New scales weigh more?

abby0567

I recently brought a new pair of digital scales due to my old ones breaking, but upon weighing myself, I was 14lbs heavier!

I originally was 38.5kg, but according to these new scales I am 46kg.

Not only that but they weighed me as 45kg, then 53kg; I tried in lbs and they showed 114lbs and 106lbs, then in stone, which it would not even work as it showed me as 0.10, and 0.12; what is going on??!

My old ones were also digital, and the brand was by weight watchers; my new ones seem to be unbranded. The only thing I can see on them is "Home Smart" but I don't believe that is a brand.

Could it be the surface I weighed them on, or are they broken? Could I really be an entire stone heavier than I thought?

I am so confused!!

margbarco

For clarification, did you buy more than one scales (you said scales, plural) and they BOTH/ALL show you weighing more than your previous scale(s)?

abby0567

margbarco wrote: »

For clarification, did you buy more than one scales (you said scales, plural) and they BOTH/ALL show you weighing more than your previous scale(s)?

Nope, I only purchased one. That was just a grammar error; my bad.

I only brought one new pair, and they are showing a higher number than my previous one which broke.

collectingblues

Different scales have different weights. It's also entirely possible that if your old ones were on the way out, that yes, you're a stone heavier than you thought you were.

Do you have these on solid surfaces? Can you weigh them with a dumbbell, or something where you *know* the weight?

If you *were* really 84 pounds before, how tall are you? That strikes me as remarkably underweight unless you are very short.

margbarco

If this happened to me I’d quickly go to my sister’s house or a friend’s (or buy a different brand) to try a third scale to compare numbers. Can you try that?

lorrpb

What surface did you put them on? Is it in the exact same place as your old scales? Did you weigh under the same conditions?

abby0567

collectingblues wrote: »

Different scales have different weights. It's also entirely possible that if your old ones were on the way out, that yes, you're a stone heavier than you thought you were.

Do you have these on solid surfaces? Can you weigh them with a dumbbell, or something where you *know* the weight?

If you *were* really 84 pounds before, how tall are you? That strikes me as remarkably underweight unless you are very short.

Before I was 88lbs, and I am actually very short.

I am 4'10; I thought I was on the smaller side of the scale, and was trying to maintain, but now I don't even know how much I weigh.

And no, I had them on a carpet, which may have been why they were out, but I do not understand why they refused to weigh in stones. They showed me as 0st 12lbs, which was just odd.

abby0567

lorrpb wrote: »

What surface did you put them on? Is it in the exact same place as your old scales? Did you weigh under the same conditions?

It was a carpet, and a different room. So that possibly could be a reason to why they were a different, but I feel as if 14lbs is a big jump.

Plus, they wouldn't even weigh me in stones, so I have no idea if that is completely down to the fact that I weighed them on a bad surface or that they are broke.

abby0567

margbarco wrote: »

If this happened to me I’d quickly go to my sister’s house or a friend’s (or buy a different brand) to try a third scale to compare numbers. Can you try that?

Unfortunately I have no access to any others.

PowerliftingMom

You have to always put the scale on a tile or wood floor, etc. never carpet. When I was first dieting I thought I weighed 160 lbs., but found out some months later, I actually started out 166 lbs because my new scale and another scale said my old scale was off by 6 lbs.

earlnabby

abby0567 wrote: »

lorrpb wrote: »

What surface did you put them on? Is it in the exact same place as your old scales? Did you weigh under the same conditions?

It was a carpet, and a different room. So that possibly could be a reason to why they were a different, but I feel as if 14lbs is a big jump.

Plus, they wouldn't even weigh me in stones, so I have no idea if that is completely down to the fact that I weighed them on a bad surface or that they are broke.

Never put a scale on the carpet, the weights will be all over the place. It should be something smooth with no texture. Even tiles can be tricky. Linoleum and wood are the best surfaces for a bodyweight scale. Your food scale also should be on a surface that does not have bumps and ridges like tile does.

DancingMoosie

Put your new scale on a flat solid surface (not carpet). Then use a dumbbell or other item you know the weight of on the scale. Check to make sure it reads correctly, callibrate if necessary. Then weigh yourself.

debrag12

I have 3 scales in my flat, 2 weight close to each other, the other is way off

Strudders67

Abby, try weighing yourself with your old and new scales in exactly the same place (on a solid floor, not carpet) and see how different they are. If they're vastly different, ask to be weighed the next time you're at your GP. Or, if you're in the UK, go in to Boots or your local leisure centre and see if they have a weighing machine. They cost about 50p but should be correctly calibrated.

To answer a comment above, we call them (a pair of) scales in the UK whereas I notice that many on these forums, presumably North Americans, use the word scale. From a UK perspective it dates back to when things were weighed on a balance with weights in a bowl on one side and the product being weighed on the other. The weighing mechanism has changed but the name has remained.

witchaywoman81

To answer a comment above, we call them (a pair of) scales in the UK whereas I notice that many on these forums, presumably North Americans, use the word scale. From a UK perspective it dates back to when things were weighed on a balance with weights in a bowl on one side and the product being weighed on the other. The weighing mechanism has changed but the name has remained.

That’s interesting! My 60-something mother is American, and she always says “scales,” whereas I say scale. Maybe it’s a regional thing? She also grew up in a different area of the country than I did.

And, in terms of the actual question in the post, I would echo what others have said. Use the old scale and the new scale in the same spot (not on carpet) and see how different the weights actually are.

amy19355

The flat solid floor advice is good too.

Also, Be sure the battery is fresh. Wonky readings come from worn out batteries.

leanjogreen18

I "calibrate" my new scale by putting a 10lb dumbbell on it to see if its accurate. Leave it in the same place not on carpet and if you get a bad reading wait an hour try again without moving the scale.

Some scales don't like being moved around I found.