techie help for figuring out a scales

fitgirlandfoodie
fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
edited November 27 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!
So first of I know I shouldn't be basing my fitness on a scales, but I would like to have an fairly accurate idea of my weight (but avoid going to the docs to get that done :-)

My question really is 2 fold. There are 3 scales in the house where I live. I own 2 of these (just never threw an old one out when I got the newer one) . These two scales are upstairs, in the same bathroom. there's about a 2-3lbs difference between these, and sometimes there isn't.

On the scales downstairs on a solid floor (if that makes any difference) I'm a good 5lbs lighter.

Is there anyway to calibrate all the scales? and is it just the natural of home scales that they're wildly inaccurate? :P I tired checking the weight of a dumbbell on them but it was too light at 5lbs to register :/

Any ideas would be appreciated :-)

Replies

  • Fursian
    Fursian Posts: 563 Member
    They do say a solid floor does make a difference.

    I have two scales, each registering different readings (one is analog, the other digital), and I don't know if this is the wrong thing to do but I just went with the scale that I weighed higher on (digital), and stick with that scale.
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Thanks :-) I tend to take the scales I'm heavier on too. If so, I'm still 2lbs away from my mini goal (on the other scales I've passed it by a lb :P )
  • Fursian
    Fursian Posts: 563 Member
    lol, yay! Win win :D
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Just pick one scale and just use that one. :)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    fitgirlandfoodie wrote: »
    Is there anyway to calibrate all the scales? and is it just the natural of home scales that they're wildly inaccurate? :P I tired checking the weight of a dumbbell on them but it was too light at 5lbs to register :/

    Any ideas would be appreciated :-)

    Weigh yourself and then yourself holding the dumbell, that will test the accuracy around your current weight in terms of changes, but not tell you if there is a big offset from reality (which might need a couple of sacks of animal feed or something).
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    Go with one of them. I would suggest if you want to compare, you should take all the scales to the same room and then weigh yourself on each of them in the same place of the floor. I know the measure of our scale (we only have one) will change depending on what type of floor, or even place on the floor in the same room probably due to inconsistencies in the levelness of the floor or the give of the floor where the 'feet' of the scale end up. The key is consistency. Most scales will be accurate to themselves although analog scales sometimes are not and digital scales can have issues when their batteries run low.
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    thanks everyone :-) I've always tended to err on the side of caution and go with the scales that show a higher weight. I may indeed bring them into the same room and see if there is a noticeable difference!
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited December 2015
    fitgirlandfoodie wrote: »
    Hi!
    So first of I know I shouldn't be basing my fitness on a scales, but I would like to have an fairly accurate idea of my weight (but avoid going to the docs to get that done :-)

    My question really is 2 fold. There are 3 scales in the house where I live. I own 2 of these (just never threw an old one out when I got the newer one) . These two scales are upstairs, in the same bathroom. there's about a 2-3lbs difference between these, and sometimes there isn't.

    On the scales downstairs on a solid floor (if that makes any difference) I'm a good 5lbs lighter.

    Is there anyway to calibrate all the scales? and is it just the natural of home scales that they're wildly inaccurate? :P I tired checking the weight of a dumbbell on them but it was too light at 5lbs to register :/

    Any ideas would be appreciated :-)

    "Man with one clock knows what time it is - man with two clocks is never sure."

    For consistency's sake, weigh on the same scale on the same surface under the same conditions. For me it's when I get up in the morning, no clothes, immediately after using the restroom. I don't weigh at any other time and I don't waste my time weighing on any other scale. Your weight will fluctuate throughout the day and from day to day according to what you've eaten/drank, what you're wearing, hydration status, hormonal fluctuations (TOM for women), etc. Disregard the results from any other scale - if you go to the doc's, their scale will most likely read differently from the one you have at home, so you can't compare the results. Consistency/repeatability is more important than absolute accuracy. It doesn't matter if your scale shows you went from 163 to 148, while another scale would show you went from 160 to 145 - either way, you've lost 15 lbs.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    My digital scale said to calibrate by placing the scale on solid ground. Step on the scale with just one foot, the other completely off the ground. Then step off. When all the lights go out, go ahead and weigh yourself normally. Per the instructions, this needs to be repeated every time the scale is moved, which makes sense because due to space constraints, I store the scale sideways. I started getting much more consistent results once I began doing this.

    Instructions for your scale may vary. If you're curious, check the manual, or Google it if you no longer have a paper copy.
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