I think my scale is lying?

themusicdude
themusicdude Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Last time I was at the doc I weighed 420 pounds; since then I've lost approximately 20 pounds (going by food journals and exercise logs). Today I stepped on my home scale and it had me "only" weighing 357.6?! That can't possibly be correct. Either I lost weight that I didn't notice since I last went to the doc, or my scale is radically off. Any ideas on how to pin this down?

Replies

  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Check your batteries in your scale, get on it 3 times in a row to get confirmation of the number. From now on - only use the SAME SCALE in the SAME POSITION every time you weigh. Do not go back and forth between your doctor's scale and your scale at home. They will always show something different (though, it should not be drastically different)
  • phoenixx866
    phoenixx866 Posts: 173 Member
    First, check the batteries, then lay your scale on a flat surface. Find something in your house that you know weighs a certain amount - for example, a 5 lb bag of dog food, etc. Put that on the scale and see if it's accurate or not. If it's accurate then congratulations!
  • btc1987
    btc1987 Posts: 94 Member
    1. Go to a friend's house and weigh yourself.
    2. Go to a gym and weigh yourself.
    3. Buy another scale and weigh yourself.

    Also if you're weighing yourself with clothes on at the doctor and not at home, that can make a huge difference. Typically you don't strip to be weighed at the doc, but you do at home.
  • jdfergason
    jdfergason Posts: 3
    Many cheap bathroom scales have a weight limit of 400 lbs. Also some of the scales that use electrical impulses to measure body fat, water content, etc. are widely inaccurate. Some users report a variance of 20 - 30 lbs.

    I would pick up a simple good old fashion scale like this one http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-SAB602-05-Full-View-Scale/dp/B0014JRAAY/ref=sr_1_8?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1405807606&sr=1-8&keywords=scale
  • mtyler7718
    mtyler7718 Posts: 24
    Well the first question is how long has it been since you went to the doctor? You have quite a bit of weight to lose and when you do have a lot to lose, it can really melt off at first (I know this because I once lost almost 100 lbs--without surgery--it was when my thyroid had gone hypoactive without my knowing it--gained almost 100 lbs in a year but I was depressed by my first husband's death at that time so I chalked it up to eating chocolate frosting out of a can).

    But I digress. I agree with the others that you should ONLY use one scale--and in my not so humble opinion, I think you should weigh yourself on a regular basis. Not every day but once a week or even once a month. When I don't weigh myself and log my food regularly, I can delude myself with how much I am eating. I have finally learned (I hope) that it is much easier to lose a few pounds than it is 10, 20 or more.

    If you lost that much in a month, then that would be unhealthy. But those digital scales can be wrong--if water gets inside them it can screw the readings off. I'd invest in a really good scale. I use the "thinner" ones (which I HATE the name but they are extremely accurate). My husband and I are bicoastal and we have the same "Thinner" scale on each coast and they are both exactly in synch.

    Good luck--and congrats! :flowerforyou:
  • ecphillips1286
    ecphillips1286 Posts: 331 Member
    Also check your weight at around the same time of day. Everyone's weight fluctuates throughout the day. Best time is first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
    other things to consider,
    1) the flatness of the surface your scale is on even a slight slope can affect how your weight is distributed
    2) f you are standing in a different spot on the scale the weight can register differently
    3) the weight fluctuates upto 1-2kg during the day
    4) different scales register differently even tho they shouldn't
    5) and lastly scales are not 100% accurate

    and none of that is taking into account body composition, especially water retention or release which is the majority of your weight differences from day to day.

    depending on your lifestyle for the most consistant reading you're best to weigh yourself in the nude or with just underwear on soon as you get up and have gone to the toilet, that should be your lightest point of the day being the most time since any food or fluids has entered the body.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Over what time period is this? If it's been a few weeks, I would highly suspect the scale. If it's been many months, it could be accurate. I know I am horrible at gauging where I am at weight wise. The logs and journals are not going to be accurate for many reasons. When are you due to return to your doctor? Others have mentioned great points about the scale battery and possible limitations of the scale.

    Congratulations on your loss so far (whatever that number may be). :smile:
  • fitsporation96
    fitsporation96 Posts: 117
    Hello,

    Are you doctors or your scales mechanical? if they are mechanical they are more accurate, always go by your clothes also, or you could weigh yourself in a store, they have a scale usually.

    Have a great day.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
    You should only go by one set of scales. If you believe your scales are accurate, only go by them and ignore the doctor's scales. And always weigh under the same conditions at the same time of day. Doctor's scales will always weigh you more. For one thing, you have eaten. For another, you have clothes on. On average, you'll weigh 6 pounds more at the doctor's office.

    Also, regardless of the numbers, the important thing is if the scales are going down or not.
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
    Ditto on the use the same scale. I would take it a bit further and say be sure to use the same scale at the Dr's office. The scale by my primary care dr is different than the one in the nutritionist's wing - there are at least 4 different scales in the office and they all weigh differently. Every Friday, I go the same scale, in basically the same clothes (same shoes, etc). It will eliminate the doubt.
    And ditto on the congrats - keep up the good work!
  • mysmileighs
    mysmileighs Posts: 103 Member
    Echoing the suggestion to only go by the the number on one scale consistently. The number my doctor records is his scale number minus 10-15 pounds! HUGE difference.
  • themusicdude
    themusicdude Posts: 35 Member
    Swapped out the batteries and tried again. Read the same. I checked on my scale (Taylor 7516) and it's rated to 440 pounds. My last visit to the doc was last Sepetember and I definitely didn't do anything to change my diet or fitness level until March. I've got no freaking clue what's going on... Guess I'll just log with this scale every Monday morning before I go to the gym and see what he data says.
  • amy32lynn
    amy32lynn Posts: 157 Member
    put a 45 weight on it ...if it says 45 pounds then its right!!!!!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Can you maybe find someplace with the old analogue scales? I agree with checking to see if the scale is accurate by putting something you know the weight of onto it. Although it could be out incrementally, so the greater the weight, the more it is out by. Have you noticed a difference in your clothing?

    That's four months since you made changes and you may have subconsciously made changes previous to that. It's not outside the realm of possibilities that your scale could be pretty close. When you have more to lose, you can have larger drops at the beginning. Are you seeing your doctor again in September?
  • salvationsdying
    salvationsdying Posts: 205 Member
    I think you might have a right reading if its been that long. I've only been doing this since feb and I've lost 43 pounds. I lost 10 in a week and a half when I started. I started at 271. I was told the bigger the number the quicker it drops at first. So you probably dropped it. Do you clothes feel baggy? Do you feel different? Maybe make a "check up" apppointment, and see what that scale says. But sounds to me like you really did lose it.
  • themusicdude
    themusicdude Posts: 35 Member
    My clothes are definitely looser, although I certainly wouldn't call them baggy. I had a pair of pants fall right off the other day, but I suffer from an extreme case of "white guy pancake *kitten*" and even with pants that fit they'll idle down. These came right off.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    weigh yourself at home. put a five pound bag of potatoes on the scale and check if it weighs correctly.


    I also find when my scale is on hardwood floors..it weighs differently in different spots on the floor.
  • strbryt
    strbryt Posts: 488 Member
    Well looks like you have gotten a lot of good responses. I am just gonna say that my fingers are crossed for you that you lost more weight than you realized. That would be awesome.

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