Where to place your scale?

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dointhis4me
dointhis4me Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I got a nicer digital scale and had it in my closet of a bathroom. I was content weighing myself to the left of my sink, behind the door until I moved it over by the tub while cleaning. I was nearly a pound and a half lighter a mere three feet away! I became obsessed, fixated on moving the scale around the bathroom trying to figure out how this skinnier vortex had planted itself inside my bathroom. Finally I gave up and moved the scale into the kitchen in an empty corner and there it will stay. Until I'm convinced there's a lighter me lurking in the family room...lmao.

So what dictates a digital scale read anyway? Is it better to have it near a wall? And none of this 'weighing yourself is a waste of time' nonsense. I'm OCD, get over it.
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  • PeaceLuvVeggies
    PeaceLuvVeggies Posts: 375 Member
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    bump.
  • kp_88
    kp_88 Posts: 53 Member
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    Haha this made me laugh!! I have the same problem, I was weighing myself in the same place everyday and one day I moved it and I was heavier! So then I went in the kitchen and I was another half pound heavier from the first move!! So now I'm obsessed with moving it around to find the correct weight lol
  • KaleidoscopeEyes1056
    KaleidoscopeEyes1056 Posts: 2,996 Member
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    I have a friend who says that the placement can matter, especially if you live on a slant or if it's on carpet. I think it has something to do with the magnetism of the earth. Was magnetism the correct word? I don't know. I'm too tired to find out. I'm going back to sleep.
  • Laura_Ivy
    Laura_Ivy Posts: 555 Member
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    Hmmm,that's really strange! I have no clue what could caused a shift in the weight like that. Is your floor unlevel in that spot maybe? I usually weigh myself in the bathroom as well and never even thought a wall could affect it.
  • KaleidoscopeEyes1056
    KaleidoscopeEyes1056 Posts: 2,996 Member
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    by the way, your hamster is cute.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    the levelness of your floor will have more to do with it than anything.

    Another thing that will affect you weight on a digital scale is your body position (e.g., do you tend to lean back or forward or to the side when you step on the scale?) If you have it up against a wall, I would suspect you'd be more likely to lean.

    I have a furniture-style sink cabinet that has legs (e.g., doesn't go all the way to the floor.) I keep my scale under the cabinet, and then slide it out using my toes to precisely the same tile on the floor every morning.
  • PeeTeePee
    PeeTeePee Posts: 235 Member
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    I guess the answer is consistency. I weigh myself once a week, in the morning, just out of the shower. The scales are put in the same place on the bathroom floor. That way nothing changes, except the weight!
  • tmm01
    tmm01 Posts: 137
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    My scales are the same. I can move them to different places in the same room & gain / lose anything upto 4kg, depending where they go. I have now settled on 1 tile in the kitchen. This seems to be the most consistent place. I also take off 1.5kg from the scale weight each time, as when I started this I was weighed in hospital and was 1.5kg lighter than my scales at home. The weight itself my not be truely accurate but at least the amount of weight reduction is. Waiting until my next consultants appointment to weigh in again.
  • trybefan
    trybefan Posts: 488 Member
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    I have a friend who says that the placement can matter, especially if you live on a slant or if it's on carpet. I think it has something to do with the magnetism of the earth. Was magnetism the correct word? I don't know. I'm too tired to find out. I'm going back to sleep.

    This I would agree is the difference. I have to move it around, I have a 93yr old house with wood floors so have to try and find the best place
  • jbeauchamp1
    jbeauchamp1 Posts: 195 Member
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    HAHA love the OCD comment! I have the same exact problem with my stupid one. I have ceramic tile in my bathroom so I sit the scale inside the tile square so it is flat and weigh in. I have to be facing the bathroom door and not the shower or they read differently. It drove me crazy having the different weights so now I just have the exact spot I put it and weigh otherwise I would be in a looney bin trying to find the right spot! :laugh:
  • wendyannie1976
    wendyannie1976 Posts: 205 Member
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    i have mine on the most level kitchen floor tile i have found in my uneven house, solid surface and it gives consistent readings, on a softer surface you can easily influence the results by up to 5lb lighter or heavier i found
  • kittycarson
    kittycarson Posts: 109
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    Mine does this..I am convinced it has something to do with the floor not being level. Place it where you know the floor is on a flat plane.
  • 2012Kristin
    2012Kristin Posts: 222 Member
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    Now I'm probably going to go home and move my scale around!!

    I have no idea why this happens, but I would definitely suggest keeping it in the same spot for all your weigh-ins.
  • prettyfitchick
    prettyfitchick Posts: 502 Member
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    the floor might been uneven giving you a lighter reading one time weighted my self on the carpet rug on the bathroom floor and was almost 9 pounds less must have a scale on even hard floor
  • JaimeBrown5
    JaimeBrown5 Posts: 324
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    I wondered this too - my boyfriend suggested that I put it somewhere and never move it so that the flexing/shifting of the floor couldn't be a factor. The spot it's in now is definitely meaner than where it was before, but I figure it's more accurate now.
  • JaimeBrown5
    JaimeBrown5 Posts: 324
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    Someone should get an actual level out and compare good spots to bad and see which is more level. Just to know...
  • dointhis4me
    dointhis4me Posts: 52 Member
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    @JamieBrown5
    Done and done. I'm calling in sick to work and raiding the bf's tool bag!

    @ everyone else so far...
    I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one! I do rent an older house so I'm sure level flooring is an issue although I did know not to place it on carpeting. That's why I was figuring a wall might give a better read... because it's supported and less chance of sagging? Given my past two day's food related transgressions... I should be placing it directly in front of the fridge. *le sigh*
  • KaleidoscopeEyes1056
    KaleidoscopeEyes1056 Posts: 2,996 Member
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    @JamieBrown5
    Done and done. I'm calling in sick to work and raiding the bf's tool bag!

    @ everyone else so far...
    I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one! I do rent an older house so I'm sure level flooring is an issue although I did know not to place it on carpeting. That's why I was figuring a wall might give a better read... because it's supported and less chance of sagging? Given my past two day's food related transgressions... I should be placing it directly in front of the fridge. *le sigh*

    in front of the fridge is brilliant. then I can look down when I'm reaching for the chocolate pudding and it will be a harsh reminder of what the chocolate pudding did for me in the past. Then I'll just eat grapes. Grapes taste better anyway. I really don't like chocolate pudding... rambling? yep. too tired to be posting.
  • jen_davenport
    jen_davenport Posts: 4 Member
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    This had me ROFL!! has anyone noticed that if you lean slightly forward it's a bit lighter than if you lean a bit more back? The thigs Ive done!
  • wifeyy
    wifeyy Posts: 487 Member
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    @JamieBrown5
    Done and done. I'm calling in sick to work and raiding the bf's tool bag!

    @ everyone else so far...
    I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one! I do rent an older house so I'm sure level flooring is an issue although I did know not to place it on carpeting. That's why I was figuring a wall might give a better read... because it's supported and less chance of sagging? Given my past two day's food related transgressions... I should be placing it directly in front of the fridge. *le sigh*

    in front of the fridge is brilliant. then I can look down when I'm reaching for the chocolate pudding and it will be a harsh reminder of what the chocolate pudding did for me in the past. Then I'll just eat grapes. Grapes taste better anyway. I really don't like chocolate pudding... rambling? yep. too tired to be posting.


    LOL

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