I’ve been eating better and working out (cardio and weights). There’s a scale in our bathroom but I find it very hard to read; it’s analog and has a black background with brass-colored numbers/tick marks and needle. It’s pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I find it really hard to read.
I bought a scale at Meijers about 6 months ago that has a large digital display. It’s a Taylor Superbrite. Don’t believe what the description says; this thing SUCKS.
If I step on it 3 times, I’ll get 2-3 different numbers. I weigh myself at the same time of the day on Wednesdays and I weigh myself naked, so it’s not an issue with the weight of my clothes. There’s no way to calibrate it if it is inaccurate. I know the analog scale in the bathroom is pretty accurate (within maybe 2 lbs), based on comparing it to two doctor scales; even if it’s not accurate now, at least it has a way to calibrate it to fix that issue.
My digital crap scale was consistently about 4 lbs heavier than the analog scale. I wasn’t really too upset about it because I figured that it’d be better than thinking I weighed less than I actually do. But last week, I compared my weight on both of them again, for the fun of it.
My digital scale is 9.5 lbs heavier than the analog scale!
That is completely unacceptable! I mean, it’s absolutely meaningless if I’m trying to actually track my weightloss.
So I need recommendations. I don’t have $100 to throw away on a scale, even if it’s great. If you have a “OMG God, this scale is really expensive but awesome!” I’d like to hear about it but also get recommendations on budget models. I know I can’t expect high accuracy with something that costs $7, but something in the middle would be a lot better.
I’ve never seen them charge people to use the scales at airport checkin, but they look at you kinda funny when you step up onto them.
Aside from that, check both daily and chart the results; see if there is any reliable standard of goofiness from the new one, then just compare once a week. You’re probably not going to be losing or gaining more than a couple pounds a week anyway, so unless you’ve got scales that are accurate down to a pound, the numbers aren’t going to mean much on a more-than-monthly frequency…
I got a $100 digital scale for my husband, and truth be told, I don’t see where it’s any more accurate than a $20 regular-ol’-scale from Sears. I weigh weights on it so I know it’s accurate, but I did the same thing with the cheapo one.
First of all, don’t keep your scale in the bathroom. The high moisture in there is hard on precision devices.
Use it on an uncarpeted floor, and try to put it in the same place every time.
The digital strain-guage kind are the most consistent.
The one I have is a Health-O-Meter® 840D-01. I keep it in the slot next to the refrigerator. It has an off-on switch in one of the feet, so I keep it vertical to save the battery. I can weigh myself a dozen times and get the same number every time. It cost about $30.
As long as you use the same scale all the time, it doesn’t really matter if it’s a few pounds off a really accurate scale. You can track your weight loss according to your one standard scale. You can run yourself crazy by getting on the scale at the gym or at work. Don’t weigh every day, either. You’ll gain or lose a couple pounds for no apparent reason. Never weigh more than once a week.
The scale is in the “bathroom”. It has a sink and toilet and is used maybe twice a week, if that. There’s no room in the actual bathroom for a scale, heh heh. Besides, I live a mile away from a lake and it gets really humid in summer. We have no a/c so we’re kinda screwed when it comes to humidity anyway.
I know not to weigh myself constantly (I mentioned that I weigh myself once a week, didn’t I?). I also know that as long as it’s off consistently, then that works. But the entire point of my OP is that it isn’t off consistently and that’s the problem.
It’s just, c’mon, I figured my OP showed that I am not obsessing about a number, checking it 20000 times a day, going to five bazillion different scales each time. I have checked my weight on these two different scales twice in 6 months.
I got a digital strain-gauge scale from Target for about $30. Don’t remember the brand, but it claims to be accurate to within half-a-pound. I think it’s more like about +/-1.5 pounds, but it is consistent and works well enough for me.
This is the one I use: http://www.imagesupplyhouse.net/store/product.php?productid=16458
(I don’t know anything about the company where’s it’s listed; I just found a site that had that model.) It’s very accurate, as best as I can tell. Multiple weighings at one time results in the same number. The body fat analysis part is worthless, though.
I use a scale and a tape measure in tandem.
Look, I’m not an idiot. I don’t obsess over numbers. I know that I’m gaining muscle weight with my strength routine so it’s not like I freak out if I don’t lose weight or even gain weight from week to week.
But last week, I compared my weight on both of them again, for the fun of it.