Scale, why should I dump thee? Let me count the ways....
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@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
Absolutely! For understanding what is going on, the more data the better. Somethings you cannot even tell what is happening without enough measurements and you can actually corrupt your data by not measuring fast enough (google aliasing). Problem is, data costs money. In the very long term though, infrequent measurements of weight will still show you what is going on as the overall trend is larger than the fluctuations, but short term, infrequent measurements can tell the wrong story and could discourage people. That all has to be weighed with the discouragement people might get by also see slow progress with frequent measurements.2 -
@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
I am for required IQ testing of politicians. Just sayin'. Of course we would have to have the tests closely monitored since a politician who doesn't cheat is a rare breed indeed.6 -
@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
Absolutely for blood pressure. A one-time reading is essentially meaningless. The best thing to do it get an average over a period of time to have an idea of what range it falls in and what it averages around. Same with resting pulse, body size measurements, blood glucose, and so on. Even cholesterol, which most people give too much credit to a single reading.
I once had a doctor freaking out because my total cholesterol was 250. She was trying to make a big deal of it (likely because of my diet) until I pointed out that I get non-fasting total cholesterol numbers several time a year (from blood donation). My non-fasting average is below 200. Considering that the 250 was one of a few numbers over 200, out of a series in the healthy range, made me think it was a temporary thing and not a concern. Sure enough, my next blood donation had me back at 192.
Cholesterol Example:
* Range: 141-250
* Average: 182.5
* Median: 184.5
* Mode: 196
* Std-Dev: 24.9 <- that's a pretty big amount
Alright, maybe these aren't numbers a low-cholesterol proponent would be thrilled with, but I am happy with them. I'm actually ok with them being a little higher. And, those are non-fasting, usually I eat a large meal a few hours before blood donations.
The point is that any single measurement of the human body should be taken with a large grain of salt. Repeated measurements over time is the only real way to get an idea of what's going on.5 -
cstehansen wrote: »@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
I am for required IQ testing of politicians. Just sayin'. Of course we would have to have the tests closely monitored since a politician who doesn't cheat is a rare breed indeed.
I like the way you think.2 -
@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
Absolutely for blood pressure. A one-time reading is essentially meaningless. The best thing to do it get an average over a period of time to have an idea of what range it falls in and what it averages around. Same with resting pulse, body size measurements, blood glucose, and so on. Even cholesterol, which most people give too much credit to a single reading.
I once had a doctor freaking out because my total cholesterol was 250. She was trying to make a big deal of it (likely because of my diet) until I pointed out that I get non-fasting total cholesterol numbers several time a year (from blood donation). My non-fasting average is below 200. Considering that the 250 was one of a few numbers over 200, out of a series in the healthy range, made me think it was a temporary thing and not a concern. Sure enough, my next blood donation had me back at 192.
Cholesterol Example:
* Range: 141-250
* Average: 182.5
* Median: 184.5
* Mode: 196
* Std-Dev: 24.9 <- that's a pretty big amount
Alright, maybe these aren't numbers a low-cholesterol proponent would be thrilled with, but I am happy with them. I'm actually ok with them being a little higher. And, those are non-fasting, usually I eat a large meal a few hours before blood donations.
The point is that any single measurement of the human body should be taken with a large grain of salt. Repeated measurements over time is the only real way to get an idea of what's going on.
We should be careful making medical decisions based on a single measurement.2 -
cstehansen wrote: »@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
I am for required IQ testing of politicians. Just sayin'. Of course we would have to have the tests closely monitored since a politician who doesn't cheat is a rare breed indeed.
Not necessarily cheaters.... maybe just open-minded as far as lobbyists for the testing industry are concerned. (Perhaps the same lobbyists who induced our elected reps to prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable".....
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prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable".....
wow.
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SuperCarLori wrote: »prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable"..... wow.
A regulatory miracle!
(It's something like a Dutch treat.....)2 -
SuperCarLori wrote: »prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable"..... wow.
sounds like hocus pocus to me....3 -
SuperCarLori wrote: »prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable"..... wow.
A regulatory miracle!
(It's something like a Dutch treat.....)
You must mean Kecap Manis - Dutch Indonesian sauce - basis for the word ketchup.1 -
canadjineh wrote: »SuperCarLori wrote: »prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable"..... wow.
A regulatory miracle!
(It's something like a Dutch treat.....)
You must mean Kecap Manis - Dutch Indonesian sauce - basis for the word ketchup.
Haha, good call!0 -
cstehansen wrote: »@blambo61, wouldn't the same logic apply to other biological measurements that sometimes seem unfavorable, like blood glucose and blood pressure....(and, uh.... IQ) ?
I am for required IQ testing of politicians. Just sayin'. Of course we would have to have the tests closely monitored since a politician who doesn't cheat is a rare breed indeed.
Not necessarily cheaters.... maybe just open-minded as far as lobbyists for the testing industry are concerned. (Perhaps the same lobbyists who induced our elected reps to prestidigitate ketchup into a "vegetable"..... )
Leave it to the government to classify a sugar filled condiment made with a fruit (tomato) as a vegetable when there are no vegetables even in the ingredients.3 -
tomato is a vegetable according to the government as confirmed by the supreme court
stupid, but true0 -
OK, I've not seen this thread before, so here are my thoughts:
On the initial topic: I weigh more after I poop for some reason (another user mentioned that too), and that has been true for every scale I've ever used over the years. Also, I weigh less after I shower. It doesn't seem like I am removing that much dirt, skin, hair to counter-act the water I'm taking on.
On the more recent topic: I've always been in awe at the tomato fruit / vegetable debate. I call it a vegetable based on nutrition content, though I know botanists are going to argue it is a fruit based on how it grows. Similar conversation with peanuts - nutritionally, they are a nut, but technically they are a legume.3 -
I always feel less than honest telling people I eat almost no fruit knowing so many "vegetables are actually fruit.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/fruit-vegetable-difference/bgp-20056141
"According to botanists (those who study plants) a fruit is the part of the plant that develops from a flower. It's also the section of the plant that contains the seeds. The other parts of plants are considered vegetables. These include the stems, leaves and roots — and even the flower bud.
The following are technically fruits: avocado, beans, peapods, corn kernels, cucumbers, grains, nuts, olives peppers, pumpkin, squash, sunflower seeds and tomatoes.
Vegetables include celery (stem), lettuce (leaves), cauliflower and broccoli (buds), and beets, carrots and potatoes (roots)."2 -
For me, the nutrition aspects are most important. My body doesn't care what part of the plant it comes from. Then again, I'm looking at much more nutrition detail than simply "fruit" or "vegetable."0
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I haven't ditched the scale and its too big to hide (hospital grade, though it only comes up to the waist) but I've stopped getting on it. Currently its wearing my robe. I finally realized that the things I'm interested in, smaller clothes, more energy, less joint pain, the ability to wear cute shoes (that may not be alleviated by low carb dieting but one can hope) has nothing to do with the scale. Since the only folks really concerned with the scale number is work, same hospital the scale came from, I'm letting them keep track. I'm tracking my clothing size and my fitness levels, which are way more fun. The occasional picture is helpful but in no way do I consider this fun.5
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Plain old scales give you no insights at all on body composition. 0
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Would we consider the scale at the doctor's office more accurate? My scale at home is very consistent with the readings and has a similar reading to the doctor's office type scales. I would be sad to learn if my scale is underestimating my weight by 5 lbs! But as far as day in and day out progress, because it is consistent I continue to use it.0
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Would we consider the scale at the doctor's office more accurate? My scale at home is very consistent with the readings and has a similar reading to the doctor's office type scales. I would be sad to learn if my scale is underestimating my weight by 5 lbs! But as far as day in and day out progress, because it is consistent I continue to use it.
The problem is that our body's aren't even accurate. Lol
Ok. They aren't consistent. That's where the problem is.5
