Are Those Digital Scales Accurate?

[ANNIE121105]

Good Morning Fellow Food Aholics,

I bought a new WW digital scale over the week-end. I weighed Saturday and on the new and on the old dial up model, there was about a 3lb difference. I weighed this morning on both scales and the old scale says I lost 1lb and the new says I gained 1lb, huh? I went downstairs, let Gizzmo out, fixed a cup of coffee and walked back up stairs and weighed again and it said I gained .2lbs in just five minutes! I took a shower and weighed again to find I had gained 2.4lbs in just 15 minutes! Yiks, I am gona throw that thing out the window:eek: Just to make sure I got back on the old dial scale and the weight was the same.

What do ya'll think?

 

Annie:)

[NMCruzzin]

I'm going to keep to the scales I started with - if this is how the digital ones work it would be traumatic for me and I might have to resort to chocolate to comfort me from to many ups and downs - and I can't have that yet! :D

[gr81]

The old fashion scales are usually less acurate over time. Digital scales are suposed to "calibrate" every time they are turned on and they work based on pressure. The problem with this is that if the pressure is not even, the scale can get confused. I have a digital scale and I can stand on it 3 times in a row and depending on how far my feet are apart I can get a diferent reading. But hey, as long as the number is lower, I am not going to argue right!

[TucsonDeb]

Part of the problem, too, with digital scales is that your body really does fluctuate quite a bit throughout the day. I always gain close to two pounds just taking a shower, even after drying my hair. My skin absorbs the water, I think. Drinking a cup of coffee will kick me up a pound, easy, first thing in the morning.

 

The key with digital scales is to weigh yourself consistently in the same state. I weigh myself as soon as I get up in the morning, naked, after using the bathroom, before drinking anything. That tends to give me the most stable, accurate (read: lowest :p ) reading.

 

Deb

[LuvBNatC]

I've tried both kinds of scale and now use a regular dial model.

 

I had the same problem with my digital scale everyone here is reporting. Every time I stepped on it, I got a different reading. In addition, I found myself obsessing over tenths of pounds.

 

My dial scale is usually a good 8-10 lower than that monstrosity with weights in the doctor's office (that discrepancy seems to decrease the less I weigh--go figure). But if I stick with the same scale at home, my numbers are consistent and I'm dealing in whole pounds only, which I find less stressful.

 

I don't want to know if I lost 4 ounces because a good cup of tea could wipe that out.

[mountainmare]

I agree with those who like the dial scale. I bought a digital that seemed to be affected by the weather, when it was humid I was heavier than when dry. I bought a really good dial model, and it doesn't vary as much. I will admit that my digital was a cheap one though.

What I like about my dial scale (and this is really silly) is that I have a line drawn on my "goal range" A quick glance down and I know where I am.

[LuvBNatC]

Mountainmare brought up a good point.

 

What I REALLY prefer about my dial scale is watching myself leave those big numbers behind, which you can't do on a digital scale. It's kind of like watching a ship sail into the sunset. :D

 

I started at 160, and now I'm only one line away from 150. I love looking at the distance I've come so far, and will be in heaven when that dial soon clears 150 and I'm in the 140s!...

[ANNIE121105]

Well it would seem as though the old fashioned dial scale wins:p I don't even bother with the digital scale anymore. I put my dial scale back in it's rightful place and moved the digital scale to the down stairs bathroom to give my guests a little fun :eek: I don't know why I even bought that monster in the first place (we call it Jeckle/Hyde) you never know which one your gonnna get:rolleyes:

 

Annie:)

[bigwally]

The key to digital scales is that you need to put them on a flat, hard, surface. After having a very tempremental scale that worked fine on the hardwood downstairs but wasn't much use on the carpeted floor of the bedroom, we stuck a thick piece of lexan underneath it and haven't had any problems since.

 

Just recently, I went through that whole "why do I weigh more at the Doctor's office than I do at home?" thing and decided to see if our digital scale was, in fact, accurate. Coincidentally, my wife had purchased not one but two sets of workout dumbells - one pair 8lbs each and one pair 10lbs each. Sure enough, the 8lb pair placed on the scale weighed 16lbs and the 10lb pair weighed 20lbs.

 

With respect to variations in weight during the day. As previously mentioned, you need to be consistent with timing. I typically weigh right after morning coffee (gotta wake up some) and excercising, but before showering and having breakfast. All being equal (same amount of morning coffee, similar meal for dinner the night before, same amount of excercise that morning) my weight should be accurate.

[kalamari]

It really doesn't matter what the scale says. If it's off a couple pounds it doesn't make a big difference in the big scheme of things. And if it's off by 10 lbs, you'd be able to figure it out real quick.

 

If the scale is off plus or minus 2-3 lbs, it means that you still need to lose the weight. They say you are supposed to stay 2-3 lbs. under your goal weight.

 

I have a digitial scale that also measures water weight composition.I did a lot of researach on the various digital models. And yes, it's true your weight could fluctuate within a short period of time. There's the sodium issue, lunar cycle factors, clothes, etc.

 

Best advice is to weigh yourself same time, same day, same clothes. That way you wont' become obsessed on with what the scale says. Easier said than done!

[Jan_In_Maine]

I use a digital scale (weighs half/whole pounds only) not 10ths. I use it same time, same place every morning I only use digital because the numbers are very large ... and my eyes are not what they used to be!! Jan

[perkyblue]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one having a problem with the digital scale. We recently got one that also measures your body fat percentage, but the results don't make sense to me. One day in July, for example, the scale said that I was 136 pounds and 33.2% body fat. There was a body fat chart up at my gym and I think the cut-off for the obese category for females was 30%! However, my BMI is in the healthy range. Needless to day, I don't use the scale's body fat function anymore! It was too depressing!

[CrossMyHeart]

I have one of those lithium digital scales and I found it to be the most accurate. The thing with most scales is you have to step on it first disregarding the reading (especially if it's been picked up or moved even a little bit) and the second time you step on it is your real weight.