do i believe my scales?

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lee2012w
lee2012w Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so when i joined this site on monday i didn't have a set of scales so i guessed my weight! Anyway my sister gave me a set on wednesday (not digit) and i weighed myself. Now i'm obviously not sure of my weight because it's been years since i weighed myself but the scales said i'm 188lb. What i'm wondering is this morning when i weighed myself they say i'm 180lb. I'm unsure if i should believe them as i didn't think it would be possible to lose 8lb in 4 days!

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  • lee2012w
    lee2012w Posts: 10
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    bump anyone?
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
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    I probably would just go to the local gym--almost all of them have scales you can try. Just get into your routine and weigh yourself in another week or two; any water weight, etc should even itself out if you give it enough time between weigh-ins.
  • Kirkajuice
    Kirkajuice Posts: 311 Member
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    The scales are definitely on a hard, flat floor? You're not weighing yourself in different areas?
  • lee2012w
    lee2012w Posts: 10
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    No same place. i have them in my bedroom on a wooden floor
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    There could be a lot of factors at play.

    Did you weight yourself the same time of the day? If you weighed yourself at night fully dressed, you'll weight significantly more than if you weigh first thing in the morning naked.

    Is the scale in the same place? A different room or having it on bare floor vs carpeting can make a difference.

    Exercise, sodium and hormones can cause strange fluctuation in weight. I've "gained" as much as 8 pounds overnight from a really high sodium food, and had it disappear just as fast.

    But on the other hand, many people do see a large drop on the scale in the first week. It's mostly water weight, and the next week might not show any change at all... sometimes the number even goes up the following week. It's never linear. Be sure to track your progress through measurements, how clothes fit, through fitness goals, and progress photos as well as the scale.
  • matafleur
    matafleur Posts: 5
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    were you wearing clothes and shoes the first time, but not the second time?
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    Make sure you are also weighing yourself at the same time of day...I usually do it first thing in the morning right before I jump in the shower....and also with as few clothes on as possible! I made the mistake of weighing with clothes on in the evening earlier in the week and it was 7lbs more than my last weigh-in. You also have to take into consideration the time of the month and where you are in your cycle. The closer you are to your period its more likely you will retain water, etc.
  • shlottelac
    shlottelac Posts: 41 Member
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    dont' worry about that! Consider 180 your starting point and after try to weight only once a week in the same conditions (mornig, naked, before b)! It is possible you lost a lot in 4 days but some of that is probably water retention! :)
  • lois4468
    lois4468 Posts: 166 Member
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    Put the scale in a place where it can stay put and not move, if it is one you can adjust make sure it is zeroed out, Weight yourself everyday at the same time with the same amount of clothing on, most do it nude. Then use the number you get and even if the scale is off you should get numbers that work. I found moving mine could change what it said. You will lose water in the first week or two. I invested in a good digital one that was weight watchers approved. It also can show other numbers. It was less than $30. I did find it at Costco after I got mine for about $15. Good luck
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
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    Scales can be unreliable. Things to consider:

    Weigh at the same time of day and under the same conditions - First thing in the AM after you morning dump etc. Weight can fluctuate through out the day do to fluids and solids in and out.

    Make sure you set the scale in the same location each time you use it. Different surfaces can change the results - carpet vs tile floor can be a few pounds different. Also the tilt in the floor can make a difference as well.

    Be sure you are standing with feet in same location on scale with balance at the same place - shifts in foot placement and balance can cause changes.

    Scales can have reproducibility issues - if you get off and on a few times with out changing anything - do you get the same reading or does it bounce all over the place?

    TOM can cause water retention - sometimes as much as 5-8 lbs - so before during and after weights can fluctuate.

    Sodium levels can cause water retention too - so if you just cleaned up your diet you may have lost some water weight.

    A lot of people who start out with a new program will drop water weight in the beginning - this is not uncommon but don't expect this to continue at this rate. Make sure you take you measurements, body fat % and pixs , so you have something other than a number from a scale to compare to. The scale can not tell if you are changing your body composition for the better, or how much you strength and stamina has changed.

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