I got 3 different weights in 1 minute- what's wrong with my scales?

LotusCass
LotusCass Posts: 145 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been tracking my weight for 12 weeks now and often wonder if my scales are accurate, but today was the first time I stepped back on the scales after the first weigh in. I usually weigh in once a week on a Friday, unless it hasn't gone down, then I weigh in every day until it has gone down. I've weighed in the past 3 days and it seems I'm in a plateau as it's not moving. The first time I stepped on the scales today I was down 4 lbs from yesterday, but the way the number came up didn't feel right (it was immediate rather than going through a few numbers first). I stood off, turned it off & on then stood back on, and it was 4lbs up again (yesterday's weight). I was confused so got my hand weights to check if it was calibrated. 10 kgs of handweights came to 10.2 so pretty accurate. Stepped on again, 1lb higher than the previous weight. What the ...??? All were in the same spot, I didn't move the scales. Maybe time for new batteries? Or new scales?

Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Questions: Is the scale on carpet or tile? Even a slanted floor can cause problems. Yes, check the battery.
  • princeofmind
    princeofmind Posts: 95 Member
    Are you sure you are standing on them properly/ in the same way each time?
    If you are consistantly getting the correct weight from putting weights on it then its likely the issue.
    But if you are sure you are doing nothing differently then I would certainly check the batteries before getting new scales.
  • LotusCass
    LotusCass Posts: 145 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Questions: Is the scale on carpet or tile? Even a slanted floor can cause problems. Yes, check the battery.

    On a tiled floor that's even as far as I can tell. I try to stand on it the same way each time, evenly balanced and not moving.
  • VeggieBarbells
    VeggieBarbells Posts: 175 Member
    I need to see the same weight, on three different weigh-in's before I count it. The beauty of this it works both ways if the scale goes up or down- I need to see that number three times. Oh and use other indicators like photos(I believe those pics are really telling), measurements, clothes etc. If they are all going in the right direction then the scale debacle can be ignored. Good luck.
  • Stephen_Lyons
    Stephen_Lyons Posts: 14 Member
    Maybe your scales hadn't woken up in time for the first measurement :) Seems like that first weight that displayed immediately was a glitch - could be batteries? Hard to say. Second and third weights were closer. You didn't mention what accuracy the scales measure to?

    I weigh myself once a week (Wednesday) right when I get up and before workout/breakfast. I weigh myself twice and always record the higher weight (if they differ). My scales are ancient but are rarely more than 0.2 lbs off (which is the accuracy they measure to). Not sure how accurate they are in general but they are very consistent so good enough for me.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    home scales are just inaccurate. Some are better than others. I take 3 weighs and use the lowest one.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Do you wobble at all, or look down at the scale while weighing which could have you leaning forward a bit? When I weigh, I get on the scale when it's ready and stand perfectly erect, eyes straight ahead, and hold still for 3 seconds until it locks in. If I try to look down, the weight jumps around. I weigh twice to be sure.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    There is no affordable home-use scale that is actually accurate to much more than +/- a couple of pounds.

    They make you THINK they're super accurate with their decimal points and their digital readouts. The digital readouts actually will "lock" in and give you the same weight so that you don't see what you see on a non-digital scale - that if you weigh the same thing 3 times in a row you're likely to get three slightly different answers.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3890563/
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    savithny wrote: »
    The digital readouts actually will "lock" in and give you the same weight so that you don't see what you see on a non-digital scale - that if you weigh the same thing 3 times in a row you're likely to get three slightly different answers.

    In order to defeat the digital readout lock on my scale, I haveto step back on the scale w/a 5# weight.

    I weigh myself daily at the same time (when I wake up) and under the same conditions (naked after relieving myself) everyday.

    The scale is usually consistent but sometimes it just just gives wierd readings.

    When that happens, I reweigh several times to see if it readjusts and use the 5# wt to reset the scale if needed, but if the result doesn't change, I just use it.

    If it's an anomaly it will average out. I just don't obsess about.

  • chelllsea124
    chelllsea124 Posts: 336 Member
    My scale was touching a wall once and i weighed 10 pounds less. Make sure it's leveled and not touching anything.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Fluctuations in the space-time continuum.

    https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2017/nasa-scientists-assist-ligo-in-third-gravitational-wave-observation.html
  • kellyfeb78
    kellyfeb78 Posts: 65 Member
    My scales do the same thing and I have changed the battery so I'm now assuming they might be knackered and time to buy new ones
  • Iamnotasenior
    Iamnotasenior Posts: 235 Member
    Try changing the battery to a new, fresh one. My scales were doing the exact same thing. Changing the battery fixed the issue.
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