Why do I get different readings when I weigh myself on different scales?

misshoneyz2dab
misshoneyz2dab Posts: 62 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
When I weigh myself naked and on an empty stomach in the morning I weigh 13st 4lbs which is (188lbs), I always use the mechanical scales.
After I eat my breakfast, then go on the gym's digital scales I always weigh 15stones 3lbs and on the pharmacy scales I weigh 15 stones 5lbs. Which scales should I trust?

Replies

  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    It doesnt matter. Id trust whatever scale is most consistent. Weigh yourself twice or three times on each one and see if any of them change between those. If not them it doesnt matter. Pick a scale and stick to it. All scales will vary some. Also, you will weigh more after you eat, obviously.
  • lioness803
    lioness803 Posts: 325 Member
    I think digital scales are generally more accurate (someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) But if you're weighing before and after you eat, that's going to be some of the discrepancy, plus your weight will naturally fluctuate throughout the day. All scales can also vary some, because of the surface they're on, how they're calibrated, etc. I'm always about 5 pounds lighter at the scale at my in-laws house than I am on my own.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    lioness803 wrote: »
    I think digital scales are generally more accurate (someone please correct me if I'm wrong.)

    My experience is limited, so right away you need to take this with a grain of salt. But I've heard other people say the same thing.

    In my experience, digital scales lie.

    If I get on my scale, it'll give me my weight. Then I get off, and enter the number.

    But, I'm a suspicious person, so one day I tried bringing a glass of water (roughly 1/2 pound) over with me. I set the water down, got on the scale, took note of its reading, got off, then got back on with the glass of water in my hand, and got exactly the same number.

    Now why would a scale be programmed to do that - to just repeat the last number if the current one is similar? To make you more confident in its accuracy, right? And why would anyone make a thing less accurate (it can't tell the difference between me and me + water) in order to convince you that it's doing the right thing?
  • sammyjo0218
    sammyjo0218 Posts: 108 Member
    Almost no scale is accurate. A lot can be set different. I do prefer nondigital scales. It's from clothes, water weight and extra sodium than usual can bring water weight and bloat..etc. It depends how often you weigh yourself too. Weekly is ideal for weight loss. Even going to the restroom can make it change. Start tracking measurements. Weight number always changes, the same number on the scale can look different on everyone.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited April 2017
    They're not all calibrated the same. THink of watches. Mine says 3:19 right now and some odd seconds. My coworker's may say 3:20 and someone else's may say 3:18. They're not all set to the same standard.

    Machines are made by humans, and also are not all set to the same standard. So aim for consistency and choose one scale to 'count' for tracking your weight.

    Plus I assume you are not naked on the gym, pharmacy scale? Wearing clothes, shoes, etc.? Those things have weight. And you can get on your scale at home when you wake up, do you eat/drink before getting on the other scales or do you immediately go from one to the other? Food and drink in your body have weight also. Though the large difference does make me think something is not right with your home scale. Make sure its on a level/flat hard surface.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I have an 8 pound weight that I place on my digital scale each time I weigh myself to make sure the scale is correct. COuld you do something like that before you get on your home scale?
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    edited April 2017
    So at home you're naked and it's the first thing in the morning. Then you eat (food in tummy) and put on clothes and weigh on a different scale and you weigh a different amount - you do realize your clothes have weight and the food you ate does also. Besides the fact that scales vary you're also weighing at different times of day, with different clothing on, with different amounts of food/waste in your body. Of course the weights will be different.
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
    I would expect the weights to be different, but not that huge of a range (28 pounds) unless you carry rocks in your pocket.

    My guess is your home scale is off since the other two are closer in range.

    Pick one and weigh under consistent conditions.
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