New Scale saying different weight than my old one

AnHadley1987

I've had one of those plain bathroom scales for 2 years now, I weighed myself yesterday at 145-147 lbs, reason I say it like that is because I have to adjust the arrow back to zero every time, but once I step off it is back to 3 lbs so I am not sure. I was guessing that I've lost a total of 13 lbs since giving birth. This same scale said I was at 164 lbs when I gave birth 4 months ago (gaining 30 lbs total). Yesterday I purchased a: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Health-o-meter-Silver-Body-Fat-Monitoring-Scale/10264537 and it says I weigh 152 lbs with 34% body fat . How can there be 6 or so lbs difference? Now I feel like crap, and am questioning that stupid old scale!!!!! I look in the mirror, it's obvious I've slimmed down, I've lost 2 1/2 inches on my waist line, 1 inch off my thighs. Hell, I've gone "down" 3 belt loops/holes (whatever you call them) in 2 1/2 months!
Is it just me, or does anyone else seem to have this trouble with scales. I want to change my weight here on mfp to what the digital scale says, but that makes me feel like a liar and like I've taken a hundred steps backwards! What should I do? Part of me just wants to keep trekking along the way I've been doing, training for my Half Marathon in October, keeping my daily calorie goal at 2100 though I hardly meet that. But then another part of me wants to slash my calorie goal to 1200 but I am breastfeeding and as my mileage picks up (long runs increase 1 mile each weekend, this weekend will be 7 miles and my 2 weekly runs are 4 miles each but will increase to 5 miles each next week), I will need those 2100 calories.
I don't know what to do!!!!!

jenniet04

While I can appreciate your frustration, I think it's best to not let the scale ruin your perspective on your goals and the progress you've made so far. If the same scale said you were 164 to start and 147 before you got the new one, then you still lost weight. And you have proof of that is your measurements and your clothes. Even if you aren't where you thought you were, you're better than when you started. Accept the fact that the old scale was probably wrong, change your history in MFP, or just start over and move on. Also, those BF% measurements are not very accurate on those kinds of scales. As long as you see that number trending down over time, you are making progress. Stick with your program because you know it's working. I don't think anyone benefits from eating a 1200 calorie diet, even if you're not breast feeding. And you're right, with all those miles, you need the calories to fuel your body.

AnHadley1987

Thanks, I am trying not to worry over it. As much as it sucks I think I will reset my weight thingy on here.

jenniet04

Sorry if I sounded cold. I think most of us focus too much on the scale though and not enough on how we feel and the progess we've made. Me included. I was down to my lowest in June and gained 5 lbs on vacation and can't seem to get it off. Every time I get on the scale, it has serious cause to stress me out and go on a binge. I have to remember all the progress I've made over the last 6 months and that what I'm doing is working and I just have to stick with it.

AnHadley1987

Yeah, I need to ignore the scale for the most part. Only check it every once in a while (maybe once a month) to see if it has decreased or whatever. I can tell by looking in the mirror and by how my clothes are fitting that I have lost weight, or at least trimmed down some.