in the morning with no clothes on and nothing to eat/drink yet.

SexyKatherine73

home scales unless you wear the same thing every time you go to the doctors. a pair of jeans can weigh of 2 pounds shoes can weight 1 pound or more. also do you drink and eat the same amount each time?

FitOldMomma

My doctor's scale has me nearly 5 pounds lighter. While I enjoy seeing the lower number, I use my home scale for weigh-ins on MFP since it's the one I started with.

mguinnette

My doctor's scale (various doctors) are always ten pounds more than the ones I have at home and this is something that is consistant with me every time. Today I weighed with clothes on, without eating or drinking. Went straight to the doctor without eating or drinking and same clothes on and a 10 pound difference. I have said to friends I think it's something that doctors do they set the scale ten pounds higher to get the patients scared enough to lose weight or something. I mean it happens each time, and it's happened through my whole lifetime so something is wrong.

markrgeary1

I use the home scale. Including weighing myself before going to the DR. in the same clothing and accessories and compare the two.

If my weight goes down at home it's going down on another scale. If I know there's a couple pound delta between the two, I expect to know what the other scale will say. If it's not close then the world is spinning sideways.

SusanMFindlay

I gained 3.5 pounds this morning by taking a shower and getting dressed.*

That's the most likely reason there was a difference between your at-home weight (probably naked and right after peeing) and your doctor's office weight. Add breakfast, and that's easily 7 pounds.

*Before you all think I'm nuts, I had to weigh my baby for his passport application. So, I re-weighed myself so that I could compare that number to the weight of me holding him. I do not normally weigh more than once a day.

AnvilHead

Necro thread. OP hasn't logged into MFP in over 14 months.

islandpiper

I have an issue with my scale, and it seems to weigh about 6 pounds lighter than my doctor's scale does. (Gee...never heard that before, right?). So, I'd like to replace my old spring scale with a new digital one. The problem is that my weight here will immediatly jump about 6 pounds, overnight. This will set me way back according to my goals. How can I modify my settings/goals ? or, should I cancel my membership here and simply start a new membership with the new weight, per the new scale. I don't want the electronic-bean-counter to blow up when I "gain" six pounds in one day. Thanks for any advice you may offer.