The Scale...

wolf39us
wolf39us Posts: 163 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've got this half way decent Weight Gurus digital scale. It does all kinds of things, BF%, Muscle Mass %, Water % etc.

Thing is, these numbers change so wildly that I just don't trust the "impedance" method of measurement. My question to you all has more to do with what your habits are in determining what is an accurate reading and what isn't? Do you move your scale around the bathroom floor? Do you even put your scale on tile? Do you step on the scale first or wait for it to turn on?

I only ask because my scale has been doing weird things... For instance, I came in at 204.8lbs, which seemed low to me... so I checked it again an hour later and BOOM 206.4. I've not drank or eaten at all!

So yeah, what do you do?

Replies

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I don't worry about the fluctuations. My scale goes up and down depending on many factors like water retention, hormones, waste and so on. As long as you see a downward trend over a period of time then there's nothing to worry about. Try using an app like trend weight. It will show you a graph of your weight loss over time.


    Home scales that measure bf% are so inaccurate that its a waste of time even worrying about that part.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited January 2016
    I put my scale on an old large cutting board. That way it's always flat on the tile surface. I check the batteries yearly when I pay my home insurance bill (also check smoke detector batteries).
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    I put a dumbbell on mine to check the batteries are still good/it's accurate. But yeah, track the trend to drown out the noise of water retention/natural fluctuations and such.
  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
    edited January 2016
    My floors are hardwood. It sets in a corner in my bedroom and never gets moved except to check the batteries every six months. The dumbbell idea above is a great idea to check accuracy.

    Also I agree on the bf% scales being inaccurate. I gave mine away and replaced it with a plain quality digital.
  • wolf39us
    wolf39us Posts: 163 Member
    205 again this morning! I guess it's mostly reliable lol

    204.8 yesterday, 205 today.

    That's 6lbs in the last 2.5 weeks. As long as it shows a trend!
  • kiara1066
    kiara1066 Posts: 119 Member
    I have that scale and it kept giving me different numbers as well! So I ended up contacting them, and they mentioned stepping on it then stepping. Back off it should show 0.00 that means it's calibrated and it should be more consistent. I ended up seeing multiple readings after a few seconds still, so I ended up contacting them again for a replacement. And the new one I have shows consistent numbers each time! I got mine from Amazon, and they have a great warranty it was either 3 or 5 years, but yeah as long as you are seeing a trend that's great!
  • c_pantojas
    c_pantojas Posts: 47 Member
    I just posted about scale issues. I wish I would've seen this first. I don't even own a scale because I know it would cause me anxiety and I'd become obsessed. But still I really want one! LOL. I do go to a free health club where they weigh only upon request! Guess I'll stick to that.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    I have an aria. I love the tight weight range it gives me. It feels very accurate. The BF readings are a joke! I ignore! It was slightly better when I just owned the scale & could keep my settings on a male frame but now I wear an HR & like to track my burns so saying I'm a dude would throw that too high. I have broad shoulders and a lean lower body so their extrapolation metric above my hipline will probably always be off kilter. It's okay. I plan to get a DEXA scan for body fat when I reach my first goal. Other than that, I love the Aria & faithfully weigh every day so I can use fitbits weekly average as my weight number. It's amazing when you start tracking the trend rather than the tedious daily ups and downs.
  • wolf39us
    wolf39us Posts: 163 Member
    thorsmom01 wrote: »
    I don't worry about the fluctuations. My scale goes up and down depending on many factors like water retention, hormones, waste and so on. As long as you see a downward trend over a period of time then there's nothing to worry about. Try using an app like trend weight. It will show you a graph of your weight loss over time.


    Home scales that measure bf% are so inaccurate that its a waste of time even worrying about that part.

    Thank you for this suggestion, I downloaded the app and entered the last two weeks of weights I had in MFP. This program is very good, I love the layout!

    It's a shame "importing" is a premium only feature, but oh well!

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