"I haven't gained weight, this scale just sucks!"

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weightofyourskin
weightofyourskin Posts: 173
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure a lot of us here have said that to ourselves after a disappointing weigh-in.

I don't want to use the scale as an excuse instead of being more disciplined with my eating, but I've noticed that it's a pretty flaky machine. It's a digital scale, so I thought it would be reliable but it seems to be the opposite. For example, I'll weigh myself, then come back five minutes later and weigh myself again (without having eaten or used the bathroom in between) and at the second weigh-in it'll say I weigh three-four pounds more than at the first one! I know weight fluctuates, but that seems very unlikely to me...

My husband has also reported that he doesn't think it's the best scale in the world. He bought it before we lived together and I'm pretty sure that he just got the cheapest one he could find at the store.

So my question is... how can you tell if it's REALLY the scale that's the problem and not your eating/exercise habits? Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, trustworthy scale?

Replies

  • lauratwigzy
    lauratwigzy Posts: 11
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    I would recommend buying a new scale. I don't happen to use a digital scale, I use the other kind. The nice thing about a digital scale is that it does tell you the exact number of pounds where as the other type of scale you can only tell roughly the amount that you have lost... either 1/2 lb or a full lb only. My friend uses the Health-o-meter digital scale and really seems to like it. Also, another thing that you may want to do it weigh yourself in the morning before you eat anything without any clothes- any scale will add about 5 lbs on to your weight if you have just eaten/showered and gotten dressed. I hope this helps. :-)
  • weightofyourskin
    weightofyourskin Posts: 173
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    I do weigh myself in the morning, once a week, before eating (but after going to the bathroom) without clothes on. Today was my weigh-in day and the scale said I've gained 2 pounds after a week of clean eating and regular exercise. Needless to say, I'm not happy. :grumble:

    I'll see if my local department store has the Health-o-meter in stock - thanks for the recommendation!
  • isabelk
    isabelk Posts: 153 Member
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    If you have nintendo wii, the scale is very accurate IMO. It does take awhile in the fitness game to get your weight, tho.
  • Sa2ah
    Sa2ah Posts: 45 Member
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    is it close to your TOM? because i gain anywhere from 2-5lbs of water weight during/before mine
  • navajoon
    navajoon Posts: 355
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    I recently bought the Eatsmart Precision Plus scale off of Amazon. It goes up to 440 pounds, looks pretty slick, and it gives me consistent weight when I do what you mentioned. It also seems to run very close to the doctor's office.

    I love it.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    OP-

    You should find out what your maintenance is first. You can do this by finding out your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) which is how many calories you burn while sleeping or in a coma basically. This is not the same as RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) which is when you are in a resting state. Significant difference.

    Then you take that BMR number and you multiply it by your activity level (which is a rough guess to be honest). It's a ballpark figure at best.

    The best way to find your maintenance is to either:

    1. Buy a Bodybugg or Bodymedia FIT and wear it for about 2-3 weeks and then take an average on a 7 day period.
    2. Eat your normal amount each day and then weigh yourself at the end of the week. If you stayed the same weight you found your maintenance. This can also take roughly 2-4 weeks.

    Once you have your maintenance, then you should be eating a calorie deficit of 20-40% under it. This will cause you to lose 1-2lbs per week. You always need to hit your macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbs) daily to ensure that you are giving your body the nutrients it requires, but also so you minimize plateau'ing.
  • calmmomw3minimeez
    calmmomw3minimeez Posts: 499 Member
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    I am SO glad that someone else has experienced this...I can't say that it's just YOUR scale or that you need a new one - I told myself that in the past so I got a new one...BOTH of my scales are new, one is just a plain digital scale and the other is a digital scale that measures my water, bone, fat, etc., I can weigh myself on both of them - one right after the other and get a DIFFERENT WEIGHT EVERY TIME!!!:noway:

    I have stopped weighing myself as often as I used to(yay) because I was becoming quite obsessed with it:love: and I know that my fluctuations are CRAZY:angry: but how can I trust either of the scales when they both read differently???

    I think that the one that reads water and bone has to be re-calibrated ever so often so I've gotta do that again, but I have begun to pay a lot more attention to my body itself instead of trusting the numbers that haphazardly pop up on these two metal entities that have been slowly but surely raining on my freaking parade when I know that I'm working like a Hebrew slave in Egypt and not seeing results!:grumble:

    In a way, it's a good thing because like I said I'm not trusting solely in what the scale/scales say:smokin: but I'm simply looking at myself in the mirror, noticing changes in the way that I feel(somewhat like I could whup King Kong's *kitten*), and just the overall 'I feel much better' thing, so if I were you, I wouldn't worry much about the scales; frustrating as it may be :tongue: and just keep rockin' it out like you have been and acknowledge the changes that manifest themselves in time....

    we may not be able to post our new and awesome weights on the home page, but I truly believe that this is another stage in the journey and we've gotta roll with the punches as they come until that evil scale decides to relent and agree with our bodies, lol...keep ya head up chick - I know you're workin' it - don't worry!!!!:flowerforyou:
  • calmmomw3minimeez
    calmmomw3minimeez Posts: 499 Member
    Options
    OP-

    You should find out what your maintenance is first. You can do this by finding out your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) which is how many calories you burn while sleeping or in a coma basically. This is not the same as RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) which is when you are in a resting state. Significant difference.

    Then you take that BMR number and you multiply it by your activity level (which is a rough guess to be honest). It's a ballpark figure at best.

    The best way to find your maintenance is to either:

    1. Buy a Bodybugg or Bodymedia FIT and wear it for about 2-3 weeks and then take an average on a 7 day period.
    2. Eat your normal amount each day and then weigh yourself at the end of the week. If you stayed the same weight you found your maintenance. This can also take roughly 2-4 weeks.

    Once you have your maintenance, then you should be eating a calorie deficit of 20-40% under it. This will cause you to lose 1-2lbs per week. You always need to hit your macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbs) daily to ensure that you are giving your body the nutrients it requires, but also so you minimize plateau'ing.

    Is the Bodybugg/Bodymedia FIT an HRM?? I hate to sound ignorant - but I am,:ohwell: but I find your post interesting - never thought of things that way and I would like to try what you said(once I get a clearer understanding of it, I will be bookmarking this page), it sounds very reasonable so thanks!!
  • weightofyourskin
    weightofyourskin Posts: 173
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    I am SO glad that someone else has experienced this...I can't say that it's just YOUR scale or that you need a new one - I told myself that in the past so I got a new one...BOTH of my scales are new, one is just a plain digital scale and the other is a digital scale that measures my water, bone, fat, etc., I can weigh myself on both of them - one right after the other and get a DIFFERENT WEIGHT EVERY TIME!!!:noway:

    I have stopped weighing myself as often as I used to(yay) because I was becoming quite obsessed with it:love: and I know that my fluctuations are CRAZY:angry: but how can I trust either of the scales when they both read differently???

    I think that the one that reads water and bone has to be re-calibrated ever so often so I've gotta do that again, but I have begun to pay a lot more attention to my body itself instead of trusting the numbers that haphazardly pop up on these two metal entities that have been slowly but surely raining on my freaking parade when I know that I'm working like a Hebrew slave in Egypt and not seeing results!:grumble:

    In a way, it's a good thing because like I said I'm not trusting solely in what the scale/scales say:smokin: but I'm simply looking at myself in the mirror, noticing changes in the way that I feel(somewhat like I could whup King Kong's *kitten*), and just the overall 'I feel much better' thing, so if I were you, I wouldn't worry much about the scales; frustrating as it may be :tongue: and just keep rockin' it out like you have been and acknowledge the changes that manifest themselves in time....

    we may not be able to post our new and awesome weights on the home page, but I truly believe that this is another stage in the journey and we've gotta roll with the punches as they come until that evil scale decides to relent and agree with our bodies, lol...keep ya head up chick - I know you're workin' it - don't worry!!!!:flowerforyou:

    Aw, thank you so much for this post! You're always so encouraging and supportive. :smile:

    I totally know what you mean about being obsessed with the scale. I used to weigh myself every day and the fluctuations drove me nuts... so I decided to weigh myself just once a week, thinking that surely I would see some progress then... and nothing! I'll have to rely more on my measurements from now on. (And maybe get a new scale too.)

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