Inaccurate Scales/Weight Loss

Hello,

Does anyone else have a problem with inaccurate scales? The first scale I bought was a $25 dollar basic digital Health-O-Meter scale from Wal-Mart. It was the WORST. One time I stepped on the scale, and it gave me a great chuckle saying I was 90lbs!!! Now, I KNOW your weight fluctuates hour to hour, day to day, so it's truly hard to get a completely accurate reading in the first place, but it seems like every scale I step on has a different reading!

I went to the hospital a week ago, and got weighed by the bed, at 185lbs, (the same as my SW that I took on June 10th!), I was really disappointed because I had completely changed my diet this past month, along with some moderate exercise, and supposedly I hadn't even lost a lb? Now, that first scale WAS inaccurate, but it never weighed me at anything over 185, so I trusted that first weigh in was at least semi-accurate.

I took back the scale to Wal-Mart and traded it out for a Glass Taylor scale that was over $30, because I tested it in store and it weighed me at 185 like the hospital bed did. I went to the hospital because I was sick, they released me saying nothing was wrong, but I ended back in the hospital feeling crappy only two days later. I got weighed on an actual scale, and the lady said the transfer from the Kilo's to lbs was 180 lbs. So either in the matter of two days I lost 5lbs from being sick (obviously possible), or their scales fluctuate and are inaccurate as much as the rest of them.

Anyways, needless to say lately the Taylor Scale has been weighing me anywhere from 174-181. Before I changed my diet, I was CONSTANTLY eating, I'd eat like 5 slices of pizza, a whole bag of chips, soda, etc. Since then I've been using the myfitnesspal tracker, taking pictures of the barcodes of what I eat, etc and have been eating USUALLY around 1200-1600 calories a day. According to an online calculator, after all my info, it estimates I burn around 2,500 calories a day naturally! That being said if I eat 1,500 calories a day, I would be burning at least 1,000 calories a day. 1 lb=3,500 calories. That means I should AT least burn one calorie a week (which I guess would make 174-181 a possibility.) I also live in Arizona, one of the hottest states, and I go swimming at least once a week, and I work to and from work (its a mile a way) at least a few times a week. So, there's some moderate exercise involved. I know that the more weight you lose, the more your numbers change, and eventually my body will not burn 2,500 calories naturally, and that ill need to increase my exercise and eating habits to lose more weight.

So, I guess my 1st question is- What scales do YOU use? How accurate are they? And what do you think is when you get your most accurate reading? (some say do it first thing in the morning before you eat, other say weigh yourself after breakfast, some people say you need your scale up against the wall, others say it doesn't matter as long as it's a hard leveled surface)

My 2nd question is- since my weight fluctuates from 174-181, what do you think is most likely the most accurate weight? Given the information above, and also given that over this month I've had a few cheat days, I had four days where I was eating but not anything over 500-800 calories a day, and the rest of the time it's been mainly healthy eating within 1200-1600 calories.

My last question is- Given off of your weight loss, if anyone could lend me any tricks or tips that they think will help me really lose weight, it'd be appreciated!

I am less interested in the number and more interested in the downward trend that weighing at similar times on the same day of the week is producing.

I am less interested in the number and more interested in the downward trend that weighing at similar times on the same day of the week is producing.

^^ This