When it comes to Scales, Ignorance is Bliss :/

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DeniseGdz
DeniseGdz Posts: 592 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so my husband and I have a home scale that's programmed with our measuerments & gives us weight + body fat.

At the gym they have one of those old doctor typeof weight scales, where you have to move the weights over (hate those scales), okay well that's what the trainers use when it's weigh in day.

MY CARDINAL rule is: I only weigh in at the end of the month.

Today I broke my own cardinal rule (:sad: I know, I know...I KNOW :noway: ) and jumped on it after I had done a 30 min cardio and it showed that I haven't lost ANY weight!! But when I jump on the one at home it shows I've lost close to 9 lbs! :drinker:

Which one should I use? Are they suppose to get calibrated? When is hte time to weigh yourself? How should it be done?

I'm trying so hard not to get discouraged! :embarassed:

Replies

  • Ash10Dent
    Ash10Dent Posts: 75
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    My scale does the same thing!!! At home I've lost close to 10 lbs at the gym I've lost only 3lbs..I don't know what to believe honestly. I want to believe my own but good lord that's a big difference!
  • amw8675309
    amw8675309 Posts: 95 Member
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    which scale did you originally weight yourself on? one or both may not be calibrated correctly, so you may not be able to compare one from the other.

    also--if you drank water during your workout that could have affected the number, or if you weighed in at a different time of day or even if you just had a lot of sodium the last few days. i wouldnt get discouraged!
  • DeniseGdz
    DeniseGdz Posts: 592 Member
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    I know I should really rely on the scale and go by body measurements instead, but it's so hard not to!! Especially when it's right there!
  • savvystephy
    savvystephy Posts: 4,151 Member
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    You should just stick to one, the one you weigh in on more often and follow that scale. So, the 9 lbs loss could be accurate, as the scale at the gym would just say you're 9lb heavier than your home scale does. It's about consistency, really.
  • fukuyama
    fukuyama Posts: 43
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    You should choose one scale...
  • thisisjulz
    thisisjulz Posts: 48
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    Always use the same scale you started weighing with so it is consistent. I weighed at home and then at the doctor with different weights. So now I only count what I weigh at home.
  • CMcBryer
    CMcBryer Posts: 139 Member
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    You should just stick to one, the one you weigh in on more often and follow that scale. So, the 9 lbs loss could be accurate, as the scale at the gym would just say you're 9lb heavier than your home scale does. It's about consistency, really.

    Agreed. Consistency is key.
  • SusieB01
    SusieB01 Posts: 89
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    I was always told that if you get weighed right after exercise you might weigh more. I think it's because fluid is attracted to the muscles you've just been exercising. Don't know if that's right or not.
  • Coco_Puff
    Coco_Puff Posts: 823 Member
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    The old type of scales need to have an adjustment once in a while, so who knows if the gym has kept up with that. Also did you weigh 9 pounds more at the gym when you first started? I weighed more at the Doctors the other day than at home, but my home scale is the one I use each week, their's just once a year. Also, at home I weigh first thing in the morning and I'm naked. Don't try that at the gym!!!!
  • Cherese1983
    Cherese1983 Posts: 211 Member
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    I always weigh myself in the morning ...naked on the same scale. That would be your true weight. Keep in mind at the gym you have clothes on and the could also be heavier due to sweat. I hate the scales at the gym too so I stick to my scale at home!!
  • DeniseGdz
    DeniseGdz Posts: 592 Member
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    Originally I weighed myself at the house and started at 200 lbs. Then I weighed again and lost 4 lbs so I was down to 196.

    I told the trainer that I had weighed at home and it was 196 but he wanted to get an idea at the gym and so the gym scale also showed 196.

    Now both scales seem to be WAY off...I mean 9 lbs is a lot to be off, right?

    You guys are absolutely right. Consistancy is the key. Maybe I should just stick to the one at home and like Coco said, just weigh in the morning, naked and go from there...

    Ultimately, I'm hoping the numbers come through on the measuring tape!! Maybe having a scale is not such a good idea after all?
  • bugnbeansmom
    bugnbeansmom Posts: 292 Member
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    The doctor type scales that are used in a public area tend to get thrown out of calibration easily. Especially if they are moved or kicked a lot. They are pretty easily knocked out of balance. Just use the scale you started with and stay on that one! :) No worries.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    To be fair, I'm usually only in my underwear when I weigh myself at home, right after I do my dooty...to do that at the gym... Entertaining? Yes. Recommended? Arguable. Will it coincide with consistency? No.
  • mislove68
    mislove68 Posts: 240
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    I weight myself in the morning after I pee and naked. Its the best time to weight yourself. I have weighted myself after breakfast just to see what happens. Not that I cared what it said. I drink 3 cups of water with breakfast and it went up 2.5lbs. So there could be alot of factors to it going up.

    I do weight mysself everyday because I like to know what food effects my weight. Ever since I cut my sodium down and went to drinking 12 cups of water my weight doesnt jump around ever.

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