Should I trust my scale or doctor's scale?

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Hotdawgnothotdog
Hotdawgnothotdog Posts: 179 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
The past two weeks over stayed at 291 when weighing myself. This past time I weighed myself I figured it could be because I was on my period and that always makes me weigh a little more. I weigh right when I wake up with no clothes on. Later on I had a doctor's appointment. Typically I weigh more which of course makes sense, later in the day, after having eaten, and fully clothed. To my surprise I weighed 290.3. Now the scale I use at home no longer has the battery cover so the batteries get loose and sometimes it'll show I weigh significantly less (like 230s) so I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't dependable. So which scale would you think is more reliable?

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  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,398 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Hotdawgnothotdog wrote: »
    The past two weeks over stayed at 291 when weighing myself. This past time I weighed myself I figured it could be because I was on my period and that always makes me weigh a little more. I weigh right when I wake up with no clothes on. Later on I had a doctor's appointment. Typically I weigh more which of course makes sense, later in the day, after having eaten, and fully clothed. To my surprise I weighed 290.3. Now the scale I use at home no longer has the battery cover so the batteries get loose and sometimes it'll show I weigh significantly less (like 230s) so I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't dependable. So which scale would you think is more reliable?

    all scales are different... just pick one and weigh yourself on it at the same time and under the same conditions each time.

    This! Every scale is indeed different. And the place it stands at might also make a difference. For the best results I'd step on the home scale naked after going to the bathroom in the morning, but before breakfast.
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 979 Member
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    If you're looking for your "true" weight. Then rely on your doctor's scales. Scales in these kind of environments are regularly calibrated to ensure that they continue to read a true value.

    However, for general purposes it actually doesn't really matter, as long as you use a set of scales consistently. For context, I know that my current scales shows about 1/1.5kg heavier than the "true" value (as I've compared it to other, calibrated, scales). However, it consistently weighs that much heavier, so it doesn't really matter greatly as I'm always using that set of scales. And the difference between my starting weight and my current weight is still the same amount. So unless you have a particular reason to need to be a specific weight (like, say, a weight categories sport that you need to know exactly what your weight is going to be) then it doesn't really matter.

    Of course if your scales are generally a little temperamental, it may be time to invest in a new set of scales (or some sticky tape to put over batteries to keep them in place :tongue: )
  • missmince
    missmince Posts: 76 Member
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    My scale gives different numbers depending where on my rather warped wooden floor I put it. I kick mine under a bookshelf when I'm done, so I try a couple places to get consistency. I also weighed myself holding different weight dumbells, 5 to 25 pounds to be sure it measures change accurately, which it does. The people at the doctor's office don't even have me take off my coat or boots before weighing, so I doubt they trouble about perfect accuracy either. I liked the old fashioned scales, where you slide the weights around till the piece at the end is floating in the middle, but they're pricey and don't fit under furniture, so I'm OK with accuracy in changes of weight. Anyway, if you're worried about your scale, try seeing if it's level and try seeing how the numbers change when you pick up something of a known weight.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    The Doctor's scale may be calibrated (but it also might not be), it might be higher quality, but you also won't use it under completely consistent conditions (time of day, time of month, hydration levels, eaten/not eaten, clothes...).
    Price doesn't guarantee accuracy either, I tested two sets of scales against a properly calibrated scale in a sports science lab and it was the cheap ones that were completely accurate and the expensive ones were 2lbs out.

    Just go by the trend of your own scales would be my advice and weigh in whatever frequency suits you (I prefer daily, the normal fluctuations seen are expected and understood).
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    consistency is what matters. use the SAME scale in the SAME conditions for your weigh in. the trend is the trend, regardless of whether or not it is off a bit.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Maybe you had a big poop.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
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    The last time I went to the dr, I weighed myself at home in the exact clothing I wore and was weighed in at the dr - there was virtually no difference. So I was prepared to deal with the 5# increase the "dr scales" would show - post breakfast and coffee plus clothes :)
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited January 2019
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    The last time I went to the doctor, I weighed in (late afternoon, fully clothed) 8 lbs less than my scale reading from home a few days before (first thing in the morning, naked). Meaningless. I wasn't even in a calorie deficit at the time. I also replaced our scale at home after losing a good 30 lbs only to have the new scale register 12 lbs higher. Did that mean I didn't lose 30 lbs? No- just that my new scale registers weight differently.

    As has been said, same scale, same time, same conditions and the trend will tell the tale. (And BTW, we don't have "one true weight"- our weight is constantly fluctuating.)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    You're talking about a less than one pound difference between two scales, one of which you use maybe once or twice a year. It doesn't really matter if your doctor's scale is more accurate or not, because you're not weighing yourself regularly with that scale. Besides, 0.7 pounds is well within normal, everyday weight fluctuation. It may have nothing to do with the scale at all. If you're trying to lose weight, focus on whether your weight is trending up or down, not what one scale says on one day.
  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
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    I always go by my home scale because it's the one I use every day and I weigh myself first thing in the morning sans clothing. Doctor appointments are usually later in the day after I've eaten/had liquids and I'm wearing clothes and shoes.

    OP I do wonder on getting the same reading on your home scale for lots of days in a row though, when that happens to me it means the batteries are getting low (same weight for more than 3 days). Maybe put new batteries in and see what it says tomorrow morning?

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