The Scale Moves

Options
Achrya
Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Literally, in this case. My cousin has been working out with me and has dropped twenty pounds since April (She's down to 180 now, so was on the heavier side to start.) She weighed in today at 179, yay! I realize the scale it pushed against the heater, odd place for it, and scooch it back so it's a few inches against the wall. She gets back on (Why? Who knows) and the scale now reads 176.

A debate follows, where I point out that moving the scale can change the weight and she argues that it was in the wrong place to begin with. We grab the weights and lo and behold the scale reads them properly in the 'new' spot. But then we move it back against the heater and...it still reads properly?

Is the scale busted? Should I try heavier weights to check it (I used 5's, as they were on that floor) Should she count the lower weight? Why are scales so stupid?

Replies

  • petechiae
    petechiae Posts: 147 Member
    Options
    You are right, depending on the location of the scale and the level of the floor, the results may vary.
    I don't think your scale is busted. If your scale is digital, do you let it get to zero before you step on it? I found that if I change the scale to one spot, check my weight, and then move it back to the previous spot without letting it reach zero before stepping on it, the results always change. If I power it on, wait 2-3 seconds for it to show "0" and then step on it, everything is back to normal.

    To verify if the lower weight is appropriate, I would take the scale to various locations on the floor or even in other rooms. If the lower result comes back, take the average of the higher weight (179) and the lower one. That would put your cousin at 177.5 pounds.

    Reading this post makes me remember how scales are evil. :< You guys shouldn't obsess with it that much. They are all pieces of junk and your progress should not solely be measured by them.
  • meadowsmummy
    meadowsmummy Posts: 108
    Options
    i have a tiled floor, so i ensure that the scale is lined up with the same square every time i weigh myself
  • dsims_nc
    dsims_nc Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Is this a mechanical scale? (a dial that spins around?) They are super at being inaccurate - tons of things will make them give different readings. I was using one at first and it was really discouraging. So I spent $26 for a new electronic scale and it makes a world of difference. Money well spent.
  • coco3382458
    coco3382458 Posts: 296 Member
    Options
    Is this a mechanical scale? (a dial that spins around?) They are super at being inaccurate - tons of things will make them give different readings. I was using one at first and it was really discouraging. So I spent $26 for a new electronic scale and it makes a world of difference. Money well spent.

    Thats my prob. I need a new scale. My mechanical one pisses me off and moves from the 0 so easily. I need a new one
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Options
    You are right, depending on the location of the scale and the level of the floor, the results may vary.
    I don't think your scale is busted. If your scale is digital, do you let it get to zero before you step on it? I found that if I change the scale to one spot, check my weight, and then move it back to the previous spot without letting it reach zero before stepping on it, the results always change. If I power it on, wait 2-3 seconds for it to show "0" and then step on it, everything is back to normal.

    To verify if the lower weight is appropriate, I would take the scale to various locations on the floor or even in other rooms. If the lower result comes back, take the average of the higher weight (179) and the lower one. That would put your cousin at 177.5 pounds.

    Reading this post makes me remember how scales are evil. :< You guys shouldn't obsess with it that much. They are all pieces of junk and your progress should not solely be measured by them.

    I myself am not too concerned with scales but as I mentioned she's a bit bigger so to her that scale weight is very important. I go by the mirror but even twenty pounds down she claims she can't see a difference.

    It's a digital scale and we let it go to zero during out battery of tests, yes. We actually let it totally reset (going blank) every time we moved it.

Categories