What's wrong with my scale? What's a really good scale?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Okay, so I’ve been weighing in once a week with the whole Weight Watchers online thing. And I don’t really care very much about the numbers (I definitely round to the nearest whole number) - it’s just one metric to track my progress. What I really want is for my clothes to fit better and also to look better naked, see.

But I’ve noticed a weirdness with my scale (I believe it’s this model)- if I weigh myself, it will give me a number which may be up or down or whatever from last week. It will have a pretty good variation from whatever it said last week, within six pounds or so. Then if I step off and let it reset and weigh myself again, it will give me another number, generally a few pounds lower, which is in accordance with the graph one expects if one is doing well on Weight Watchers. (Even though I slip sometimes.)

That second number will be repeatable - if I step off and wait again, it will give me a number within a tenth of a pound of that second number.

I’m as consistent as I can be with the scale thing - it’s on a hard floor, I weigh at the same time every Thursday morning, etc.

What gives? It’s not like I’m doing anything weird when I get on for the first time - not grabbing at the wall or stumbling or anything. Do I need a better scale? Should I just trust the second number, even though we haven’t had a kitchen sink the last three weeks and have totally gone off our diets and it still says I lost a pound this week and that next week I should reach my 10% goal?

I know the weight isn’t really that important, it’s the trend that matters - but the thing is, if I follow the first number I’m swinging around wildly and need to know that.

2

I think it’s only the trend that matters, and if the second reading is repeatable then go with that reading and keep the scale.

3

My scale does the exact same thing!
Higher #, get off, get back on, get a lower # that repeats.
I just figured it’s a crappy scale or the batteries are weaker.

I weigh in at a meeting though, and don’t rely on the home scale.
It used to match up well with WW, so when I remember I’ll try changing the battery.

Now if I get on at home and go right to WW it’s a pound or so off.

4

It sounds like something is a little tight on it, and the first time you step on it loosens up. I’d go with the 2nd weighing as well. Or whichever one flatters you the most.

5

A digital scale needs to calibrate itself whenever it is turned on or moved. My guess is that you move the scale to the center of the floor before using it. It never gets calibrated so your readings will vary by several pounds in either direction.

Put the scale where you wish to weigh yourself.

Step on the scale with one foot for about one second so the scale turns on. Step off before a weight is shown. The scale will then calibrate itself to 0.0.

When the scale indicates 0.0, step on with both feet and wait for a reading. Successive reading will be as consistent as your scale is capable of, probably within half a pound.