20 lbs in one day

dwarfer22

So my husband started a new diet 3 days ago. He is 6'2'' and weighed in on day one at 475 lbs on a scale in our fitness center at work. It is a scale that you woumd find in a doctors office with a pressure plate on the bottom and a digital readout up top. The fitness center is carpeted with very low pile carpet. To be sure, he moved the scale 4 times and got the same weight. Next day, same routine, moving the scale around he was at 455. Does anyone have any ideas as to how this could be? I've never heard of that big a drop before, even on Biggest Loser. Could it be because he is so heavy to start with or should we find a new scale? Thoughts?

tryclyn

I would find out the accuracy rating for that scale in relation to the higher weight.

Clash1001

I suspect the scale is knackered. If, as a very rough rule of thumb, you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose 1lb this would mean your husband has managed to create a deficit of 70,000 calories overnight. Assuming he hasn't spontaneously combusted, I think the scales are broken.

LKArgh

Maybe the scale cannot be used for such a big weight? At least not with accuracy?

Blokeypoo

Nope, he's not lost that.

Aside from (more normal) variations being due to clothing/food and fluid intake/times of day....ideally scales need to be re-calibrated regularly and should not be moved around nor used on anything other than a hard surface. Also, as above, they may not be designed for beyond a certain wt range.

_Zardoz_

The scales are wrong