# How much do you weigh?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-weigh/246248>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 20, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-weigh/246248 "2004-05-20T21:37:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![spudmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@spudmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spudmama)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-weigh/246248/21 "2004-05-23T18:31:11Z")

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Years ago I didn’t like what my scale was displaying, so I took positive action. Now I feel much better about my weight and body image. The secret? I threw the scale out.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-weigh/246248/22 "2004-05-23T23:11:04Z")

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> [@Little Bo Peep](#):
>
> Ok, so how come if I weigh myself on my scale at home, I weighed 15 pounds less than on that chiro thingamajigger? How? Why? Grrrrrr!!! In light of this fact I can either go with one of the following scenarios:
> 
> 1. The chiro’s “scale” was not acurate and could not be considered \*sensu stricto \* a true scale.
> 
> or
> 
> 1. The sum of what you weigh by placing each foot on seperate scales must be _greater_ than what you weigh on a single scale.
> 
> In the unlikely event that the chiro’s scale IS right, AND that the sum of those two weights equals my true body weight, then I am definately becoming anorexic.
> 
> I think this whole weight issue is a good one for Cecil. Also, my point about all this question was not to discuss chiropractors or their charlatanic practises. All I am interested in is this weight issue!!

It _must_ be 1 - what we describe as ‘weight’ is a measure of how much force your feet are exerting on the ground as a result of gravity’s pull - you can measure this force in one lump or two, but as long as there isn’t part of you touching the ground or otherwise supported _by something that isn’t part of the measuring apparatus_, the sum of the measured weights _must_ add up to your total (subject to accuracy of the scales). This is how vehicle weighbridges work.

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