Scale??

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deana_lynne
deana_lynne Posts: 77
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a cheap digital scale, and I'm really starting to think I may need a new one.......I started dieting thursday and I was 202 lbs, there is no way that by today, I am 197.3..........5lbs in 4 days..I don't beleive that.....it gave me many numbers but 197.3 was more than once...do you think I should purchase a new scale? Does that sound right?


What kind of scale do you have?

Replies

  • khillman77
    khillman77 Posts: 66
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    I have a digital scale also that I'm thinking of getting rid of because I don't trust it, but if you have eaten and done your workouts right, then maybe your number is correct! Keep up the good work!
  • taryn_perry
    taryn_perry Posts: 193 Member
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    I say DITCH THE SCALE
  • skywalker
    skywalker Posts: 1,533
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    It is possible, especially if you just started. The initial loss is usually fluid, so the first week usually shows the biggest numbers. My first week was like that. Keep at it and don't toss the scale just yet. :laugh:
    Great job! :drinker:
  • taryn_perry
    taryn_perry Posts: 193 Member
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    Sorry....my post got submitted before I was done!! :)

    Yes, ditch the scale. I think that we rely on them too much and when we don't see the # we want, we get discouraged, disappointed and frustrated. Thus, leading to revert back to old habits, right?

    Instead, judge your success by how you FEEL mentally and in your clothes and your ENERGY level. Those are far better indicators than a # on the scale. Your weight will naturally come down if you have your nutrition dialed in (75% of success is from nutrition, not workouts) and you'll be slipping into smaller clothes sooner than you know.

    That's my 2 cents....I hate the scale and mine now collects dust. :sad:
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
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    No, no. It's probably right. It's water weight. I lost over 7 pounds in the first week. Once it starts coming off in 1-2 pound a week increments, you'll know it's real fat loss.

    If you ever watch Biggest Loser, it's the reason why these people lose 10-20 pounds in the first week. (Its so dangerous in the following weeks though) But it's completely normal for people to lose that much (and even more!) when just beginning.

    But like I said, it's water weight, not fat. You won't see any difference in how your body looks or how you clothes fit just yet. Good luck!
  • miqisha
    miqisha Posts: 1,534 Member
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    I dont think you should throw your scale away, the numbers maybe correct. Just keep up the good work!!!!

    However, keep in mind that most of that weight you initially lost, may just have been water weight.

    The hard part now begins, with loosing the actual weight, so keep doing the good job you have been doing so far

    Test your scale by putting a ten lb weight on it ( or any weight, or even a 5lb bag of rice etc), to see if it is accurate, that way you will know it has been logging your weight correctly

    Keep going strong :smile:
  • k_wills
    k_wills Posts: 82 Member
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    I'm sure you've already thought of this....but are you weighing yourself at the same time of day...and wearing similar clothing?
    The difference between morning and evening weight can be as much as 2-3lb, which might account for some.
  • paramedic192
    paramedic192 Posts: 5 Member
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    Don't worry about the first week. The same thing happened to me. Remember, when we first start dieting our body metabolism is still running based on our previous eating habits. It takes about two weeks for our body to adjust to our new eating habits and caloric intake. So, while our bodies are adjusting, we tend to burn more calories. Most people lose about the same as you the first week; I did. There are a few key things to remember about the scale:

    First and foremost: Don't worry about the scale. It is better to use body measurements than the scale, especially if you are starting an exercise program, and even more importantly if you are starting any type of weight or strength training program. Muscle weighs more than fat. My goal is to be below 230 lbs, because this is what is required to keep my job as a flight nurse on a helicopter. My personal goal is to fit comfortably in size 34 jeans again (we'll see about size 32 after that). I figure this should be somewhere around 180lbs, but I am focused more on the fit of my clothes than the numbers on the scale.

    Second, don't get on the scale every day. We can easily get obsessed about numbers that way. Weigh yourself once, maybe twice a week (evenly spaced out through the week). Weigh yourself at the same time each day; early morning as soon as you get up is the best. By doing this you will get a more consistent measurement. There are so many factors that can affect our weight, including water weight, food intake, etc.

    Third, and this one may seem obvious, but a lot of people forget this one by accident. Always weigh yourself in the same clothes. I wear boxers, a t-shirt, and socks. I laughed last month when my doctor told me I had put on five pounds since my last visit. Well my last visit was in August and I was wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals. Last month it was 30 degrees out and I had jeans, an undershirt, a heavy cotton shirt, and heavy winter boots on. In reality I was probably down two or three pounds.

    The last thing about scales, especially digital scale: Remember to zero it before you get on it each time.

    You're not alone. We all get hung up on the numbers; and I am no better. You should have seen the look on my face when I got on the scale today and found my weight up by two pounds from four days ago. My eating habits have been great and I have been working out, so I couldn't figure out what went wrong. The third time I got on, my partner at work zinged me with a rubber band and told me to get off the thing. Then he asked me how my flight suit felt. It felt more loose than last week and I didn't have to suck my gut in as much to tie my boots. He took the scale away and hid it until next week. We just need to remember, muscle weighs more than fat.

    Keep up the good work.


    Kyle
  • katielouhoo
    katielouhoo Posts: 676 Member
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    you've gotten some good advice posted.

    i agree with checking the scale for accuracy. good plan. if you do find the scale is faulty and needs to be replaced (not just new batteries) i have read posts from a number of folks complaining about the weight watchers scale- just something to avoid if you are out shopping.
  • deana_lynne
    deana_lynne Posts: 77
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    Yea for sure, great advice!

    I decided not to count the loss today & weigh this coming thursday which will be a week from when I started..........I'm also going to to def check my scale w/ some weights or somthing to make sure its accurate!

    Thanks everyone GREAT advice :)
  • kimmrdodge
    kimmrdodge Posts: 190 Member
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    Well it is possible, the first week that I started dieting I lost 10.5 lbs. Sadly I stopped after that week and gained 3 of those back. But it definitely is possible. Just don't expect huge numbers the next week. Its part of why I stopped, I was disappointed I was doing the same thing and wasn't really losing like that anymore. I'm back on track now so it's ok. :)
  • paramedic192
    paramedic192 Posts: 5 Member
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    You should check the weight for accurateness, but remember, it's not the starting number that counts... it's the difference between last week and next week, and the week after that really matters.


    Kyle
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    When I first started, I lost 5 pounds in a few days. It's because I was eating bad and it was just water weight loss. It'll slow down now.
  • Shannoncore
    Shannoncore Posts: 135
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    yes ditch the scale because they can be off but your weight can actually fluctuate alot over a week due to lose of water weight sodium intake bloating and your menstrual cycle.
    the only time i weigh in is for this site. other then that i go by how my clothes fit because if you stare at a scale every day you will stress your self out bad!!!
  • irunwithscissors
    irunwithscissors Posts: 89 Member
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    Dont throw it away! I lost a lot my first week, then my second week I gained a pound. So it seems odd and sometimes discouraging, but we have water weight and muscle gains and all that good stuff that is really confusing! Great Job though! That means you are getting somewhere! :)
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I say DITCH THE SCALE

    WORD.

    GET A TAPE MEASURE AND MEASURE!!!!

    We ended up getting an analog dial scale because every digital one we had said something totally different. The dial scale is nice because you can make sure that it's calibrated everytime.
  • FabulousFifty
    FabulousFifty Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I love that scale...if you ditch it give it to me! :laugh: Jokes aside, your first week you lose alot of water weight. Your scale may be accurate. Do you have access to another one somewhere so you could double check now and then? Mine is digital and matches my doctor's readout. Hmmmmmm.....I am not much help here!
  • jbest73
    jbest73 Posts: 18 Member
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    Check the battery too. Either way I hate the scale.
  • deana_lynne
    deana_lynne Posts: 77
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    Yea I'm not getting back on it till Thursday or so :")

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