Scale Dilemma

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LifeInAWay
LifeInAWay Posts: 50 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been weighing myself on our balance scale at work. But by the time I get to work, I've had a bare minimum of 1 serving of water, my breakfast, and I'm fully clothed (with shoes). I was curious about what my scale at home would say, (so I could weigh on a weekend if I needed to) so first I put my weights on it to make sure that it would match and then hopped on. I was pretty happy with the results. Then I wanted to see what the scale at work said. FIVE POUNDS HIGHER. Ouch! (Blow to my ego). Which way would you guys go? What do you currently do?
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Replies

  • Zedeff
    Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
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    Health is not determined by the weight of your clothes and shoes. Use your home weight.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Just pick one and stick with it. Weigh yourself at the same time and under the same conditions. Don't weigh yourself at home, naked and unfed after going to the bathroom first thing in the morning and then compare it to a weight on a different scale taken after two mugs of coffee, a bagel, an apple, and while wearing a sweater and pants.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
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    Just chose one scale and always use that one. It's the changes you are looking at, not the actual weight.
  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
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    Pick one and use that, scales are going to read differently. I personally would rather do it at home where I can be naked, haven't eaten yet and used the bathroom. But that's me.
  • LifeInAWay
    LifeInAWay Posts: 50 Member
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    I do stick with just one. But my dilemma is which one I should choose and when I use it. When does everyone else weigh? At home first thing in the morning? Or in the middle of the day when you've eaten and been running around a while? I used to weigh at home first thing in the morning. But lets be real....that isnt truly realistic. It's more realistic to weigh in the middle of the day after you've been living your real life.
  • katherine_startrek_fan
    katherine_startrek_fan Posts: 425 Member
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    Most people seem to do it first thing.

    Your whole let's be realistic bit-- do you wear the same clothes daily, drink and eat the same amounts before you weigh mid day? Most people don't, so you're more likely going to see higher volitility in that number.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    I weigh myself on my home scale, once a week, first thing in the morning.

    I don't sweat the small stuff if my weight at the doctors office is higher. My home scale is my reference point. I don't expect it to match other scales.
  • yolo9752
    yolo9752 Posts: 69 Member
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    First thing in the morning on Monday.
  • LifeInAWay
    LifeInAWay Posts: 50 Member
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    katherine_startrek_fan wrote: »
    Most people seem to do it first thing.

    Your whole let's be realistic bit-- do you wear the same clothes daily, drink and eat the same amounts before you weigh mid day? Most people don't, so you're more likely going to see higher volitility in that number.

    Actually, yes I do. I wear scrubs every day (I'm a medical assistant), the same shoes, and I eat the same hard boiled egg and same exact amount of oatmeal and one serving of water EVERY DAY. Then I was weighing on our balance scale here in our office. Next question?

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    The most important part of weighing is consistency. Same time, place and same bat channel.
  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
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    I use my home scale only, first thing in the morning, last thing at night, so I can keep tabs on the differences on a daily basis, and it helped me to learn about water, food and other factors that account for those differences.
  • Holla4mom
    Holla4mom Posts: 587 Member
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    So it sounds like the scale at work should work for you. Just notice the trend. Also if you change up or get bored with eating that exact thing than you may want to change up weighing at the office.
    LifeInAWay wrote: »
    katherine_startrek_fan wrote: »
    Most people seem to do it first thing.

    Your whole let's be realistic bit-- do you wear the same clothes daily, drink and eat the same amounts before you weigh mid day? Most people don't, so you're more likely going to see higher volitility in that number.

    Actually, yes I do. I wear scrubs every day (I'm a medical assistant), the same shoes, and I eat the same hard boiled egg and same exact amount of oatmeal and one serving of water EVERY DAY. Then I was weighing on our balance scale here in our office. Next question?

  • Holla4mom
    Holla4mom Posts: 587 Member
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    Oh, and to reiterate- most people weight first thing in the morning, naked after going to the bathroom.
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
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    Sounds like you already made your choice before you posted the question.
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    This is a personal preference - there is no right or wrong so just pick one that suits your lifestyle.

    Whenever, whichever, wherever, just make sure the conditions are the same & be consistent.

    For me, I always weigh at Home

    When I was losing - religiously Every Sunday a.m. right after I get up before going to the gym

    Now in maintaining - once or twice a month but same day & time

    Good luck
  • royaldrea
    royaldrea Posts: 259 Member
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    Most people say you should weigh in the morning because you're more likely to get a more accurate figure - before you eat any food, when you're not wearing any clothes, after you're used the bathroom. Weighing after eating and exercising and when you're wearing your work clothes is going to create some distortions in the number you get.

    If you feel more comfortable using your work scale then do that - just keep using that same scale and you should be fine. Unless one scale is really off, little differences in the numbers shouldn't be a huge deal.
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
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    The scale can be the worst thing to tell you how you are really doing .. due to just what you found, huge fluctuations. It causes severe emotional issues, and countless threads here. I have personally seen up to 9 lbs in gain in a day and a loss of 9 lbs overnight. I do agree .. if you are going to do it, weighing first thing in the morning before doing anything is the best way to be consistent. And I truly very much agree with what has been said .. it is more important to see the trends, more than the actual numbers.
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
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    I like to weigh first thing in the morning at home, because that's the most likely time for me to get the most consistent results. Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter as long as you're consistent, and also aware of the things that can cause day-to-day fluctuations.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    It doesn't matter which scale you use as long as you keep using the same one.
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
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    The nice thing about weighing on the scale at work is you can tell yourself you really weigh a bit less, without shoes and scrubs!

    I agree with ^^, its the downward trend you want to see, not where you start. My ticker shows my loss since I joined MFP. I had already lost some weight before I found this website and started weighing and logging here that doesn't show on my ticker, but I don't care. Regardless what your starting weight is, going below it is what you are working at, right?

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