Doctors scales... ??!!

Scoobies87
Scoobies87 Posts: 379
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
I went to see the quack today to get my depo injection. It is every 3 months and every 3 months they weigh me. 3 months ago their scales said I was 61 kg.

In the past 4 months I have lost 13 pounds and gone from a UK size 12 to a size 8-10 :).

However when I jumped on the scales at the docs today it said I was 59kg-which means their scales are only showing a 4 POUND LOSS!!

Granted I was wearing loose clothing and I had just had a sandwich but still, what the hell? I know I can't have just lost 4 lbs as I (and those around me) Have seen a dramatic difference. However I have heard that doctors scales are the most accurate.

I am now feeling very down and confused. I thought I was doing so well. This has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do (Whilst cutting right down on smoking) and I now feel like giving up. Anyone had anything similar happen???

Replies

  • kassandra81
    kassandra81 Posts: 176
    Take that reading with a grain of salt. Your proper weight loss would be taken on the same scale, at the same time of day wearing or not wearing the same thing every day. You were clothed, had eaten, etc. I wouldn't worry about it. I know it's annoying to see, but don't give it any more thought. :)
  • Jess22542
    Jess22542 Posts: 66
    Don't worry about it for a second. Your real weight loss is based on weighing on the same scale and at the same time of day. Using different scales or weighing with inconsistent factors (clothing vs. no clothing, morning vs. night), isn't going to show accurate results. It really can make significant difference. Congrats on your progress and keep up the good work!
  • netchik
    netchik Posts: 587 Member
    Had the same problem with the Docs scales last week. Ignore it - the truth is no matter what your starting weight, you've lost x amount and that's something to be proud of. Stick to one set of scales because if you pin your emotions on multiple sets your mood will yoyo with the numbers!!!
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
    clothes shoes wallets etc can add anywhere from 2-8 lbs on you plus the eating ... I usually do my weigh in every Friday morning first thing after using the restroom and nude - it gets the MOST consistent weight loss number
  • muitobem
    muitobem Posts: 436 Member
    Yes!!! And it pissed me off!! The drs scale showed me 9lbs higher than at home and I KNOW there is no way I am 9lbs heavier...my clothes won't fit right if I was... I stick with mine as more consistent...
  • rmsrws
    rmsrws Posts: 639 Member
    I can weigh myself first thing in the morning, and have a doc appointment in the afternoon. I have seen a difference of over 6 lbs just in those hours.

    Don't sweat it!!
  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
    What time do you weigh? I generally weigh in the morning. If you were at the doc's office in the afternoon, you could definately see a "weight" gain from the morning... there's water, waste, food, clothes, etc.... I never compare two weigh ins from two different scales. See what the doctor's scale says next time.

    You know what you are doing and you know that you are loosing weight, don't get discouraged because of a weighin at the doc's office.

    If it bothers you, next time, weigh with your back to the scale and tell them you'd rather not know what their scale says.
  • Luandanielle1979
    Luandanielle1979 Posts: 747 Member
    My docs scales showed me 3kgs less than weight watchers ones the day before. They are wrong!!
  • deathstarclock
    deathstarclock Posts: 512 Member
    Maybe the doctor's scale was not calibrated as well?? So many variables that have already been mentioned to factor in!

    Remember what's important: how you feel about yourself!
  • kimkimchi
    kimkimchi Posts: 58
    Yeah I wouldn't worry. Even if your scale at home is "wrong" it will always be "wrong" by the same amount. So, if at home your scale says "150lbs" but in reality you are "155lbs" it doesn't matter because if your scale said you lost 13lbs, you lost 13lbs (your scale's just offset by a few pounds).

    You were also clothed and had eaten. When I wear clothes I gain 4-5lbs and when I eat/drink throughout the day I can fluxuate +/- 5lbs!
  • hnsaunde
    hnsaunde Posts: 757 Member
    You could have just retained some water too, I always find I weigh more at night than first thing in the morning. Depending on the type of scale, it may not be the most accurate because if it's one of those ones where you push the kgs on the top, it will depend on how closely they look at it. I have had the same thing happen, until my doctor's office got an electronic scale. Don't fixate on it, just concentrate on how good you feel!
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    Last month I got weighed before having my blood drawn. I weighed myself that morning and my scale and it said 134. I got dressed and went to the doctor. I did not eat or drink (fasting blood draw). I got on the scale at the doctor's office and it said 139. If clothing (sneakers, jeans, long sleeve t-shirt) added 5 pounds, I would say a day of eating and drinking normally could easily add a few more.
  • Dayquasar
    Dayquasar Posts: 182 Member
    I know the scale at my doctors is off by 3lbs so It could be off and your weight fluctuates througout the day, don't worry you still lost weight!
  • camcpeak
    camcpeak Posts: 1 Member
    trust the scale you use consistantly! and the fact that you've gone down in clothing sizes. you're doing great, don't let this throw you.
  • Indy_Mario
    Indy_Mario Posts: 532 Member
    I went to see the quack today to get my depo injection. It is every 3 months and every 3 months they weigh me. 3 months ago their scales said I was 61 kg.

    In the past 4 months I have lost 13 pounds and gone from a UK size 12 to a size 8-10 :).

    However when I jumped on the scales at the docs today it said I was 59kg-which means their scales are only showing a 4 POUND LOSS!!

    Granted I was wearing loose clothing and I had just had a sandwich but still, what the hell? I know I can't have just lost 4 lbs as I (and those around me) Have seen a dramatic difference. However I have heard that doctors scales are the most accurate.

    I am now feeling very down and confused. I thought I was doing so well. This has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do (Whilst cutting right down on smoking) and I now feel like giving up. Anyone had anything similar happen???

    OK, so you claim to have lost over 10 lbs (13). While taking into account the calibration variances and knowing in advance that weight will vary due to eating, clothing, time of day and all other variables, we have:
    4 kg (remember from basic math that the units ARE very important!) = almost 9 lbs.

    So, your claim of having lost 13 lbs and your doctor's reading of 9 lbs can both be right!
    You retain water throughout the day, on top of the food you'd eaten AND the clothes you were wearing can account for the 4 pound difference! Don't despair, you're good! I am so happy to read that you've done a noticeable change, the scales aren't as important as the obvious progress you're making. Congratulations!
  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
    It's a different scale. Go by whatever consistent scale you have been using. And you've obviously lost inches to change clothing size. So don't worry about it.

    I am curious as to why you call your doctor a "quack." All doctors are not quacks.
  • DisneyMommy
    DisneyMommy Posts: 281 Member
    I agree with everyone who says trust the scale you use the most. No scale is going to be perfect and then you have to factor in time of day, clothes, etc. I just went to the Drs this week too. At home that morning I weighed 133 lbs with nothing on. At the Drs around 4:20PM I weighed 132 lbs fully dressed with shoes on and everything. There are just too many variables at work here.
  • songofserenity81
    songofserenity81 Posts: 138 Member
    I guess I'v been pretty lucky, weighed myself this morning in my birthday suit and registered at 148.6, got dressed and checked was 149.6. Had an official weigh-in at the Dr's and their scales registered exactly the same as mine fully clothed.:smile: . I call it an official weigh in because they are monitoring my BMI for the purpose of a potential surgery and until my BMI when on their scales falls to the required reading I cannot consider myself at target even if I know I am by my scales.
  • maura5880
    maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
    Don't even worry about that, just keep using your scale to track loss. All scales are different. The last time I went to my doctor's, like a month ago, I weighed 9LBS less than my scale at home--what's that all about?! Lol, but obviously I just track on my home scale..
  • jmruef
    jmruef Posts: 824 Member
    I don't get weighed at the MD's office for this very reason. I'm always pleasant about it - i just tell them I'll tell them what my home scale said - but I won't step on their scale. I've never had anyone tell me that wasn't acceptable, or give me a really hard time about it.
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