Scale Showing 2 Different Weights?

Oakfrost
Oakfrost Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Apologies in advance if general isn't the right place for this question, but I don't really think it fits anywhere else.

Anyway, just as a sort of disclaimer before anyone says "why are you checking multiple times, just go with the first weight and move on..." I have OCD and have to do certain things in 3's before my mind will allow me to move on. Beyond that, if I didn't check, with the issue my scale is having, I would still be at my starting weight according to it. Now, on to my question. Whenever I turn my scale on, after it zeros out, the first time I step on it always shows my weight as being the same as the 2nd and 3rd time I stepped on the week prior. Basically 2 weeks weighing would look like this:

Week 1:
1st - 198
2nd - 197
3rd - 197

Week 2:
1st - 197
2nd - 196
3rd - 196

Since my 2nd and 3rd weights are always consistent, that's what I consider my weight to be. So, my question is, does anyone know why my scale might be doing this? Am I possibly not giving it enough time to calibrate? I've reset it, changed the batteries, and weigh on a level surface in the same spot every week, so I know it's not any of those things.

Replies

  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    Do you move the scale prior to your first weight? I usually weigh twice for that reason, because I don't have an open floor space where I can keep it all the time. I do store it flat on the bottom of my closet. My scale is not very fancy or expensive. If the first weight and the second differ, I will do a third, and usually it will keep the second. I attribute the difference to the fact that I've had to move it. (I do let it settle for a few minutes first.)
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    How many weeks has it been doing this? If your scale has always been like this, chalk it up to a quirk of the scale. Or maybe consider replacing it with a different kind of scale, simpler is probably better. If it's a super fancy pants scale that purports to read your body fat/water percentage, you could probably save yourself a lot of headache by replacing it with a $15 Health-O-Meter.
  • Oakfrost
    Oakfrost Posts: 5 Member
    alisdairsmommy wrote: »
    Do you move the scale prior to your first weight? I usually weigh twice for that reason, because I don't have an open floor space where I can keep it all the time. I do store it flat on the bottom of my closet. My scale is not very fancy or expensive. If the first weight and the second differ, I will do a third, and usually it will keep the second. I attribute the difference to the fact that I've had to move it. (I do let it settle for a few minutes first.)

    I don't usually move it. It typically sets in the same spot. Though recently it hasn't been turning on by just tapping it, so I just barely pick it up enough to where it registers the movement. I don't think it's that because it's done this since I bought it last year. I have had scales do that in the past though.
  • Oakfrost
    Oakfrost Posts: 5 Member
    edited March 2021
    goal06082021 wrote: »
    How many weeks has it been doing this? If your scale has always been like this, chalk it up to a quirk of the scale. Or maybe consider replacing it with a different kind of scale, simpler is probably better. If it's a super fancy pants scale that purports to read your body fat/water percentage, you could probably save yourself a lot of headache by replacing it with a $15 Health-O-Meter.

    Its done it since I bought it last year. It does have the body fat and all that, but I never use those features because it takes sooo long to calculate. I'd wind up stuck there all day if I did, with as many times as I have to weigh. Lol I think if I didn't have OCD what its doing wouldn't bother me as much and I'd just ignore it, but seeing that one different number sort of messes with me a bit and I wind up with a lot of doubt. If I can't get it figured out replacing it may be my only option for peace of mind.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    edited March 2021
    The only other thing I can think of is maybe you need to clean it, like maybe the feet are sticking somewhere? If you have pets, pet hair can accumulate in the wildest places at an astonishing speed.

    Although if it's been doing this the whole time, it sounds like you just have a weird, crappy scale.
  • Lhenderson923
    Lhenderson923 Posts: 102 Member
    That used to happen on a scale I had. The first one would be different, but any after that we’re always consistent so I went with that second measurement. Eventually I just got a new one.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited March 2021
    Have you tried replacing the battery in it? It's likely not the problem since it's been doing it since Day 1, but just wondering if that might help. Likely just a crappy scale, as others have said.
    If you weight yourself once, then weight yourself holding something heavy to deliberately get a different weight, then weight yourself again without the heavy thing, what does it do? Sometimes I do that while holding my cat if I suspect my scale is being wonky.
  • sarahq81
    sarahq81 Posts: 35 Member
    Mine does that too. I take the lighter one just because I prefer it ha! But when I got weighed at the doctors it seemed to be in line.
  • sdailly13
    sdailly13 Posts: 37 Member
    Same problem here. The biggest difference I noticed is when I moved it from 1 room to another. In saying that if you gain a a few pounds over a period of time, no matter what the scale says you kind of know that by the way your body feels.
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    Pick a reading and stick with that one. You're looking for a trend and a pound difference is insignificant.

    If the variation had been 5lb, then obviously you would need new scales.
  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
    Have you also tested it with a (5lb) weight?
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I weigh myself twice each time because for some reason the first weight is 2-4lbs heavier than the second reading. I consider it a calibration on the first go round and accept the 2nd weigh in. Subsequent weighs have always proven to be identical to the 2nd weigh and I've been doing this for 3+ years.
  • Avidkeo
    Avidkeo Posts: 3,206 Member
    I have a scale that does that. If I just step on, it's inconsistent. If I use the measurement function, it stays consistent. So I just use the measurement function all the time and just ignore the measurements except weight.

    And I weigh in daily and try to just focus on the trend.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    It sounds like your scale has a memory function to hide any inconsistencies. If weight change is less than a pound, it will display the last weight. This is common with household scales. Try picking up a weight over a pound, weighing yourself with the weight to reset the memory, then without it.
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 978 Member
    This is pretty normal for digital scales. I always weigh myself 3 times (because I do, so why not) and the first is often very different to the 2nd and 3rd (which are normally the same).

    Calk it up to a quirk of the scale and just always use the 2nd/3rd value.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,252 Member
    sigh. calibrating a scale especially after moving and before weighing in... GOOD.

    But... "my scale keeps showing the same weight after the 1st/2nd/4th/whichever try"

    Scale manufacturers have noticed that consumers are unhappy with "un-reliable" scales that can never show the same number. Because consumers don't care that the force sensor being a tiny piece of paper worth what $0.25 on a good day and with scales having at best one of them at each leg... are relatively unreliable!

    So here comes software to the rescue: If the measured weight has not changed by more than xx grams... keep showing the same weight! Wow! Look how accurate my scale is: it always measures the same weight.

    Now some manufacturers implement this with memory between sessions and days. Some implement it only after the second or third weigh in. Others implement it..... good luck in other words :smile:

    I used to care whether my scale implemented fake consistency.... now I just plug the number in the weight trend app and don't worry about it too much unless things are REALLY heading in a bad direction!

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