How on earth did I gain 6 lbs in an hour!?

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lohkin
lohkin Posts: 43 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been using MFP and a fitbit activity tracker for the last 2 months. And according to my tracking, and two different scales, I have lost approximately 9 lbs. So today, I had to go in for a health screening for work (after fasting for 12 hrs) and THEIR scale (a digital bmi style) told me I weigh 160, which is 5.5 lbs MORE than the reading my own digital scale gave me this morning. At home, my clothes accounted for a 1.2 lb increase. Not Six!
So what gives? Is it MY scale, THEIR scale, what?
This is incredibly discouraging to think I have been wrong about my progress for the last 60 days.

Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    both.
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
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    You probably weigh naked at home, and I bet you didn't strip down at the health screening, and "weight" isn't an absolute, but is merely reflective of the scale calibration. Depending on the type of scale and the granularity of measurement, this can be effected by the weather and a number of other things.

    tl;dr To accurately track trend, use the same measuring instrument each time you measure, and make sure the measuring instrument has a regular calibration schedule.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Use one scale for reference. Don't weigh every six hours. Problems solved.

    Not every scale is calibrated the same, so you shouldn't use two different scales to measure progress.
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    Use one scale for reference. Don't weigh every six hours. Problems solved.

    Not every scale is calibrated the same, so you shouldn't use two different scales to measure progress.

    Every scale is different. You will almost ALWAYS get a different weight on every scale you step on. Use only one to track progress.
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
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    Yeah... no need to freak out. Yesterday I went to my Dr. and according to their scale I haven't lost ANY weight... but I'm thinking- I'm wearing clothes, have food and water in my stomach already, TOM... too many factors that kill the scale. I'll keep going with what my home scale says.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    All scales are calibrated a little differently. The actual number doesn't really matter...the trend does. Nobody weighs exactly XXX Lbs.

    You should use one scale as your point of reference and weigh in at a consistent time of day and under similar conditions.
  • Butrovich
    Butrovich Posts: 410 Member
    edited December 2014
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    Find a 50-lbs weight/dumbbell and see how that registers on your home scale. If you are able to use heavier weights, use those, but I only picked 50-lbs since it is not too heavy, but heavy enough to get a reasonable calibration.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    you didnt.
  • thickerella
    thickerella Posts: 154 Member
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    Unless you ate 21,000 calories over maintenance in an hour, you didn't gain 6lbs. However, if you ate at Hardees, I suppose that's possible.
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
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    You didn't. You used two different scales, which aren't calibrated the same. If you consistently use the same scale at home and you have lost weight, then you've lost weight. You have to use ONE scale consistently--regardless of how "wrong" it may be compared to other scales. I have been wanting to buy a new scale with more functions, but I haven't because changing my scale means I no longer have that consistent scale to compared to over the past few years.
  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
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    NikiChicken wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    Use one scale for reference. Don't weigh every six hours. Problems solved.

    Not every scale is calibrated the same, so you shouldn't use two different scales to measure progress.

    Every scale is different. You will almost ALWAYS get a different weight on every scale you step on. Use only one to track progress.

    This. As long as you show progress on the scale you're tracking said progress with don't concern yourself with other scales.

    ..Unless you have my scale.. Then just go by clothing fit and measurements. Actually..go by clothing fit and measurements anyway.
  • CariJean64
    CariJean64 Posts: 297 Member
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    I *always* weigh about 3 pounds more at my doctor's office. I think they do that to scare us into losing weight. ;-)

    Seriously, though, don't be discouraged. You HAVE lost the weight. The other scale just doesn't show it.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    All of the above. Fwiw, I TELL the nurse what I weigh. My weight as listed there is my weight on MY digital scale, naked, first thing after my morning pee.
  • mz_getskinny
    mz_getskinny Posts: 258 Member
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    Don't be discouraged! You know how much weight you have lost. Whether you went from 169 to 160 or 159 to 150, 9 lbs is still 9 lbs! Just go by your scale and congrats on that 9 lb drop :)
  • lohkin
    lohkin Posts: 43 Member
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    I think part of the reason I am discouraged, is because it was the same reading the dr's scale gave me two months ago. So, their scale read out the same weight two months ago and today. So, again, I got admonished for being 'obese.' My scale at home has gone down slowly, but consistently, and seems to agree with the digital bmi scale in my company's fitness room. I am weighing at home each day at approx 630am under consistent conditions.
    I'm pretty sure fast food isn't the culprit since I'm on a 1200c plan. ;)
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    All of the above. Fwiw, I TELL the nurse what I weigh. My weight as listed there is my weight on MY digital scale, naked, first thing after my morning pee.

    This is what I do also. It also demonstrates to your health care provider than you are actively monitoring your weight yourself.

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