Scale showing different weight on first floor vs upstairs? WTH

#1

I don’t even know what category to put this under. This is so weird. I have my scale downstairs, to weigh my puppy, and out of curiosity when I weighed myself down here, I was 4 lbs lower than normal. Curious, I went upstairs and put the scale back in its normal spot (same type of tile floor too), and I was 4 lbs back up. I went downstairs and upstairs with the scale a few more times just to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Same thing each time. WHAT THE HECK is this trick??? I’m so confused. Science says the further you are from earth & the gravitational pull, the lighter you are, but this is backwards. I’m stumped! Anyone?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

The only truly accurate weight measurement is by a balance scale. Spring scales are inherently inaccurate. I wouldn’t worry about it. Your absolute weight is not as important as getting a trend line from measuring yourself consistently. My scale consistently under-reports my weight by about 25 pounds. If I really need to know how much I truly weigh, I use the balance scale at the gym. But my scale at home tracks with the scale at the gym, so at least I know whether I’m gaining or losing.

#3

I had the same issue - but I didn’t even have to change floors - I could move my digital scale 3 feet in any direction and get vastly different numbers.
I ended up buying one of those fancy ones that takes a bunch of measurements (weight, water %, muscle weight, visceral fat, etc) and compared the results of each scale, side by side, in about 10 different spots until I found the most consistent.

Once I did that, I altered my family that if anybody moved my scale they would be forced to clean the toilets for a week. So far, so good.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #4

This is happening in my house as well. Brother has a scale in the basement, mine is on the second floor. There’s about a 6 lb difference. We’ve switched the scales to be sure it isn’t their fault. Nope, we always weigh more on the second floor. We guessed gravity is being more of a jerk on the second floor, less of a jerk under ground, in the basement.

(Karen) #5

Unless you have your scale on a very flat piece of concrete, like in your basement the flexing of the wooden floors will change how your weight reads. Pick one scale leave it in exactly the same spot and weigh in with exactly the same clothes (or none ) at the same time each day. Just be concerned with the pounds up or pounds down and don’t sweat how much you actually weigh. You’re just trying to see loss. Good luck!

#6

It’s so weird! Yeah I’m not super concerned with the number or whether it’s going up or down, as I’m below my goal size and happy with that, it just really stumped me!! Such a strange scientific mystery!

(Jacqueline Buffinet) #7

Now I know I’m not crazy for always making sure my scales are in the same position before I step on them. When our house goes up for sale this summer, we are going to live on our boat. Now I’m wondering how they will behave there.:thinking:

(Bunny) #8

I think this is similar to what is called Hooke’s Law but in reverse or parallel to gravity?

When your going from upstairs to down stairs your actually placing the scale at different angles to gravitational pull that you cannot see or sense.

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Springs can be affected by temperature also so that is why they never stay on the same setting, the spring will shrink (re-coil) and expand with its thermal environment.

(Allie) #9

They’re all slightly different. Best to use only one scale and stick to it, and in the same place too as different floor coverings can change readings too.

#10

I had this without even moving the scale :smiley: Not 4 lbs difference but 2-3. Both with mechanical and digital scales. I always step on my scale multiple times, ignore the first one and average the other numbers…
And I am well aware it’s an unrealiable number and another scale could weigh me a few pounds more or less. It’s normal. They are unreliable but my weight can fluctuate a lot too so who cares about a few pounds? :smiley:
We can’t track our calorie intake exactly. We can’t know our weight exactly. Some of us can’t use the scale to figure out if we lost any fat in the last 10 days… Life is like that but it’s fine.
We still can do our things and if we lose a bunch of fat, that is recognizable. I don’t need scales, actually. I just like information even if it’s as dubious as the number on my scale :smiley:

(Allie) #11

Yeah I never accept the first reading mine give as it’s sometimes a couple of pounds different the second time.

(Marianne) #12

I don’t weigh myself for this reason and others. Unless you have a medical grade scale that is calibrated, you don’t actually know if what you’re seeing is accurate or not. It could vary by day, temperature, humidity, location, etc. The only time I get weighed is when I go to the doctor. I know pretty accurately where I am. Not for everyone, but I am so much happier staying off the scale. I don’t even think about my weight.

(Hyperbole- best thing in the universe!) #13

I live on the third story… does this mean I am 12 lb lighter than I think I am? :wink:

Always step on twice! If there is a discrepancy three times!

#14

Tried this from like 10x difference places both up and downstairs. Biggest variation I could get was 3/10ths of a lb, what kind of blackhole do you guys live in? :rofl: