The Scales - UGH!

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annak4
annak4 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been weighing at home on my digital scales, what I thought was really good digital scales, and it says I weigh 201 pounds (totally nude, first thing in the am). I was excited being right above that 200 mark. I go to the doctor last week for my yearly stuff and his scales say 216 (street clothes but without shoes). He has the typical doctor office scales which most say are the most accurate. Today after exercising I weighed on the scales at the rec center and it said 213.8 (shorts/tank with shoes). That was with my tennis shoes on! So, what should I do? Stick with the scales at home or just quit weighing all together? I know of people who don't weigh and are successful. Any advice or opinions would be welcome here.

Thanks,
Anna

PS

I have no idea if that ticker is right ot not!

Replies

  • Denimgirl
    Denimgirl Posts: 87 Member
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    My doctors office scale consistantly weights me 12lbs over what my home scale weighs me in at.
    I decided that since I don't frequent the dr office enough for regular weigh ins, I'll stick with my home scale and be happy with the results I see there.
  • dansdeb
    dansdeb Posts: 164
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    I like to weigh once a week at least. (unless I feel skinnier on a day, then I weigh) BUt - it is important if you are going to weight yourself, that you do it about the same time, wearing the same thing. also some scales are real sensative to movement, so try not to move your scale around. As long as you are consistent at home you should be able to get a reading of weight loss that is pretty accurate.

    Doctors smocktors - what do they know. usually at the docs you are fully clothed, you have eaten at some point during the day and the odds are you have retained some water. So I don't think their scales will match yours at home unless you can follow the same protocol at the Docs as you do at home.
  • Allibaba
    Allibaba Posts: 457 Member
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    It is frustrating, but really if you started weighing in at home then you have still lost the weight as that is what you are using to measure yourself. I would stick to one scale and if you feel that your home scale is not accurate then try the rec center one.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Most public scales obviously are used and I doubt ever calibrated, I would pick your home scale and just use THAT scale for your offical weight. I wouldnt put much stock into the other ones
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
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    I agree with dansdeb. I was up at the doctor's office today about 5 pounds from my weight in this morning. BUT - I'm fully clothed, wearing high heels, I've eaten breakfast and had coffee.... It's just no good. I'm sure I don't weigh that much. And I almost want to tell them "You should know, I weigh in naked at 6 a.m. at XXX." lol.

    Stick to your scale at home. It's the only way you can consistently track loss.
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
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    Stick with the same scale (on a flat surface), if it's realitively new it's still calibrated and no telling if the MD's and rec center scales have been in the last 12 months (and think how many times their being used....
    Get a tape measure and measure neck, waist (at navel), and hips - this is the best guide for flab loss and the tape measure moves when the scale doesn't. I measure every two weeks to see noticable difference (1-2 inches).
    Good luck:bigsmile:
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    You have to pick one scale and stick to it. Also, make your weighing very consistent. I always weigh in the morning, after peeing and before eating, naked. This cuts down on many variables such as how big my breakfast was and how heavy my pants and shoes are.

    The actually number is meaningless. It's the relative loss that you care about. If your scale is consistent, then that's all you need. If your scale is inconsistent (try getting on and off a few times -- the weights should be within .5 a lb. of each other) then it will drive you crazy telling you that gained when you didn't or lost when you didn't.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Those doctor scales are typically not that accurate...my gym has one and it's been weighing me 2-4 lbs differently than my scale every month. Never exactly the same amount, either! So, I don't think you can trust those. And if you've been weighing on your scale this whole time, even if it's not the exact WEIGHT you are, you should still count how much weight you've lost by your scale because it's the same scale. Hope that makes sense.

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