My Scale is not my friend

kdbell
kdbell Posts: 37
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I weigh myself in my house it says one thing, i weigh myself in my families house it says something similar, i weigh myself at another persons house it says 6lbs more than what i am. And the doctors always says something different. Where can i get some accuracy?

Replies

  • I think it is best to just use one scale or if you are going to use more than one only compare a weight that you previously got from the same scale. We had a biggest loser competition at work and the lady in charge kept changing the scales so there was no accuracy. It ended up being a disaster and somehow I got kicked out of the competition because I complained about the changing scale. My doctor's scale is off of my scale by about 2 lbs., so when I compare my weight, I make sure not to compare the one from my scale to my doctors. Also if you want to check yours, you can get something like a medicine ball or handweight and put that on the scale and see how accurate your scale actually is.
  • Go out and buy a really good digital scale. I have one that keeps track of my weight for me - tells me when I have lost a pound or gained it. DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF ANY PLACE OTHER THAN AT YOUR HOUSE. Don't try out someone elses scale unless you are ready to disregard what it says. The doctors' scales are usually accurate (unfortunately) but with a digital scale at your house, it should be really close. Now weigh yourself and then forget it! I weigh every day and have done so for over three years - it keeps me honest. Some people can't do that. I promised myself that I would weigh myself and then no matter what it said, I would just go about my day. Weigh and forget it!

    Good luck.

    M
  • kdbell
    kdbell Posts: 37
    Thanks, that has been my biggest challenge is one understanding that muscle weighs more, and two being able to get on the scale and not obsess about it all day. I obsess about it and then i beat myself up and on a good day it might say something nice. Also I'm on birth control which i'm not sure how much that affects might weight but i know it can
  • I don't think it's really the accuracy of the measurement that counts as long as you're using the same scale always, you can see if you are losing weight or not. My scale is like 3-4lbs less than any other scale and I like it that way (hey I can say I'm lighter than I may be in actuality). Also the time of day can make a BIG difference. I always weigh first thing in the morning after urinating and before eating anything. As the day goes on the body retains water and 1 liter of fluid retained in the body is equivilant to 1kg or 2.2lbs!! I weighed myself at work one day on the patient scale (I work in a hospital) and it said i was 7 lbs heavier! granted it was later in the day and I had drank a lot of fluid and eaten breakfast,but after that I will stick to my scale that is nicer to me. lol
  • Sweetie_Pie92
    Sweetie_Pie92 Posts: 314 Member
    The digital one I have at home, the one at the doctor, the one at Curves always say different things. I only go by what I get from my scale when I weigh at the same time each morning.
  • cmw72
    cmw72 Posts: 390 Member
    I hate my scale too, which is rough because I'm a compulsive weigher. I can weigh myself 5 times and get a different result each time! Usually, I just keep weighing myself until I get the same number twice in a row, and call it good.

    The other morning, I weighed myself so many times, it felt like I as doing step aerobics!

    If I weigh myself on my wife's scale, It usually reads up to three pounds lighter! Then again, that's only like 1% of my total body weight, so that's probably within their margin of error. 1% sounds like a pretty reasonable tolerance, I guess...

    Something tells me if I want something that is both accurate and consistent, It's gonna cost me more than $30 or $40.
  • drvvork
    drvvork Posts: 1,162
    When it comes to scales (call me old fashion) I just don't trust the digitals unless they plug into the wall. The batteries may not be fully charged or can be jarred to read different. I have both a digital and an analog - I prefer the analog. I calibrate the analog with my Kettlebell and its done... the digital isn't as easy to calibrate. :bigsmile:

    But definitely just pick one scale to weigh by... a suggestion though... when you go to the doctor's and weigh... go straight home without eating or drinking anything and don't alter anything you are wearing to what you had on at the doctor's scale and stand on the scale... set your home scale to his or her's be it up or down, that way you have the weight that counts. IMO:flowerforyou:
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