Broken Scale?

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lchalmers
lchalmers Posts: 52
in Health and Weight Loss
So I weight myself this morning, wearing light sweatpants & a tee shirt, & my scale told me i weigh 239, which made me frustrated. (that would mean i gained 2 pounds)

But 10 minutes later i went back on the scale with nothing on & it said i weighed 235!

I'm almost POSITIVE i didnt lose 4 pounds in 10 minutes! haha!

is it time for a new scale...? because my sweatpants and shirt did NOT weigh 4 pounds!
P.S. this scale isnt digital, its the old fashioned arrow going around a circle.

Replies

  • Maidei
    Maidei Posts: 114 Member
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    I would say it's possible that it's broken. My scale started doing the same thing, but I kept it for another 2 weeks just to make sure it wasn't due to water fluctuations or something else and I ended up replacing it. Turns out it was telling me I was 3lbs heavier than I really was after stepping on 3 other scales that gave me consistent numbers. But then again I had had the scale for over 2yrs and digital so it was probably in need to replacement. The new one is consistent and I haven't had the problem since.

    Did you check the calibration on your scale?
  • DJJW
    DJJW Posts: 519 Member
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    Scales are funny. If you don't keep it in the same spot on the floor every time it weigh weird. If you have anything moving on the floor ( I had to stop weighing in the laundry room cause the washer and dryer being on changed it) a flushing toilet in the same room? I always weigh myself a couple times till I get the same number twice.
    Just in case it is broken, go get some hand weights or a full bag of potatoes, or something that you know the weight, just to make sure
  • bonnymom
    bonnymom Posts: 107 Member
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    In my personal experience, some mornings, I can weigh myself right after getting up and going to the bathroom, then weigh myself after taking a shower and drying my hair and find that I weigh less then I did first thing. Sometimes it takes a few to several minutes for your body to "settle" after sleeping all night. So that could be your situation. Take the loss! I would! LOL! :)

    Analog scales aren't as accurate as a digital scale. I have also found the standing on an analog scale and looking down at the number shows a lower weight then if you are looking straight out. The benefit with the digital scale is that you can look forward and after a few seconds step off the scale and see what your weight was. Other benefits are that most digital scales will store the data and tell you your BMI and how much you lost from last time. :)
  • melanie92
    melanie92 Posts: 184 Member
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    Did you look to see if the needle pointed at zero both times? Sometimes you have to adjust the dial to re-calibrate the reading.
    (Edited for a typo!)
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
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    My scale will fluctuate about a pound or so. I don't know if its broken or just normal. Sometimes I will weigh myself, go to the bathroom, weigh myself again, and weight more!

    It also may have something to do with how you positioned your feet on the scale. Sometimes depending on how you stand on it, your weight can fluctuate a bit.
  • glittersoul
    glittersoul Posts: 671
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    No idea if it's actually broken or not. Like nightowl said about where your feet are really does make a big difference. I know mine is in need of replacing but its also like 6 years old or so. It told me that I weighed 56 lbs yesterday lol
  • grumpy2032
    grumpy2032 Posts: 92 Member
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    I was using my moms scale She lives 7 minutes from me.(love to hang out with her)But cant go every day So I gave in and got one for me .it was under 20.$ at Wal Mart now I can get on the scale more then once a week. if I wont to.

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