Digital scale problem?

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babushka700
babushka700 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I am curious if anyone else has this issue with a digital scale: I weigh myself once a week in the morning and sometimes the first time I step on it registers higher then expected as I have been consistently loosing 1-2 pounds a week for 3 months. I immediately step off and weigh myself several more times right then and the next three weights will register the same, a couple pounds lower then the first time I stepped on. I am careful to stand the same way and not move until it has time to register. I know it is not a big deal as long as the overall trend for the month is successful but since I break my weight loss down into 5 pound mini goals to stay motivated, I hate to celebrate prematurely. Could this be a problem for people with more to loose? Maybe my balance is off and I don't realize. I am 5'3" and 178 right now, started at 216 and would like to end up about 140. Maybe I need a more expensive scale. Right now I am just happy to be loosing but this concerns me for when a reach a point where the weight loss slows down or I am trying to maintain. Thanks for your thoughts.

Replies

  • supermodelchic
    supermodelchic Posts: 550 Member
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    Good job on your weight loss so far, I have 2 scales in my bathroom LOL maybe you should buy a back up scale ..
  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
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    Hmm, maybe the scale is either dysfunctional or you have it on an uneven surface which tips a little when you first step on? Have you tried moving the scale to another location? This may not be it, but just an idea? :confused:
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
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    The first digital scale i had was great and accurate. But the current one shows higher weight the first time i step on it 95% of the time. I have to step down, weigh something else and then i step up and it shows accurate weight. Its weird.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I had a scale that did that. It eventually got to the point that the first weight it showed would be 10lbs heavier than any subsequent weight. I decided I didn't trust it and got a new scale. The scale that replaced it doesn't have that problem. I think it was just getting old and dying slowly on me.
  • MamaRiss
    MamaRiss Posts: 481 Member
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    How fresh are the batteries? As the ones in my food scale died the weights were very erratic. Before buying a new one for $50 or more, try replacing the batteries. And also trying different locations in the house. My inlaws have to keep their scale in the basement as it is the most stable surface in the house
  • babushka700
    babushka700 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thank you all for the feedback! I am going to try fresh batteries and weigh in the kitchen instead of the bathroom as the bathroom has tile that may not be even. Then if it keeps happening, backup scale it is.
  • sparkly75
    sparkly75 Posts: 29 Member
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    Exactly this happened to me this morning!
    I moved the scale around the house to find that I was 4lbs lighter in one area!
    I don't know which area of the house to trust ( naturally I want to believe the lighter weight haha )
    I was actually a little down hearted when I saw I had gained a pound yesterday!
    Which is ridiculous as I have lost just under a dress size in 3 weeks!
    It cant be the batteries as I only just bought the scale!
    I've decided to ignore them and it's not about the number - I know how much effort I've put in and its about looking and feeling better not the stupid number on the scale!
    x

  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    edited October 2014
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    babushka700 wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    I am curious if anyone else has this issue with a digital scale: I weigh myself once a week in the morning and sometimes the first time I step on it registers higher then expected as I have been consistently loosing 1-2 pounds a week for 3 months. I immediately step off and weigh myself several more times right then and the next three weights will register the same, a couple pounds lower then the first time I stepped on. I am careful to stand the same way and not move until it has time to register. I know it is not a big deal as long as the overall trend for the month is successful but since I break my weight loss down into 5 pound mini goals to stay motivated, I hate to celebrate prematurely. Could this be a problem for people with more to loose? Maybe my balance is off and I don't realize. I am 5'3" and 178 right now, started at 216 and would like to end up about 140. Maybe I need a more expensive scale. Right now I am just happy to be loosing but this concerns me for when a reach a point where the weight loss slows down or I am trying to maintain. Thanks for your thoughts.
    Mine did that as well.
    It resets if you step back on but lean on a table or counter. And I can vary the result depending on where I place my feet.
    hehe :)

    I ended up just trashing it and getting a regular scale that is more accurate and 100% consistent. gcjylsm8tqro.jpg

  • nomoredoughnuts
    nomoredoughnuts Posts: 130 Member
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    Same thing happened to me today!

    Stepped on the scales suddenly I weigh 152lbs. Step again I weigh 146lbs. I trust the second one because it stays the same no matter how many times i go up or where I move it and it is exactly in line with my chemists' digital scales (I weighed myself during the weekend) but why the first reading I literally have no clue.. My scales are brand new Salter, bought them last weekend.
  • ShammaarB
    ShammaarB Posts: 14 Member
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    Pick the hardest floor in the house, like tiles. And possibly buy another set of digital scales. I have the Carmen C19006 and it is brilliant and doesn't have those problems.
  • XX_Miss_RoseMary_XX
    XX_Miss_RoseMary_XX Posts: 274 Member
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    Mine does it. I trust the repeated number. Lol but its only like a 1lb difference
  • nessab70
    nessab70 Posts: 47 Member
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    mine does to and i use the number that repeats the most also
  • Vina4
    Vina4 Posts: 23 Member
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    I don't always trust my digital scale at home. But, I use it to get a general idea of where I am. I do my actual weigh day(about once a month) at the gym's scale.
  • stacyjh1979
    stacyjh1979 Posts: 188 Member
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    LOL I'm just glad to know I'm not the only person who will step on and off the scale 5 or more times in a row! :p I had a digital scale already and I recently got a new one for my birthday. When I first got on it showed about 4lbs higher than what it should be so I moved it out of the way, stepped on the old one and it was what I expected...moved it out of the way stepped on the new one again and it was 4lbs less. I got on and off of that scale at least five times (yes I felt like a loon but what the heck). It happened like that the first two days that I had it. Every time I'd use it the first weight would read high but all subsequent weights would be "right" and then all the sudden as of yesterday it stopped giving me the wrong weight on my first try. Honestly I have no clue why it happened but now I'm just trying to break the habit of weighing on both scales every time!
  • 13bbird13
    13bbird13 Posts: 425 Member
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    Mine does this, and I always get on 3 or 4 times to let it make up its mind. It also reads 2 pounds heavier than either the official WW scale at the meetings I used to attend, or the doctor-style one with the sliding metal bars that I use at the gym. I should probably just give it to Goodwill and let it torture someone else.
  • kandicekw83
    kandicekw83 Posts: 1 Member
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    Same scale issues! I found this link! Did you know that every time you move your digital scale it has to be recalibrated?! Who knew!!
    https://eatsmartblog.com/2013/02/19/three-things-to-know-before-using-a-digital-bathroom-scale/
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,637 Member
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    Hard unyielding floor. If it has any give the numbers will be off.

    Many/most modern scales exhibit fake consistency where a detected difference of less than 0.x lbs will not create a change to what gets displayed to the end user. The workaround it to weigh yourself with something heavier in your hand, and then weigh yourself again without it.

    Bonus: once you know exactly how much your item weighs in the future you don't even have to *re*-re-weigh other than as a confirmation.

    Caution: dumb-bells and weight plates are not always accurate, so don't grab a 10lb dumbbell and expect to always get 10 extra lbs.

    The OP's scale may be re-calibrating. But the subsequently always equal weigh ins are a big hint to fake consistency.

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