new scale

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1/29/13 4:40 A

Honestly... I don't think the exact number on the scale should matter.

What matters most is that general trend. If you are losing weight, you will see it on a scale no matter what- both at the Drs office and at home. I typically see ~3-5 lbs up (on my small body) when I go tot he Drs- and sadly, they measure me short sometimes. Once I went in, and they said 5'3.5" and I wasn't wearing shoes... the next time I go in, I'm 5'2"?! How does an 18 year old shrink like that?! I've had a lot of people try to measure me, and most of them get 162 cm or about 5'3.8". My mom told me that when they measure me at the drs, they push the thing that rests on my head down so it slopes downward a little bit. Point is, the measurements are not always right.

It isn't just that there are small measurement errors, or other lurking variables (clothes, food, time of day, etc). It's that the exact number shouldn't matter so much. Get into a healthy weight range, and then go not off of weight but off of general feel and look. You have exactly the same amount of work to do to get to your "goal body" regardless of what a scale- or several scales- say. That number is whatever the heck it wants to be. You can do whatever you want to get it to go up or go down, but that won't change where you are at the moment...

I'm rambling. Long story short: You are where you are now regardless of what the scale says. You can cheat out of the scale (or the scale can cheat you), but in the end, NOTHING CHANGES. If one scale says 170 lbs and another says 175 lbs and another says 168 lbs... You aren't gaining 5 lbs or losing 2 lbs or whatever. You are where you are and that number doesn't define where you are.

The only thing you need to look for is consistency in the same scale, so that you can monitor the basic trend (ie, "it's going down")

Body Fat %: 21.0

22 20.75 19.5 18.25

17

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1/28/13 6:49 P

Thanks I used your idea and used the 5lb dumbells its giving me the correct reading ~ Ok Im up for the challege to lose alittle more weight than I planned. Thats ok... I dont want any surprises once I go for the yearly check up,

current weight: 163.0

176 163.25 150.5 137.75

125

SparkPoints: (2,223)
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1/28/13 6:47 P

Thanks yeah thats true about going to the dr's office I normally when Im there she has me use those annoying paper gowns that rip! hahaha Im sticking with the higher weight and take the challenge to try and loose the weight before I see the dr in August Thanks :))

current weight: 163.0

176 163.25 150.5 137.75

125

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1/25/13 12:11 P

Whenever I go to the doctor and get weighed, I take my shoes off before being weighed. I also make sure that I tell myself that the weight at the doctor's office may be heavier, especially if I go in the afternoon (after lunch). I remind myself that the weight will be higher because I'm wearing jeans. Sure, it won't add a lot of weight but it does add about 2 to 3 lbs (at least it does for me).

Pounds lost: 26.4

0 12.5 25 37.5

50

SparkPoints: (2,223)
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1/25/13 10:40 A

Thank you I think I'll look like a pyscho weighing myself in Walmart, hahaha But worth a shot! Thanks ! :)

current weight: 163.0

176 163.25 150.5 137.75

125

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1/25/13 10:09 A

what I would do? Weigh yourself fully clothed, with your shoes on, and then go to walmart and weigh yourself again on all the scales there lol.... if they come out to the same number(ish), then you know your new scale is accurate :)

current weight: 183.8

192 181.5 171 160.5

150

Posts: 2,699
1/25/13 10:04 A

Make sure your scale is properly calibrated. Obviously, you'll likely weigh more at the doctor because you're in clothes, and it's often later in the day, whereas many people (I'm not sure what you do) do their "official" weigh-ins first thing in the morning, no clothes. But, if you're concerned about your new scale, grab something you know the weight of. Best thing I can think of is if you have dumbbells or weight plates. Weight a dumbbell, is it the right number? Then weigh a different size dumbbells or weight plate and see if that's accurate. Try a few different (known) weights. If their all accurate, then I'd say to stick to the number you're given. If they're off, then look into how you can properly calibrate the scale.

current weight: 127.2

165 152.5 140 127.5

115

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1/25/13 9:13 A

I bought a new scale Healthometer from Walmart its heavy I noticed every time I went to the dr to be weighed her scale was always a higher number than what I had at home? so I ditched the old scale the problem is The old scale is giving me a lighter weight? on the new scale Im 10lbs heavier? How can that be? Has anyone expierienced that before ? Its a number analog scale, no more digital scales since they flexuate the weight. plus I weigh myself in the same spot all the time. Should I take the new weight and use that eventhough its 10lbs heavier? here I am thinking Im weighing less all this time its so doscouraging!

Edited by: KAR815 at: 1/25/2013 (09:20)

current weight: 163.0

176 163.25 150.5 137.75

125