Body Weight Scale Reading Discrepancies

[JanaNanner]

I'm beginning to question whether or not I can fully trust my scale.

This morning (8 AM), three hours ago, I weighed a full lb more than I do now. Since that first weigh in three hours ago, I had a really light breakfast and belly danced for a half hour. It's not the first time a quick down spike like this has happened and last time it did it appeared to correct itself and spike back up only 5 minutes later. Is it possible to weigh so much less only three hours later or has my scale gone bonkers?

 

[5KFreak]

Scales are worthless! Your body flucuates all day long and everyday. That is why you should weigh yourself only once a week if even that to get a good grip on your progress.

 

[Andy2]

I'm beginning to question whether or not I can fully trust my scale.

This morning (8 AM), three hours ago, I weighed a full lb more than I do now. Since that first weigh in three hours ago, I had a really light breakfast and belly danced for a half hour. It's not the first time a quick down spike like this has happened and last time it did it appeared to correct itself and spike back up only 5 minutes later. Is it possible to weigh so much less only three hours later or has my scale gone bonkers?

Hey Jana -

Yea, its totally possible to gain a few pounds especially after a meal. Liquid (coffee, juice water) will add weight on the scale very easily. If you're going to weigh in with realistic accuracy, you should do it the same time every morning/week. I personally choose to do it right after I wake up and use the restroom, and before I jump in the shower.

Still, I've found out the scale is a relatively horrible mode to measure weight loss. BF% is a much better indicator, but even easier is to log inches lost instead of pounds lost. Hope this helps!

 

[JanaNanner]

Hey Jana -

Yea, its totally possible to gain a few pounds especially after a meal. Liquid (coffee, juice water) will add weight on the scale very easily. If you're going to weigh in with realistic accuracy, you should do it the same time every morning/week. I personally choose to do it right after I wake up and use the restroom, and before I jump in the shower.

Still, I've found out the scale is a relatively horrible mode to measure weight loss. BF% is a much better indicator, but even easier is to log inches lost instead of pounds lost. Hope this helps!

Ah, but I didn't gain. I lost 1 lb after 3 hours, during which I ate a very small meal and belly danced for a half hour. I went from 274.0 at 8 AM to 273.0 at 11 AM. But I suspect that something is up with my scale because this happened once before (a sudden weight loss mid-day), only to show a normal weight again five minutes later.

Hehe, I know about gaining during the day. I generally gain about 3 to 4 lbs on average over the course of the day, so losing a lb over 3 hours seemed peculiar to me.

Thanks!

 

[Andy2]

Ah, but I didn't gain. I lost 1 lb after 3 hours, during which I ate a very small meal and belly danced for a half hour. I went from 274.0 at 8 AM to 273.0 at 11 AM. But I suspect that something is up with my scale because this happened once before (a sudden weight loss mid-day), only to show a normal weight again five minutes later.

Hehe, I know about gaining during the day. I generally gain about 3 to 4 lbs on average over the course of the day, so losing a lb over 3 hours seemed peculiar to me.

Thanks!

Ahh I misread. Maybe you sweat out the weight!? Or did you use the restroom? I know I've lost as much as 3-4 lbs in sweat from a workout session. Even if you don't actively sweat, you do lose moisture when you breath, especially if you breath hard (cardio).

 

[JanaNanner]

Ahh I misread. Maybe you sweat out the weight!? Or did you use the restroom? I know I've lost as much as 3-4 lbs in sweat from a workout session. Even if you don't actively sweat, you do lose moisture when you breath, especially if you breath hard (cardio).

I sweat like crazy (which, strangely enough, used to detour me from exercise but I've gotten used to it and like it now) so that's possible.

 

[MAR1984]

The batteries might be getting low. My scale used to give consistent readings until recently - I suspect the batteries are the culprit. Sometimes, moving the scale a little bit can change the reading one time to the next. I can sometimes step on the scale 1 times and get 1 reading, and then a few seconds later move the scale and get +/- 3lbs in either direction. Again, I suspect the batteries, because previously I was getting steady consistent readings each time I stepped on the scale.

 

[mizzie]

My guess is that you got just slightly dehydrated while exercising because of sweating. That's no worry (just be sure to drink a lot of water) and completely normal. I usually weigh between 1 and 2 pounds less after exercising, but it goes right back up with in a few hours.

Do yourself a favor, don't weigh after exercise. That number is false and it will only cause you frustration when it goes back up.

 

[JanaNanner]

My guess is that you got just slightly dehydrated while exercising because of sweating. That's no worry (just be sure to drink a lot of water) and completely normal. I usually weigh between 1 and 2 pounds less after exercising, but it goes right back up with in a few hours.

Do yourself a favor, don't weigh after exercise. That number is false and it will only cause you frustration when it goes back up.

Yes, I weigh myself too much in general. Every morning is even pushing it, but then every time I go into the bathroom I see it there and it's just irresistible. However, the scale reading never went back up since that incident (well, not the full lb... I gained a fraction of a lb from my eating for the rest of the day) and I'm 0.6 lbs lighter than that this morning, so I'm not sure it was dehydration. I don't know. Oh well.

But I am going to try to only weigh myself once a day, first thing in the morning when I wake up. Heeeeh.