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Jean-Paul L.
Jean-Paul L. Sendmail

Scale advice from my fellow dailymilers

posted about 2 years ago | Report

Part of my motivations is to lose a few pounds. I am weighing myself daily. I noticed that my scale readings fluctuate. I step on the scale, take a reading. Step back on the scale and again take a reading. Sometimes they differ. I try to stand on the scale, with the exact same movements, to try and get the same results.

Anyway, I am looking for a new scale. Any recommendations. I don't care if it reads over or under. What I want is a reliable reading.

I will start my investigation today on my own.

What do y'all have to add?

Respond

13 posts

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  • Lenny G.
    Lenny G. Sendmail

    Well I went out and got one of these digital scales with a fat composition measurement apparatus built-in. It happened to be on sale at the local hardware store for $15 at the time.

    As far as digital scales or regular scales, they'll read fairly accurately so long as you're consistent with where and how you take your readings. Keep in mind they still rely on balance so use them on a level surface, free of warps, and try to place your centre of mass over the centre of the scale and all will be well. I've notice the fat % measurement can be thrown off by over- or under-hydration so this is pretty important. If you're well hydrated then these scales are usually accurate to within 5% of true value.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Stephanie Y.
    Stephanie Y. Sendmail

    Not not related to your question per se, but I would like to offer a small piece of advice that really works for me. Weighing yourself daily isn't always the best idea because our weight fluctuates a couple of pounds naturally based on water intake, how many times you've gone to the bathroom, etc.

    Rather, I now weigh myself once a week. This way I can see if an increase is persistent over time, and if it is, then I can modify my exercise and food to keep it in check. Daily scale readings sometimes led to me obsessing over a number. To be perfectly honest, now I just see whether my clothes still fit the same way. If a pair of jeans start feeling tight, I know that I'm gaining. :)

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Lazaro R.
    Lazaro R. Sendmail

    The gym I use has the doctor's scale with the sliding weights. I find that it is the most reliable of all the scales I use either at home or at the gym.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Alice D.
    Alice D. Sendmail

    I disagree with Stephanie. I weigh myself every morning and find it very motivating. But I do take it with a grain of salt. E.g., if I eat a salty meal the day before I KNOW my weight will go up, but it's not real weight--just water weight--and will go away in a day or two.

    Anyway, I also have a digital scale with a fat composition measurement. I don't follow the fat measurement, but my husband does and likes it. It's normally recommended that a scale be put on a hard surface, but we can only put it on carpet. So we got a think piece of plywood about 2 feet square to put under it. The scale reads to the nearest two tenths of a pound and I can only rarely budge it two tenths by reweighing myself.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • John P.
    John P. Sendmail

    For what it's worth, I always weigh myself twice and take the average. My scale is a digital one that reads in 0.2 pound increments. I think what is happening is that if my weight on a given day happens to end in an odd decimal, it'll usually give me one reading just above the "true" weight and one reading just below it. For example, if I "really" weigh 152.5 pounds, the scale might say 152.6 the first time and 152.4 the second time.

    Mine is a Tanita that allegedly gives you a body fat percentage in addition to the weight. I'm almost sure the body fat percentage is nonsense, but it appears to be very accurate and reliable on the weight measure. I only wish it gave 0.1 pound increments!

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Stephanie Y.
    Stephanie Y. Sendmail
    in reply to what Alice D. said:I disagree with Stephanie. I weigh myself every morning and find it very motivating. But I do take it with a grain of salt. E.g., if I eat a salty meal the day before I KNOW my weight will go up, but it's not real weight--just water weight--and... read more

    Whatever works for you is fine with me. :)

    I just know that a lot people get very obsessive when they get on the scale every single day.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Scott C.PRO
    Scott C. Sendmail

    I have one of those digial scales that records weight and fat %. It is about 3 years old. I use it almost daily first thing in the morning and record the values. I don't worry about how it fluctuates from day to day, but I track the monthly averages and can track my gain and loss over time. Also, I don't know if the fat % is accurate, but I can measure the relative values from month to month.

    I weigh myself 3-4 times and then use the average numbers, as it is usually slightly different every time I step on it.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Morey B.
    Morey B. Sendmail

    Sounds normal. You can get a better scale, but your body will still vary a few lbs every day.

    Boy, are you going to be depressed when your exercise program results in you putting on 5lbs of muscle.

    Live the lifestyle you want, your body will follow. It won't have any choice.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Kathy
    Kathy Sendmail

    We just bought a new scale since we broke the old one (nothing lasts more than 2 years here due to salt corrosion). We got a "Taylor" at Costco for around $465 (Mexican pesos). It measures body fat, BMI and weight. I find it pretty accurate and I weigh daily then post on physicsdiet and simply make sure the line is going down. If you like weighing daily, try the physicsdiet site. I have found that this week my weight has stayed the same but my body fat has decreased, so that is nice to see.

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Jewels
    Jewels Sendmail

    I too have a digital scale but it's not fancy with fat readings or anything haha. Also I agree with both Stephanie & Alice. "Scale Obsseion" can happen VERY easy for lots of people. I am definitely obsessed and check everyday and sometimes at night to get an idea of what it will be in the morning (I know see, obsessed lol). BUT...as with Alice I only take the daily readings with a grain of salt as well. Our bodies are ALWAYS going to fluctuate no matter the type of scale you have. So personally, even though I check daily I only "care" about my weekly weight in number, that number is likely to be the most accurate. And I weigh in, in the morning before eating or drinking anything and after potty, and naked! Is that TMI? LOL Wish you the best!

    Jewels ;)

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Stephanie Y.
    Stephanie Y. Sendmail
    in reply to what Morey B. said:Sounds normal. You can get a better scale, but your body will still vary a few lbs every day. Boy, are you going to be depressed when your exercise program results in you putting on 5lbs of muscle. Live the lifestyle you want, your body wil... read more

    "Boy, are you going to be depressed when your exercise program results in you putting on 5lbs of muscle."

    Good point Morey!

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Darrel W.
    Darrel W. Sendmail

    I would ONLY get an electronic scale, they are generally very accurate. As for the bodyfat part - I'd get it if it doesn't cost too much. I have a Tanita scale with BF monitor, and I've found it to give repeatable results for bodyfat. The BF readings change throughout the day, however, and I've found that the morning readings are about 0.5 - 1.0% higher than in the afternoon. I had an underwater bodyfat calculation done a couple of years ago, and it was in line with the morning Tanita readings.

    Good luck!

    posted about 2 years ago

  • Bo A.PRO
    Bo A. Sendmail

    I use a very inexpensive digital scale and use is a generalized view of my body weight. I know that due to my running, eating, and potty activities the day to day weight can very a few pounds so, I really look towards the trend in the numbers and my lowest recent weight. I weight myself most mornings after my morning routine (after my shower) and before getting dressed. I find that I have a +/- 3lbs variance day to day... and depending on what I've eaten its as much as 4 to 5 lbs variance. Since I'm on a general weight loss program with my running it tends towards 1 to 1.5 over and 1 lbs under my "general weight"... with the trend being downward, averaging 1 to a 1.5 lbs loss per week.

    As far as scales go... inexpensive digital scale is the way to go... the accuracy is good enough and any variance in the scale is going to be masked by variances in your own body weight due to eating, digestive speed variances, etc.

    As other have suggested... consistent times of day for weighing yourself go a long way to getting consistent results. I find the generally best time is first thing in the morning, after peeing and before eating or drinking anything.

    As to scales... most digital scales are fairly accurate and consistent provided you use them on a level surface and follow the procedure for the scale (some self calibrate every time so you need to wait for a few seconds before stepping on the scale when you first activate it.) If you follow the mfg's instructions and use the scale consistently at the same time and kind of look at trends and averages versus specific weights, you'll get good results from a scale. Oh, and be aware that your natural variance in weight could be as much a 5 to 10 lbs based on a number of factors including how often you poo and how much water you drink/sweat. The more consistent the conditions of the time you weigh yourself the more consistent the results. Weighing yourself at different times on different days can result in very wide variances in your weight due to food/liquid uptake and the amount of potty activity...

    posted about 2 years ago

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