Scale Fluctuations - within minutes

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  • beansNboo
    beansNboo Posts: 23 Member
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    Your weight is a measurement, and every measurement will come with some error. That means each of those weights should come with "error-bars" indicating that your true weight may be anywhere within those error bars. It's not the scale's fault, it's how measurement works, particularly when measuring such a complex thing (human body). I weigh myself once, always at the same time of day. Use that number as a guide, but remember that any given day that number could be off a few ounces-pounds. The amount of error is likely described in your scale's instuction manual. The last thing you want to do is weigh yourself numerous times a day. Weight fluctuates so much throughout the day, you'll make yourself nuts. :)
  • Jenny_Taylia
    Jenny_Taylia Posts: 540 Member
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    Hmmm. My issue is my weight changes when I move the scale. Its a different weight in the kitchen vs the dining room. Different weight on one spot on the kitchen floor vs another spot on the kitchen floor. Im not talking a few ounces diffence...It chances 2, 4 ..even a 10 pound difference!
  • Colleen118
    Colleen118 Posts: 491 Member
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    stop causing yourself the stress.... weigh ONCE and accept that number UNLESS it is significantly higher or lower than the day before. I weigh myself once, every day and that is it. I woudl put myself into a tizzy if I weighed 5 times and it kept changing like that. Digital scales are just taht way. Anything can affect the accuracy, You weight will shift throughout the day for various reasons. Stop stressing yoursef out with finding the right number. Weigh once in the morning and stay off the scale the rest of the day/week/month/// whatever your interval for weighng yourself is. GOOD LUCK :glasses:
  • Merrychrissmith
    Merrychrissmith Posts: 238 Member
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    Hmmm. My issue is my weight changes when I move the scale. Its a different weight in the kitchen vs the dining room. Different weight on one spot on the kitchen floor vs another spot on the kitchen floor. Im not talking a few ounces diffence...It chances 2, 4 ..even a 10 pound difference!

    I suspect gravity fuctuations. I am alwways heavier when I leave the kitchen than when leaving any other room.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    normal household scales aren't precise enough to measure partial pounds. I would disregard any fluctuation smaller than 3 lbs. consider it part of your daily weight fluctuation (which should be at minimum a 6 lb bubble around your real weight anyway, mine is 8 lbs, I.E. my target weight is 187, if I'm anywhere from 191 to 183 I'm within my bubble and consider myself maintaining).
  • mensasu
    mensasu Posts: 355 Member
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    Mine causes problems also. When I researched it on the web what I found was
    1) Must be on level surface
    2) Not on hardwood (I found this surprising, but it has too much "give")
    3) Do not move it!
    4) Step on the same way each time and the same foot location
    5) If it has "body fat" keep in mind that that measurement is likely not very accurate either
    6) Doesn't matter if its digital or not, and even professional scales at the doctor's can have reading fluctuations.

    Fundamentally, you can not be sure of an "accurate" weight. If you do the above you will minimize reading fluctuations which will then give you a proper "trend". If you are trying to lose less than 5-10 pounds, good luck on using the scale for accuracy. Keep in mind also that on a daily basis your weight can fluctuation quite a bit from water retention and also "solid retention".

    I think this is why so many people say use a measuring tape.
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
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    My scale fluctuates as well. And, in the past 10 years I have owned 3 different scales and all but 1 varied - that non-varying one was analog.

    I even had a sweet spot on our old bathroom floor where I knew my weight would be the lowes....silly really now that I think about it.

    I weigh myself every morning, but only record it on here once a week....I even weigh myself at the end of the day some days, mostly out of curiousity.

    Daily my weight fluctuates between .4 and 1.5 pounds in the morning and between 1.2 and 3 pounds in the evening.
  • jezzi16
    jezzi16 Posts: 128 Member
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    Hmm doesn't happen with my scale its Sharper Image and have had it for about 5 years.
  • Colleen118
    Colleen118 Posts: 491 Member
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    Hmmm. My issue is my weight changes when I move the scale. Its a different weight in the kitchen vs the dining room. Different weight on one spot on the kitchen floor vs another spot on the kitchen floor. Im not talking a few ounces diffence...It chances 2, 4 ..even a 10 pound difference!

    I suspect gravity fuctuations. I am alwways heavier when I leave the kitchen than when leaving any other room.

    LOL - that's awesome :drinker:
  • quiltlady77
    quiltlady77 Posts: 93 Member
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    I just got my Weight Watchers Scale it has been consistent with getting on and off of it several times. The only thing I don't like about it, is it says to tap it, that doesn't work with a foot or even a hand so I have an old battery operated back scratcher which looks like an arm with a hand on the end. I keep this in the bathroom and use it to tap the scale and it works every time.

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