Digital scales
kimmydear
Posts: 298 Member
Are they pretty accurate? When I first stepped on this morning it said 164.6...which would have been a 5-pound whoosh. I couldn't believe that so kept stepping on it again and again and was in the 169 range amd that's the weight I recorded. It has me wondering how accurate digital scales are.
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I've had similar troubles with several different digital scales, even when I've spent extra $$ on them. The problem I've had is they would seem to hold onto the last weight and give me that weight even if I tried it 3-4 different times on different days, different times of day, etc. There's no way that could be correct.
What I do to "refresh" the scale and get an accurate reading: I step on the scale and lean on the counter a little bit, to get an inaccurately low reading. Then I get off, let it zero-out, and then weigh myself normally. It seems to work and I've re-run this scenario a few times just to see if it's really working. It's a pain in the butt, but works for me ;-)0 -
No scale is really accurate. Five different scales will likely give you 5 different weights, regardless of scale type. Even the way you stand on the scale can afect your results! The important thing is to use one scale and stick with it.
Personally, I only log a loss if I step on my scale twice and get the same (or very similar) number. I'm a little obsessive and my relationship with the scale could be healthier.0 -
Huh I will have to try the reset thing thanks! It must have been the way I was standing. I have become obsessive too, but I usually only weigh once and keep that.0
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Did you move it prior to weighing the first time?
I have to pull mine out from the wall each time I use it and I've noticed it gives me adidas rent weight if I weigh a second time... So I started weighing once and ignore that number then weigh again and use that one. If I weighed 3, 4 or 5 times, those all were on par mostly exactly with the second so that's why I decided the second was the right one.
I think as long as you use the same scale on the same way each time you get your most accurate weight estimate. Mine has never had a difference as much as 5 pounds, but definitely can be a full pound. And sometimes the first weight was higher, sometimes it was lower...
Edited to say it does not give me adidas rent... Not sure how autocorrect thought that was a thing. Lol
It gives me a different weight... Yeah, that makes more sense!2 -
My scale reads the same all the time too.
000
But I think it has something to do with me dropping
it a few times.
It's a whole lot less stressful for me just to go by my belt holes
3 holes left cut back on the chow, 1 hole left have more butter
2 holes I'm eating about what I should.
or 
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Mine is consistent if I step on it several times in a row.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Did you move it prior to weighing the first time?
I have to pull mine out from the wall each time I use it and I've noticed it gives me adidas rent weight if I weigh a second time... So I started weighing once and ignore that number then weigh again and use that one. If I weighed 3, 4 or 5 times, those all were on par mostly exactly with the second so that's why I decided the second was the right one.
I think as long as you use the same scale on the same way each time you get your most accurate weight estimate. Mine has never had a difference as much as 5 pounds, but definitely can be a full pound. And sometimes the first weight was higher, sometimes it was lower...
Edited to say it does not give me adidas rent... Not sure how autocorrect thought that was a thing. Lol
It gives me a different weight... Yeah, that makes more sense!
Yes I have to pull mine away from the wall too, so maybe that's it. Adidas rent, that's a new one! Haha!
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KenSmith108 wrote: »My scale reads the same all the time too.
000
But I think it has something to do with me dropping
it a few times.
It's a whole lot less stressful for me just to go by my belt holes
3 holes left cut back on the chow, 1 hole left have more butter
2 holes I'm eating about what I should. or
Haha! I wish I could be that low key about the scale...0 -
Most digital scales need to be still, and on a flat surface too!0
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Check your scale is on a Flat hard even surface (like tiles, not wood floor boards as they flex, or even worse, carpet). Flex in underlying supporting floor will generate differences in readings. If moved, for mine, first weight is inaccurate, as Sunny found, so I ignore that and use second weight, which if on a flat hard surface should be repeatable.1
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I have a Taylor digital and I've never had it give me two different weights in a few minutes of time. It's been very reliable. I am very careful to do all the things the posters have said: hard, flat surface, step in same place every time, etc.1
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Does anyone have a scale that syncs with their iPod/iPhone/computer?0
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I was looking at the wirthings one but haven't decided if I want to purchase it or a spiralizer?
I have a we digital scale and I get different weights but I have to pull it from wall. I will try disregarding first weight.0 -
Digital scales are "too" accurate. Meaning they're too sensitive to any spurious variable that will influence the number. They're also extremely untrustworthy when it comes to BF%. Weigh once = a number. Drink a big glass of water. Weigh a second time = BF% increased magically by 1 %. LMAO. Do not take them too literally.
Interestingly a member in another forum took a dexa recently. He weigh himself before the scan. But the dexa added his clothes as bodyfat... apparently dexa has a whopping 10% margin of error!
I love using my clothes as yardstick for progress or regress. Skinny jeans never lie!1 -
@KenSmith108 lol did you teach your scale to fly? I have thought about doing that some days.1
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Today I got on and kept getting a different number I got on 5 times and it changed 5 times with a 2.5 pound difference I discarded the first number. I do t think I like digital scales.0
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olivebeanhealthy wrote: »Does anyone have a scale that syncs with their iPod/iPhone/computer?
I have an Aria which syncs with FitBit app and MFP.
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Do you find it fairly accurate?0
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treehugnmama wrote: »Today I got on and kept getting a different number I got on 5 times and it changed 5 times with a 2.5 pound difference I discarded the first number. I do t think I like digital scales.
Yeah mine is still acting crazy. Today it gave me a heavier weight, then a lighter weight, then back to the heavier weight. I always go with the heavier one. It's a Taylor and less than a year old.0 -
Wow, I had no idea how bad digital scales can be. I have cushioned floor tiles in the bathroom that give a lot (if you fall, you don't get hurt.) I will be doing the reset thingy and more than one weigh in. Good info.0
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