Is it cheating...

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ziggy_mommy
ziggy_mommy Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
...if you weigh yourself several times to get a weight you like? Today is my weigh in day, and over 5 scale checks (done within 3 minutes of each other), I had a 3lb range of possible weights. So I took the second lowest one, which gave me a 1.8lb loss for the week. The highest one would have given me a loss of less than 1lb. So is it cheating to pick and choose, if the scale did actually say it?

Replies

  • _Boomerang_
    _Boomerang_ Posts: 4
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    You could average it out.
  • KokomoJoe
    KokomoJoe Posts: 435
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    Unless my scale gives me something that is completely off I only do it once. I remember weighing myself one morning and my scale said 278 (which was close but I thought it would be lower) and a body fat of 61%. I did an on/off on my scale and it came back with 276 and about 40% BF which was in line with where it should be. I do everything first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything as I feel that is about as light as I will get.
  • FAVOLOSOMII
    FAVOLOSOMII Posts: 188 Member
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    I don't think so, but make sure you use the same scale every time you weigh in order to be consistent.

    Congrats on the loss! :flowerforyou:
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    I say get a new scale. LOL. I would take the batteries out. Weigh again and then use that weight OR average all of the weigh ins but not weigh myself more than 3 times.
  • schnugglebug
    schnugglebug Posts: 333 Member
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    using a digital scale? lol
    I had that problem on my moms scale... depends where you put it on the floor... it gives different readings... 1st try I was 261 then 258 and another spot 256... I had no idea... I know a couple weeks before I had been 260 so I went with 258 the next time...since that made most sense

    LAST time I weighted myself on the medical scale at the gym... and I came in at 254... happy with that one,which made sense since I had been working out hard for 2 weeks, and so I will use that one consistently now.. (same scale my doc has) I don't trust digital lol
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    no, I don't think its cheating. in fact, I call it added motivation. if you take a lower reading then it should provide you motivation to kick butt the next week to put you in position for another loss.
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
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    Get a better scale.
  • deathstarclock
    deathstarclock Posts: 512 Member
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    Why's your scale giving you different readings? Analog?
  • DinaLKeil
    DinaLKeil Posts: 95 Member
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    no, I don't think its cheating. in fact, I call it added motivation. if you take a lower reading then it should provide you motivation to kick butt the next week to put you in position for another loss.

    I agree! :) I don't think it's cheating. I take the lowest. Then you want to make double sure that for next weeks weigh in you still have a loss.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    I don't think it's cheating but I would average them, as you don't want to have to back paddle next week when you weigh-in.
  • netchik
    netchik Posts: 587 Member
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    I need 3 consistent readings before I agree on a weight.. And if it's not the lowest one, then tough :(

    My (digital) scales are dodgy up at the heavy end, but if I can get 3 readings the same, then that's good enough for me!
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
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    I love my scale. it's very accurate, i can get on 3 times in a row always get the same weight. it's a weight watchers scale.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
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    So is it cheating to pick and choose, if the scale did actually say it?

    IMHO, yes, you're getting bad data if you either:

    (1) pick the lower number from a series if you don't like the first number; or even

    (2) only take a series, then average, if you don't like the first number.

    If you take a series of weights (same number every week) and choose the lowest (or second lowest) every time, then you are at least getting consistent data.

    That said, anything that keeps you on task is good, and anything that moves you off your commitment is bad -- it's up to you to figure out which one this is.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
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    <deleted my double post - sorry!>
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I love my scale. it's very accurate, i can get on 3 times in a row always get the same weight. it's a weight watchers scale.
    Mine too... about the only good thing in the WW range :laugh:

    To the OP - yes it's cheating... but you need to get a better scale if it's giving you such a variety of weights.

    I weigh myself twice... once with the body analyser on... then just check my weight afterwards. It's always the same :happy:
  • bbabs99
    bbabs99 Posts: 51
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    In my opinion, it doesn't really matter. Take and believe whatever reading will keep you motivated and making progress. I think that weight is a superficial number that shouldn't hold such importance. Qualitative factors like how you feel and how you look are far more important.
  • ziggy_mommy
    ziggy_mommy Posts: 17
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    Hi Everyone -

    Thanks so much for all the replies - much appreciated! To those who asked, it is a digital scale I bought just a year or so ago, and I loved it at first, but... Also, the floor in our bathroom is very uneven - that may relate to it, but there isn't anything I can do about it either. I try to keep putting the scale at the same place on the floor every time I use it. I also always use the same scale, and at the same time under the same conditions every time.

    My biggest concern (as some of you mentioned) was skewing the results so it would end up harder for me next week - although also more motivating too. At the same time, I was just so frustrated because I had worked like crazy all week, and was just not willing to accept that translated to less than 1/2 a lb! Silly I know, but there's no accounting for emotion!

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