How can you tell if your scale is broken?

Nedra19455

I usually fluctuate up and down daily with my weight. Usually about 2 lbs of variance and I always weigh in he morning after using the restroom but before eating or drinking.

The last few days, my weight has only dropped. It had been fluctuating as usual and then dropped 2.2 lbs in one day, then another 0.6 the next day, then 1.8 the next day and then 0.6 this morning.

I want to feel excited about this but :

1) I'm getting suspicious of my scale. How would I know if it's broken? If I weigh myself twice in a row, the measurements are within 0.2 lb. Is that enough reassurance that it's still working or are there other tests I can do to see if it's broken?

2) I'm a little concerned -- am I doing something wrong here?

kateangel2312

got any hand weights you could test your scales with?

dward59

I can usually tell my scale is broken when I've hit it with the hammer enough times the glass is in shards...

Seriously, do you have one of the digital scales that takes batteries? Whenever I see drops like you describe I change out the batteries. Make sure the scale is on solid flooring, none of the feet in tile cracks or the scale touching anything.

The only other way I can get a feel for it is on those rare occasions I go to my doctors where I know I weigh in 8 lbs heavier dressed on their scale than I do in the morning at home.

edit to add: Then someone ahead of me posts the simplest check in the world that just hadn't occurred... (Thwack - hand to head.)

asciiqwerty

I usually fluctuate up and down daily with my weight. Usually about 2 lbs of variance and I always weigh in he morning after using the restroom but before eating or drinking.

The last few days, my weight has only dropped. It had been fluctuating as usual and then dropped 2.2 lbs in one day, then another 0.6 the next day, then 1.8 the next day and then 0.6 this morning.

I want to feel excited about this but :

1) I'm getting suspicious of my scale. How would I know if it's broken? If I weigh myself twice in a row, the measurements are within 0.2 lb. Is that enough reassurance that it's still working or are there other tests I can do to see if it's broken?

2) I'm a little concerned -- am I doing something wrong here?

1) put some items of known weight on and test it

2) weight loss isn't linear http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/asciiqwerty/view/so-not-linear-but-the-trend-looks-good-655024
mine goes up and down, often stays flat for a while then plummets over 48hrs, i usually get some of it beck over the next few days then tend to stay constant for a while
my monthly cycle hugely affects my weightloss pattern

if in doubt keep doing what you're doing and log everything acurately - and review after 6-8 weeks
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

you may also want to read:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

SezxyStef

Just find something you are pretty sure of the weight...like a weight plate or a bag of sugar (usually 5lbs) and weigh it.

I do that frequently to ensure mine are accurate.

kbmnurse

If it says you weigh more then you think you should. LOL

rosebette

I would say small variations in a scale reading are normal, and most manufacturers have that in the literature with the scale. However, I had a Taylor digital that began to register that I had sustained gains or losses of 25 lbs. per day! I'm small, so my trick would be to have my son who is big stand on it, and it would reset. Sometimes, just moving the location of the scale or changing the battery or just taking the battery in and out would do the trick. Finally, though, the scale read that I weighed 1.5 lb. one morning, and none of the previous tricks worked. I ended up throwing the scale out. BTW, this was the second Taylor digital scale I had because I returned the first one to the manufacturer for the same reason. I ended up buying a Sunbeam analog dial scale like the kind in your grandmother's bathroom for 11 bucks at Wal-mart. As long as its set to 0 when I get on it, it's pretty accurate, and since my mom still has the one she bought 30 years ago, I'll probably keep it for a while. I also weigh myself once a week at the gym on a balance beam scale, which confirms how close to accurate my home scale is.

Nedra19455

Tried both tests -- weighed myself on the tile floor and then moved the scale to a flatter/more even surface and got the same #; then weighed an 8-lb hand weight and got 8.0 lbs on the scale.

Guess it's right?

sixtyinchesoffury

Tried both tests -- weighed myself on the tile floor and then moved the scale to a flatter/more even surface and got the same #; then weighed an 8-lb hand weight and got 8.0 lbs on the scale.

Guess it's right?

then it's time to celebrate !!:drinker:

djslickrix

I'm unsure if my scale is broken, but I usually weigh my self using a scale that measures in stones and then I convert it to pounds, however the other day I used one of those digital scales in pounds and it said that my weight was HALF or what I currently am according to my usual scale...

Squamation

Throw your scale out the window.

If it wasn't broken before it is now.

Measure and take photos of your self and judge your progress from that.

If you're in the same size pants, but have lost 20lbs are you going to be happy with that? Probably not. Focus on what matters: your fitness goal not your weight.

*the above is just my opinion and not meant to be taken as expert advice. I wish you all the luck*

SisterMable

I recently went thru this. Since the scale *might* weigh a 5 lb bag of flour fine, but not your body, my suggestion is just to buy a new scale.

I'm SO happy I did. My old scale was weighing in at 10 lbs-ish less than what my new digital scale tells me, and now every day I get to see a .1 or .2 or more loss. WHEE!

I got this one, fyi, because fancy, but really anything new and digital should do the trick: http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-514C-Composition-Sensing-Monitor/dp/B0020MMCDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398947218&sr=8-1&keywords=omron+scale

thavoice

http://scoobysworkshop.com/how-to-weigh-yourself-accurately/

talks about the temperature of the room/floor when weighing in.

I have seen this first hand.

PJPrimrose

"I can usually tell my scale is broken when I've hit it with the hammer enough times the glass is in shards... "

LOL!

BerttiBott

I think mine is broken...I got on and off a few times and it gave me succcesively higher readings within a 10 pound range. You don't gain it that quick. :P

mattro7703

Your belt buckle is the best scale around. Try replacing the batteries if needed, weigh yourself the same time every day. If you still think its dodgy, treat yourself a new one.

zorander6

mattro7703 wrote: »

Your belt buckle is the best scale around. Try replacing the batteries if needed, weigh yourself the same time every day. If you still think its dodgy, treat yourself a new one.

Just make sure your belt buckle is an onion. Why? Because in the war we didn't have metal. (Slaughtered Grandpa Simpsons)

Tacklewasher

mattro7703 wrote: »

Your belt buckle is the best scale around. Try replacing the batteries if needed, weigh yourself the same time every day. If you still think its dodgy, treat yourself a new one.

My belt buckle doesn't have a battery. Should I get a new belt buckle?

iris2811

djslickrix wrote: »

I'm unsure if my scale is broken, but I usually weigh my self using a scale that measures in stones and then I convert it to pounds, however the other day I used one of those digital scales in pounds and it said that my weight was HALF or what I currently am according to my usual scale...

is your scale set to kg intsead of lb?

Firefly0606

When I get on, it tells me to get off.