Fluctuating scale within minutes?

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JAG48
JAG48 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone else's scale fluctuate within a few minutes span? This morning I weighed myself and it said I weighed X amount. I was surprised so I got off and weighed myself again a minute later, still X. I then waited about 3 minutes and got on it again, it had now said I gained a pound from X. I decided to walk away and come back 15 minutes later, it then said I was X.5 - lost half a pound from the last time? I did not eat or drink anything during this time period and did not add or remove any clothing so nothing changed between these times. What is going on?!
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Replies

  • iwillsoonbeslim
    iwillsoonbeslim Posts: 283
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    Low battery power?
  • brianna626
    brianna626 Posts: 156
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    NO CLUE, my scale does the same thing!
  • KevDaniel
    KevDaniel Posts: 449 Member
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    Yes I know exactly what you mean.. The scale was an odd obsession I went through weighing myself 3-4 times a day sometimes jumping up 4 pounds or so within moments. I have just come to realize I need to ignore it and only count it once a week or so.. On the upside just pick the lowest one to call your new weight :P
  • mom2boys
    mom2boys Posts: 60 Member
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    Mine does the same thing too! I usually weigh myself within about 15 minutes time and then go with whatever weight I get the most of. I think mine has to do with storing it on it's side though. I just changed the batteries in mine as well.
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Is it an electronic scale? Many are neither accurate nor precise. They can also be affected by being too close to the wall. At any rate, don't obsess and weigh yourself daily or multiple times per day. Instead pick a consistent time to weigh yourself.

    I do it around 6pm after a workout at the gym, with dry hair, and wearing only a towel. That cuts down on the variability.
  • SimplyDeLish
    SimplyDeLish Posts: 539
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    Digital scales will fluctuate...just the nature of the beast.
  • chicco57
    chicco57 Posts: 298
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    I wish I knew mines does that too!
  • mandeiko
    mandeiko Posts: 1,657 Member
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    Yes I know exactly what you mean.. The scale was an odd obsession I went through weighing myself 3-4 times a day sometimes jumping up 4 pounds or so within moments. I have just come to realize I need to ignore it and only count it once a week or so.. On the upside just pick the lowest one to call your new weight :P

    Exactly this for me too.
  • mandeiko
    mandeiko Posts: 1,657 Member
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    My mom and I like to joke that it is a gravity shift on Earth.
  • gymrat789
    gymrat789 Posts: 7 Member
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    don't obsess over bathroom scales, they are not 100 % accurate, Fluctuations are very common. the main thing is that you have to use the same scale in monitoring your weight. Weigh yourself ONCE per week and monitor the weight changes. scales differ from each other. i used to compare my weight from my bathroom scale to the one in our gym and they were 5 lbs apart. so i decided to stick to one scale instead. the important thing is that if you lose x amount of weight in a month, that should be enough.
  • rmancha
    rmancha Posts: 14 Member
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    I thought I was the only one going crazy with my scale!..So what do you recomend out there?...should we just not use a digital scale anymore?
  • James_1954
    James_1954 Posts: 187 Member
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    Does anyone else's scale fluctuate within a few minutes span? This morning I weighed myself and it said I weighed X amount. I was surprised so I got off and weighed myself again a minute later, still X. I then waited about 3 minutes and got on it again, it had now said I gained a pound from X. I decided to walk away and come back 15 minutes later, it then said I was X.5 - lost half a pound from the last time? I did not eat or drink anything during this time period and did not add or remove any clothing so nothing changed between these times. What is going on?!

    Let's assume you weigh 150 lb (can't see your profile). What you're reporting here sounds like a random variation of one pound, peak-to-valley, in a short time. If you're 150 lb, that's a total variance of 0.7%, which ain't much. If your scale reading surprised you, and your response was to remeasure multiple times, I like your instincts ... you were quantifying the variation. To retell your story, assuming that X = 150, you recorded weights of 150.0, 150.0, 151.0, and 150.5. At that point, you can walk away like an engineer and say, "My weight this morning is 150.5 ± 0.5 lb."

    Every physical measurement is associated with a non-zero amount of random variation, or "noise." Sounds like the "noise" on your scale is about ± 0.35%. That's not bad at all. And weighing at infrequent intervals is a good idea, too. that way, you're not trying to discern changes in your weight that are "within the noise" (more engineering-speak) of your measuring device.

    Cheers!
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I thought I was the only one going crazy with my scale!..So what do you recomend out there?...should we just not use a digital scale anymore?

    They say that digital scales are better, because the classic scale has moving parts that are more prone to damage. I seriously doubt that a digital bathroom scale is precise to half a pound though.

    You can also see fluctuations if you aren't standing in EXACTLY the same place on the scale. Maybe make some markings with a Sharpie to be consistent in how you weigh yourself?
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
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    Lots of scales have inaccuracies and inadequacies. If its battery operated the batteries could be getting low as well.
    Often times I will weigh myself 3 times in the course of a minute and take the average weight as my current weight. Cheap bathroom scales tend to fluctuate. Also make sure you are putting your big toes in the exact same spot every time so that each time you weigh yourself you are standing on the scale in the same position. Mark where your big toes go with some colored tape or something so that you maintain the same position on the scale each time you weigh.
  • evilbanks
    evilbanks Posts: 166
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    Does anyone else's scale fluctuate within a few minutes span? This morning I weighed myself and it said I weighed X amount. I was surprised so I got off and weighed myself again a minute later, still X. I then waited about 3 minutes and got on it again, it had now said I gained a pound from X. I decided to walk away and come back 15 minutes later, it then said I was X.5 - lost half a pound from the last time? I did not eat or drink anything during this time period and did not add or remove any clothing so nothing changed between these times. What is going on?!

    I think your scale is jacked.....................
  • mrdavidjk
    mrdavidjk Posts: 105
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    i found that battery operated ones do that.
    i can weigh different amounts when i weigh myself in 5 minutes
    i weigh in using my wi fit board, it doesn't vary
  • JAG48
    JAG48 Posts: 6 Member
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    Wow! Thanks everyone! I'm glad to see it's not just my scale! It is a digital scale I've had for a few years and I try to place my feet in the same place every time (right in the middle). James your reply cracked me up but definitely made a lot of sense! I'll accept maybe it's just a bit off and go with the average. I'm at a plateau right now and I'm also at the 'average' weight for my height so every little pound and half-pound right now counts! (Bride to be) :) Thank you sooooo much everyone! I really thought I was going crazy!
  • audigal2008
    audigal2008 Posts: 1,129 Member
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    NO CLUE, my scale does the same thing!
    mine 2! Frustrating!
  • minnie86
    minnie86 Posts: 187
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    mine too. when i do my weekly weigh-in i seriously take the average of 3 trials!
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
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    Lots of scales have inaccuracies and inadequacies. If its battery operated the batteries could be getting low as well.
    Often times I will weigh myself 3 times in the course of a minute and take the average weight as my current weight. Cheap bathroom scales tend to fluctuate. Also make sure you are putting your big toes in the exact same spot every time so that each time you weigh yourself you are standing on the scale in the same position. Mark where your big toes go with some colored tape or something so that you maintain the same position on the scale each time you weigh.

    THANKS for this tip about the tape. I'm going to pay attention to this-AND change the batteries.

    I was convinced the stinkin' thing was demon possessed and was going to cast it out. The neighbor has some pigs nearby.

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