I know this is a retarded question BUT....

...JeNnA... · 03-26-2008, 09:14 AM

So i bought a new scale and it says i weigh 2 pds less that my older one? That is a huge deal just because i am at a weight where 2 pds is a big deal!!! haha
The old one i had (2yrs old) was Taylor Made and it was definetly crapping out - recalibrating every single time i stepped on and gave me a different reading every single time i stepped on... lol
the new one i bought is by Conair and has Weight Watchers logo on it. Why i don't know, probably just some corporate deal. But it got me thinking... and i am not trying to push anyones buttons or anything but weight watchers is generally for older & heavier women so maybe its not a good scale to have for someone my size? I put a 8 pd weight on it and it wouldnt read it so i don't know what to think?

which number should i believe?
AND PLEASE DON'T TELL ME "THE SCALE SHOULDNT MATTER" it doesn't to me ok? I take measurments and stuff so this is purely whether i should return it or not and for record purposes!!

anandagirl · 03-26-2008, 12:11 PM

I am going to tell you the scale shouldn't matter. Even if you want to know what your weight is, the actual scale itself shouldn't matter as long as it is accurate! And WW is about as good for 20 year olds as it is for 60 year olds, so that shouldn't matter either. In fact, I think a WW scale weighs in tenths of pounds?

moon girl · 03-26-2008, 01:11 PM

As a disclaimer, I think you're putting too much stock into your weight, but I know you've been told that before and you're obviously not going to change your mind about obsessing over that number. With that in mind...

I'm sure your new scale is just fine. It's the difference in weight that matters - not the absolute number.

So what if one scale says you're some weight, and you step on another one and it is two pounds more? Did you just gain 2 pounds while you moved from one scale to the other? Of course not!

Just start tracking your weight with this new scale and see it as a new starting point and get the weight moving in the right direction. Before you know it, what you used to weigh when you still had your old scale is ancient history and doesn't matter anymore.

Plus, you said yourself that your old scale was a piece of crap, and IMO there's not that much difference in quality of new scales, so I wouldn't bother with bringing it back (especially if it's just to find a new one that gives you a lower number).

CrazyEnough · 03-26-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon girl

As a disclaimer, I think you're putting too much stock into your weight, but I know you've been told that before and you're obviously not going to change your mind about obsessing over that number. With that in mind...

I'm sure your new scale is just fine. It's the difference in weight that matters - not the absolute number.

So what if one scale says you're some weight, and you step on another one and it is two pounds more? Did you just gain 2 pounds while you moved from one scale to the other? Of course not!

Just start tracking your weight with this new scale and see it as a new starting point and get the weight moving in the right direction. Before you know it, what you used to weigh when you still had your old scale is ancient history and doesn't matter anymore.

Plus, you said yourself that your old scale was a piece of crap, and IMO there's not that much difference in quality of new scales, so I wouldn't bother with bringing it back (especially if it's just to find a new one that gives you a lower number).

X 2

Just for the record...2 pounds, wether u are 120 or 220 pounds is nothing to freak out about!!! Dont stress so much, cortisol levels rising!

MountainSong · 03-26-2008, 01:32 PM

As long as my scale comes close. What I see in the mirror and how I feel are much more accurate. IMO

DeannaOnlyne · 03-26-2008, 10:32 PM

ugghhh I just returned a Taylor Made scale to the manufacturer for their 'life time warranty"... I hope it doesn't break on me again. I'm am scale-less for at least another week or two. But that's good for me... right now, I would be stepping on every day and getting impatient...

Your old scale was probably just wacked out... You'll probably be fine with the new one as long as it doesn't change like every time you get on...

Try getting on and seeing what you weigh, then picking up the 8 pounds with you and get on again and see if you weigh 8 pounds more... The scale probably isn't going to register something as small as 8 pounds all by it's self. Plus the balance, like where your feet are and stuff makes a difference too...

Good luck. BTW... every scale is different... you don't want to go to the dr. and get weighed... :/

TurbulentFluid · 03-27-2008, 05:42 AM

Every piece of measuring equipment has an error tolerance, consistency tolerance and precision. This means no 2 pieces of measuring equipment will measure the exact same measurement (except by accident), and that no 2 measurements will be exactly the same.

If you use a single piece of measuring equipment, and always measure in the same conditions, and perform N measurements and find middle arithmetic value of your measurements (in practice, weight yourself 5 times on the SAME scale within a few minutes, add it all up and divide by 5) you will be able to measure the fluctuations of your weight consistently.

Also mind the precision. This is the minimum fluctuation in which the declared errors are valid. Most scales that work in SI are within 100 g, meaning anything less that 100 g fluctuation is probably just an error.

buttandlegs · 03-27-2008, 07:24 PM

Did you weight yourself at the same time as with the other scale? Having a meal, using the bathroom and drinking a lot of water or vice versa can affect your weight, especially if you're talking about 2 lbs.

DeannaOnlyne · 03-27-2008, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurbulentFluid

If you use a single piece of measuring equipment, and always measure in the same conditions, and perform N measurements and find middle arithmetic value of your measurements (in practice, weight yourself 5 times on the SAME scale within a few minutes, add it all up and divide by 5) you will be able to measure the fluctuations of your weight consistently.

Good point and that is a good method. Standing in certain ways changes my scale #'s. If you have to be "that" precise, an inexpensive electronic scale isn't the one to go off of... The ones like the dr.'s use are suposed to be the most accurate... But those cost more $$.

But I don't care to get that precise. As long as it's not higher I'm going to be happy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttandlegs

Did you weight yourself at the same time as with the other scale? Having a meal, using the bathroom and drinking a lot of water or vice versa can affect your weight, especially if you're talking about 2 lbs.

Even "that time of the month" will change the scale, probably more than 2 lbs too.