Dumb scale question. Weight Watchers scale

Tacklewasher

I've got a dumb question about a scale I picked up. It's a weight Watchers scale from Bed Bath & Beyond. Model WW44Y.

Is it possible that it has some logic to it where it won't show a different weight than the day before unless it is outside of a range? I step on the thing for 3 days in a row and get the exact same number, then day 4 it's down a pound or so. Then the same number again for 2-3 days.

I get weight loss is not linear, but has anyone used one of these and seen the same weight, to a tenth of a pound, 3 days in a row? Just seems weird to me.

cgvet37

I have weighed the same three days in a row. It's not uncommon.

tcunbeliever

sometimes I weigh exactly the same for a week at a time, and I have a regular digital scale not a WW version

cwolfman13

grmckenzie wrote: »

I've got a dumb question about a scale I picked up. It's a weight Watchers scale from Bed Bath & Beyond. Model WW44Y.

Is it possible that it has some logic to it where it won't show a different weight than the day before unless it is outside of a range? I step on the thing for 3 days in a row and get the exact same number, then day 4 it's down a pound or so. Then the same number again for 2-3 days.

I get weight loss is not linear, but has anyone used one of these and seen the same weight, to a tenth of a pound, 3 days in a row? Just seems weird to me.

No, that's just how things go...you don't lose 0.2 ounces per day or whatever...it's not a linear process, it's trends over time that you should be looking at.

Weight fluctuates up and down and all around...it's pretty normal to have the same number for a couple of days...then lose a bit...then the same...then gain a bit, etc.

On Monday I was 190.5...Tuesday I was 189...Wednesday I was 187.4...Thursday I was 187.5...today I'm 190.2

lorrpb

I don't have a weight watchers scale, but I've weighed the same, to a tenth of a pound, the last 3 days. Keep in mind that many digital scales report in .2 or .5 pounds, rather than .1. Mine uses .2. So although it has said xxx.6 the last 3 days, it could be anywhere from xxx.5 to xxx.7.

Tacklewasher

cwolfman13 wrote: »

On Monday I was 190.5...Tuesday I was 189...Wednesday I was 187.4...Thursday I was 187.5...today I'm 190.2

See, that makes more sense to me then being at 285.5 for three days then, boom 284.6. Then 284.6 the next day.

Scale claims to be .1lb resolution. And I've seen even and odd numbers, so I don't think it is rounding.

It just seems weird to me is all and these dumb things keep me up at night.

AnvilHead

Reading the reviews on Amazon.com, it gets a lot of bad ratings. But most of the negative reviewers complain about the exact opposite of what you're experiencing - that it will fluctuate by several pounds even if you step on it two times in a row.

I've been weighing daily for almost 16 months now (identical conditions every morning), and it's extremely rare that I weigh exactly the same on two successive days - and it has never happened for three or more days in a row. Not saying that it couldn't possibly be the case for somebody, but I'd find it highly unusual to be the exact same weight down to 0.1 pounds day after day.

NoNameJustMe

grmckenzie wrote: »

I've got a dumb question about a scale I picked up. It's a weight Watchers scale from Bed Bath & Beyond. Model WW44Y.

Is it possible that it has some logic to it where it won't show a different weight than the day before unless it is outside of a range? I step on the thing for 3 days in a row and get the exact same number, then day 4 it's down a pound or so. Then the same number again for 2-3 days.

I get weight loss is not linear, but has anyone used one of these and seen the same weight, to a tenth of a pound, 3 days in a row? Just seems weird to me.

I have the WW701Y model and I've never had this issue with it. Whether it's daily weigh-ins or multiple times during the day, it always indicates even the slightest change.

cwolfman13

grmckenzie wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

On Monday I was 190.5...Tuesday I was 189...Wednesday I was 187.4...Thursday I was 187.5...today I'm 190.2

See, that makes more sense to me then being at 285.5 for three days then, boom 284.6. Then 284.6 the next day.

Scale claims to be .1lb resolution. And I've seen even and odd numbers, so I don't think it is rounding.

It just seems weird to me is all and these dumb things keep me up at night.

It happens though...I see that kind of trend more when I'm actively losing weight...I'm maintaining right now and I've also had an up and down week in terms of having to eat out some (which is more unusual for me) and some other things...I don't usually fluctuate as much as I have this week.

RunsWithBees

Try weighing yourself, then weigh yourself again holding something that weighs a few lbs (like some books, gallon of water, 5lb bag of flour, etc.), then weigh just yourself again and see what it says. That might help demonstrate the scale's accuracy.

Tacklewasher

monkeefan1974 wrote: »

Try weighing yourself, then weigh yourself again holding something that weighs a few lbs (like some books, gallon of water, 5lb bag of flour, etc.), then weigh just yourself again and see what it says. That might help demonstrate the scale's accuracy.

I'm wondering if it won't show a .5 lb difference.

Tacklewasher

Well. That confirms it. Thurs & Fri 284.6. Friday night was the office Christmas party and I ate and drank too much. Saturday I didn't weigh and had a "I'm too old for this *kitten*" day. Sunday back downstairs at 5:15 and scales still says 284.6. *kitten*. I grabbed a small weight, stood on the scale again. Put down the weight and stood on it a third time. 285.3. Guess I'm doing the weigh with a weight thing then weigh again without if I want the scale to actually not lie to me.

This is my third scale in three months and I'm kinda pissed off about it.

jemhh

Yes. I have a stupid WW scale. I have to get on it holding something heavy, get off and let it clear out, and get back on in order to see my weight if it has changed by less than 2 lbs.

Sara1791

I think some scales do work that way. If there is less than x (one pound I think) difference, it shows the same number. I get around that by weighing something else (like my foot), then weighing myself.

riffraff2112

I have noticed the exact same thing with a different scale but in my experience the scale does have a built in memory (although why they would do that makes no logical sense to me)
I deal with it by grabbing a book, weighing myself with the book so the number changes, and then getting off again and weighing myself again without the book. Invariably the number is different than it was originally . annoying but it takes seconds.

abbysmom814

I have a WW scale too. Not sure of the model number at the moment. I have the same issue, but have started weighing while holding a handheld magnifying mirror and then weighing again without it. Seems to "fix" the issue. I just can't justify purchasing another scale when there is a fix, regardless of how annoying it is.

LivingtheLeanDream

I recently bought a WW set myself....rubbish as they do just what you describe. Ok for a rough weight but not for charting daily fluctuations

lkpducky

I have one as well and the numbers jump around. I get on the first time and get one number. I get on again and the number goes up by 2-3 pounds. Then again and it goes back down 4. I'm going to look at the Amazon reviews to see what's better.

Jruzer

I was wondering the same thing about my scale. It seemed to me to have a "memory" and repeat the same measurement for multiple days much more frequently than I expected.

But being of a scientific bent I know that memory can be selective, so I took my daily weigh-in data and compiled the change in weight for every day that I had successive daily measurements. I then did a histogram on the data, i.e. tabulated how often a particular weight change happened. That is, I counted how many times the scale showed a 0.2 lb gain, or a 0.6 lb loss, or whatever.

Results are below. You don't have to be a statistics wizard to see the peak at 0 come screaming out of the data. "No change" occurs a lot more frequently than would be expected. I conclude that my scale is biased to repeat measurements if only a small change in weight is observed.

Dalceridae

I have a WW scale, and this has been driving me mad as well.

Though the most annoying thing is that it shows a difference in weight if I step off and on the scale again when weighing myself, so I don't feel I can trust it. It will vary up to a pound.

TR0berts

I don't remember what brand/model scale I have, but it's not WW. I've weighed myself, then weighed myself holding a plate of food and gotten the same results. What you're describing wouldn't surprise me, even though I get different results on a day-to-day basis.