Question about the scale

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secondtimearound03
secondtimearound03 Posts: 23 Member
edited March 2017 in Getting Started
Of course we all love seeing the scale get lower and lower. I'm taking my measurements and seeing great improvements (was able to zip and button a pair of pants that I was NOT able to fit a month ago)

My question is.... Can you regular scale (not the digital ones) be broken. I'm not trying to pull the whole "oh these jeans are tight because of the dryer" but seriously! I can step on the scale with clothes on and it will say 171lbs so I'm all excited and think if I take all my clothes off I will be 170 or 169lbs. Hurry and take all my clothes off and then the scale will say 175lbs. Uh hmmmm that makes NO SENSE....

I move the scale all over the house trying to find the most level spot but no matter what it is a different number.

Do I just need to suck it up and buy a new scale and is digital more accurate than just the old fashion scale (I've had both at the same time and the digital was always making me 10lbs heavier (I bought an old fashion one and a digital one at the same time. Don't know why I did that but that is why I was confused and I know what the digital said wasn't right based on the clothes I was wearing. There would have been no way I was the size the digital was saying based on that. Maybe I bought a crap digital one at the time?) than the old fashion scale.

Replies

  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
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    I just bought a new digital scale for this reason but it says the same as my old one, lol. I would get on it like 3x in a row within less than a minute and it would give me a different reading each time within 1-3 lbs.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,072 Member
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    You are obviously not gaining 5lb in the 30 seconds that you've taken your clothes off, I would go with buying a new scale. I'd guess the reason your digital one was "making you heavier" was because the other one is broken.

  • secondtimearound03
    secondtimearound03 Posts: 23 Member
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    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    You are obviously not gaining 5lb in the 30 seconds that you've taken your clothes off, I would go with buying a new scale. I'd guess the reason your digital one was "making you heavier" was because the other one is broken.

    the digital one was from like 3 years ago when I bought an old fashion one and then a few days later bought a digital one (dunno why I did that lol) so that is why I'm confused about digital scales making me heavier.
  • PrincessMel72
    PrincessMel72 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    The only truly accurate ones are at your doctor's office, but I bought a digital one that I weighed myself on right before my last doc appt and it was within 1lb of the doc's scale. It is a cheaper, white digital scale I think I got at Wal Mart for maybe $15? I can't remember the brand name and I'm at work right now but when I get home if I remember, I'll post it
  • secondtimearound03
    secondtimearound03 Posts: 23 Member
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    perkymommy wrote: »
    I just bought a new digital scale for this reason but it says the same as my old one, lol. I would get on it like 3x in a row within less than a minute and it would give me a different reading each time within 1-3 lbs.

    UGh well at least I'm not the only one. I usually buy the cheapest scale whether it is old fashion style or digital. Guess I need to pay a little more and get something that works ::tear:: everything has to be so frustrating lol
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,072 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Just buy a scale and stick to that scale, there will always likely be a difference if you use a different set. But if you're sticking to one scale (if it's working) it's the changes on that, that are important. I got some weight watchers body fat scales from the Supermarket for about £15 and they work fine. Taking measurements with a tape measure can be an easier way to check progress and you can also log these in MFP.
  • ZephieC
    ZephieC Posts: 162 Member
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    I changed the battery in my digital scale to make sure it was reading right. I can still get slightly different weights if I do it 3-4 times in a row but I have been using the same scale since the beginning so I'm sticking with that. I take measurements and pics too so I have other ways to gauge my progress.
  • BrettWithPKU
    BrettWithPKU Posts: 575 Member
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    Aside from making sure to set the scale on a hard surface, and making sure the batteries are fresh; a scale that fits your need shouldn't be expensive.

    This one's popular, and has done me good for 3+ years, including one battery change:
    https://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Bathroom-Lighted/dp/B001KXZ808/
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Stick to the one scale for weighing. I have rubbish WW ones! bad buy!! I have to recalibrate then every time I step on! But ultimately they are to just give me an idea that I'm maintaining my weight ok and because I know they're not particularly accurate I take the reading with a pinch of salt - I know by my clothes if I truly gain anyway.
  • andrewq6100
    andrewq6100 Posts: 415 Member
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    i'd say throw the scale out but thats just me. The scale can be your BIGGEST enemy in the beginning of your journey because your body fluctuates daily and even hourly. I used to weigh 3 times a day and would get so discouraged because it would go up, then down and I'd be excited, then up again and nothing would make sense. focus more so on the progress in the mirror and not the number on the scale. The scale is really there to gauge where your starting at, and maybe 2 weeks in you can check again but as long as the clothes fit, the waist is loose and you feel good then progress is being made! Scale = Demon! lol
  • secondtimearound03
    secondtimearound03 Posts: 23 Member
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    andrewq6100 wrote: »
    i'd say throw the scale out but thats just me. The scale can be your BIGGEST enemy in the beginning of your journey because your body fluctuates daily and even hourly. I used to weigh 3 times a day and would get so discouraged because it would go up, then down and I'd be excited, then up again and nothing would make sense. focus more so on the progress in the mirror and not the number on the scale. The scale is really there to gauge where your starting at, and maybe 2 weeks in you can check again but as long as the clothes fit, the waist is loose and you feel good then progress is being made! Scale = Demon! lol

    Scale = Demon.... seriously best thing I've heard today XD
  • secondtimearound03
    secondtimearound03 Posts: 23 Member
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    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Stick to the one scale for weighing. I have rubbish WW ones! bad buy!! I have to recalibrate then every time I step on! But ultimately they are to just give me an idea that I'm maintaining my weight ok and because I know they're not particularly accurate I take the reading with a pinch of salt - I know by my clothes if I truly gain anyway.

    Uh ya bought that scale too and didn't like it either
  • secondtimearound03
    secondtimearound03 Posts: 23 Member
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    BDonjon wrote: »
    Aside from making sure to set the scale on a hard surface, and making sure the batteries are fresh; a scale that fits your need shouldn't be expensive.

    This one's popular, and has done me good for 3+ years, including one battery change:
    https://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Bathroom-Lighted/dp/B001KXZ808/

    awesome! Thank you
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
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    I ended up getting a digital scale because my old analogue one kept re-zeroing back to something other than zero no matter how carefully I tried to adjust it. Now it's very consistent.

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