Boots Weighing Scales. (UK)

ehte_h
ehte_h Posts: 297 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
DO NOT USE THEM! For weeks I had been tearing my hair out wondering why my weight was fluctuating so much, adding upto 6lbs over 24 hours. I weighed myself yesterday at the gym and was 205. In Boots I was 211 and this was within 24 hours! A fellow MFP friend Lozald also pointed out similar results, i'm so thankful.. I was getting really irritated and thought I was losing my mind. As of now I will only use the gym scales.. But a word of warning do not use the boots scale, they even kept measuring my height wrong, bf% would go up despite sometimes weight going down. So annoying but i'm glad I know now, just stick to one scale and see how it goes

Replies

  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I am glad someone else had this same problem. The scales in my Boots weigh me at about 6 lbs more than my parents' scales (despite me using the ones that weigh heavier of their 2) and measure me at 5'4" height, which in an inch less than I actually am.
  • betharose7
    betharose7 Posts: 53 Member
    Maybe they fix them so that when you weigh urself ur horrified that ur 6 pounds more than u thought so u end up paying to join boots diets and they get more money?! Could be!
  • ehte_h
    ehte_h Posts: 297 Member
    I was relying on them for ages, as I liked having the print out with me, plus the fact I could check my bf% and BMI. But trust me even though the scales at the gym are old school they're still accurate
  • caroltina
    caroltina Posts: 453 Member
    Me too - I weigh 17 lb lighter than in the past but had a higher body fat% I don't go anymore
  • ehte_h
    ehte_h Posts: 297 Member
    Maybe they fix them so that when you weigh urself ur horrified that ur 6 pounds more than u thought so u end up paying to join boots diets and they get more money?! Could be!

    Good point!
  • aalanclose
    aalanclose Posts: 125 Member
    i use them as my main resource for recording weight, would be interested in anyone else who finds that they over report weight.
  • sexyminxinthemaking
    sexyminxinthemaking Posts: 451 Member
    me and a friend of mine joined weight watchers in may and we were weighed at weight watchers in the morning and decided for a laugh we would use boots scales because of the bad rep they have and they made us both 7 pounds more than we were at weight watchers dont use them
  • 42hockeymom
    42hockeymom Posts: 521 Member
    Sorry, I'm from the US, so I don't want to appear daft (see I know what that word means!) But, I thought a boot in the UK was what we call the trunk of a car (the back part where the spare tire goes and you stow things like luggage, groceries or other stuff). So I'm confused, is boots a company? Kind of like LA Weight loss here? Where they sell you all sorts of supplements, food, and other "stuff"?
  • aalanclose
    aalanclose Posts: 125 Member
    i think it would be the equivalent of walgreens
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    It seems all scales vary. Im about 7lbs lighter on the gym scales, even when fully dressed, compared to at home just before a bath. I'm wondering if the gym scales are like the fruit machines near casino entrances...artificially altered to make you feel better about yourself!

    I'd love to be able to use some super accurate, guaranteed accurate scales...just once!
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    Haha Boots scales always get my height wrong- I always assumed it was as I wasn't lifting my head high enough!

    I used to go on them but there really is no point if u have decent scales at home - I won't weigh myself on anyone else's scales now you have to be consistent.

    If you're in the UK - SALTER glass digital scales are the ones :) I think they were only £20 too.
  • owls4eva
    owls4eva Posts: 23 Member
    I just used a Boots scale for the first time this week. My weight seemed to be ok but it had my height shorter than i thought i was. I've just changed all my settings thinking it was accurate. Mmm?
  • ehte_h
    ehte_h Posts: 297 Member
    I'm definitely sticking to the scales in the gym. I made some enquiries and apparently they cost over £300 and are tested to a certain standard. F boots, everything they stand for and the **** they put me through over the last few weeks. I even started mfp based on there readings but have adjusted them to the gyms scale now.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I just used a Boots scale for the first time this week. My weight seemed to be ok but it had my height shorter than i thought i was. I've just changed all my settings thinking it was accurate. Mmm?

    I did that too, but I have heard of enough other people having issues with it, that I changed it back. I know I am taller than 5'4". The stupid machine can't even read my BF, it just goes scan, scan, scan....nah, you are dead.
  • AimingHighWeighingLow
    AimingHighWeighingLow Posts: 192 Member
    I use the same scales every time I weight myself, that way I can gage how much I am losing, all are calibrated slightly differently (I use my Wii)
  • scottlikescake
    scottlikescake Posts: 36
    Sorry, I'm from the US, so I don't want to appear daft (see I know what that word means!) But, I thought a boot in the UK was what we call the trunk of a car (the back part where the spare tire goes and you stow things like luggage, groceries or other stuff). So I'm confused, is boots a company? Kind of like LA Weight loss here? Where they sell you all sorts of supplements, food, and other "stuff"?

    Boots is similar to Walgreens in the US. It's not a weight loss company but it does have its down diets brand.
  • caroltina
    caroltina Posts: 453 Member
    Boots are a pharmacists! In addition, gym scales are often out cause so many people use them. In addition scales can be accurate at low weights, so u put a 12kg kettle bell on and it is accurate but at higher weights it can be out, my dad sells things for gardening, in 100 weights and he has to have the scale calibrated at higher weights to be legal. Moral is stick to your scale, even if that's not your weight, you'll see the weight coming off regardless
  • moon_light10
    moon_light10 Posts: 83
    Hmmmmmmm I went to Boots today to use the scales, they said I was 5ft 4.9", where as the other day I was 5ft 6"
    not sure on weight side, but they seem to be a little out, but going to stick with them, coz if they say I weigh more, then I think that'll keep me going
  • bany1781
    bany1781 Posts: 1
    wish id found this thread earlier, i just had the shock of my life in boots. I weighed myself today and apparently in the 3 days since i last weighed myself (albeit in a different boots) i have put on 9lbs gained 2in in height but lowered my bmi, despite sticking to my diet. busy weekend! i laughed it off and im now going to buy my own scales for the house so i can get a consistent result but i think if the weight gain had been 2 or 3 pounds instead of a crazy 9 i may have been inclined to believe it and lost heart a bit. Whats the point in them having a machine if its so out?!
  • sunman00
    sunman00 Posts: 872 Member
    you should find one set of scales and stick to that one, at least any errors will be consistent, and relative weight loss/ gains will show up
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    DO NOT USE THEM! For weeks I had been tearing my hair out wondering why my weight was fluctuating so much, adding upto 6lbs over 24 hours. I weighed myself yesterday at the gym and was 205. In Boots I was 211 and this was within 24 hours! A fellow MFP friend Lozald also pointed out similar results, i'm so thankful.. I was getting really irritated and thought I was losing my mind. As of now I will only use the gym scales.. But a word of warning do not use the boots scale, they even kept measuring my height wrong, bf% would go up despite sometimes weight going down. So annoying but i'm glad I know now, just stick to one scale and see how it goes
    So because one scale in your local boots is off all the scales in every boots is off. What a strange concept. How do you know your gym scales weren't off? Why don't you ask boots if there scales have been calibrated and checked recently? Then ask the same at your gym. That way you may be able to work out your true weight.
  • squirrell79
    squirrell79 Posts: 154 Member
    I'm very sorry, but I first read this thread title as "Boobs Weighing Scales."

    I almost choked up a hairball and thought, "Wow, that's fascinating! I've never heard of such a thing. I wonder how much mine weigh?"

    Thanks for the laugh. :-)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Uhhh, weight can fluctuate up to 10 pounds in any 24 hour period. If you aren't weighing at the same time, under the same conditions, you can't make reasonable comparisons.
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
    The scales in my local Boots are off too. I got weighed twice in a row and it gave me two different weights, that were 8 pounds different. And 4 stone (56 pounds) heavier than my scales and the doctor's scales weighed me! It also measured my height at 5 foot 4. And then 5 foot 7. I'm 6 foot! :noway:
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