Scale that is accurate

(Steve) #1

I don’t go by scale for everything dealing with my weight but want s better scale . I have the eat smart scale . I keep reading it’s one of the top scales but getting frustrated . Weigh myself in the morning after the bathroom . Today is a typical scale day . I weight myself it sale 236.0 get off and stand on again in basically the same spot and then says 238.8 and get off recalibrate and then 237.6. I want a reliable scale . I don’t mind if it says 240 and if I lose weight I lose it . Just hate that the numbers are never the same . And recommendations ? Don’t want a full body measuring scale just a scale that is constant and pretty accurate

(Karen) #2

Hi Steve make sure you place the scales on a board and leave in exact same place. Moving it about doesn’t help at all neither does getting on them and off then repeating the process. Only weigh once a month, or fortnight or if you can’t resist then once a week.

Preferably ditch scales altogether because they become an obsession. They only serve to make one feel frustrated, analytical and even depressed. Best way to see how you are doing is to use a tape mesure or go by how your clothes feel.

Been there done that and got the badge! I haven’t owned any scales for years, always go by how my clothes feel.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #3

The most accurate scale is a balance beam. Even if you have a perfectly accurate/consistent scale, as noted by @Karen18 weighing yourself frequently really does not serve a useful purpose. Your actual weight varies too much. To demonstrate, weigh yourself hourly for a day or two. What matters is the overall trend over time (weeks/months - not day to day or hour to hour).

You may find this of interest and probably more useful:

#4

all the time or is it more lately the numbers are off cause it could be low batteries. Mine goes off when batteries get zapped down some so I replace batteries and all is good…so maybe?

I got a cheapy from walmart and that thing is always the same. I get on and off and on and off and it read the exact number down to that ounce so…my cheapy is very accurate…with new fresh batteries to help it stay that way.

(Karen) #5

My old scales didn’t have batteries lol does that mean they are obsolete now :grin::grin::grin: got rid of them years ago x

(Bob M) #6

For me, the best scale is my belts. And pants. My wedding ring is a pretty good indicator, too.

This is particularly true when I fast > 24 hours. For me, I could lose 5+ pounds in 32 hours while fasting. And then gain multiple pounds once I ate. The “real” weight loss was buried in this noise.

And there were multiple times when the scale showed no loss or even went up, but my belt had to be tightened.

(Steve) #7

Scale is in the same spot and fresh batteries . I do go by clothes fitting but like the scale reading too .I just don’t understand when I weigh myself it gives different weights if I do it right after each other .

#8

yea then some calibrator? thingy or something could be off inside.

maybe just buy a new one and go that route? I know this will drive ya nuts, maybe worth a few bucks for another to save your sanity :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#9

Never heard of those scales but checking them out and seeing the price and being on the cheaper side they’re just a generic scale. I’ve got both an Omron and a Withings and they’re both very good and pretty consistent. If you want to spend a little extra InBody makes a home model but it’s a little more pricey. Just remember track the trends and not the one number at any giving time. I give myself a 3-5lb fluctuation before I decide I’m trending in the wrong direction and make a course correction. Although the Omron is probably better I like the Withings because I also have a Withings smart watch so all my metrics are automatically fed into the app which is connected to my Cronometer acct so my weight is always updated which makes tracking my weight trends, sleep etc with my diet very easy.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #10

How precisely do you really need to know your weight? Your scale appears to be accurate within 1%, which is extraordinarily good for a scale designed for home use.

The only truly accurate scale is a balance scale, and they are getting hard to find. They are also bulky and expensive and take skill to use, which is why everyone, including doctors’ offices, uses spring scales these days.

(Todd Allen) #11

I thought the subject line was supposed to be “Scale that is accursed”. My scale was accursed but fortunately the evil HCLF spell that was cast on it has been broken.

(Joey) #12

@Steve12 I chuckled as I read your headline for this thread…

"Scale that is accurste"

… kind of says it all. :wink:

(Butter Withaspoon) #13

I’ve decided that the second reading is the one I record. My scale often has a wild first reading but the second irons out changes in room temperature over the seasons.
Each time I get on, I tap and wait for it to wake up first. Dunno if that all makes sense

(Kenny Croxdale) #14

How To Measure Your Body Fat % Using Calipers

Not The Most Accurate Method

The use of Skinfold Caliper is not the most accurate method.

Skinfold Calipers reading are based what use to be the Gold Standard of Body Fat Composition Measurement; Hydrostatic Weighting.

Unfortunately, Hydrostatic Weighting is flawed to a degree.

Thus, Skinfold Calipers Measurements are built on a house of cards.

The Inaccuracy of Skinfold Calipers

There is a lot of misinformation and lack of information in this article.

Let break it down…

Muscle and Strength Full Body Measurement Kit

The Skinfold Caliper recommended is junk. That fact it is $6.99 is a huge clue.

Where To Take The Measurement

There are nine (9) measurement sites that provide the most accurate reading.

However, three (3) sites will provide you with approximately the same reading.

1) Men

a) Chest

b) Abdomen

c) Thigh

Women

a) Triceps

b) Abdomen

c) Thigh

There is a precise spot on each of these sites that need to be measured.

A tape measure is needed to measure where the precise spot is and it is then marked with a pen.

Anyone who doesn’t use a tape measure or pen to mark the precise spot is not performing it correctly.

A Good Technician

A good Technician (an individual who’s trained to perform it and has preformed hundreds of measurement) is able to obtain a fairly accurate measurement.

A good Technician will get a fairly accurate reading even with cheap Skinfold Calipers, that were suggested in the article.

A Novice or Untrained individual (like Doug Lawrenson, who wrote the article) isn’t able to obtain an accurate reading, even with a set of $400 Skinfold Calipers.

The Remaining Article Information

It is fairly some fairly accurate.

However, the primary issue is that the majority of novice individual who are not measuring the correct spots and are obtaining incorrect numbers to calculate their body fat percentage.

Home Methods

  1. Tape Measure

Take measurement from head to toe. Then continue to take them each week.

Most men traditionally put on weight in the abdominal area. If an individual begins to lose inches in this area, your losing body fat.

Most women usually store body fat their thighs and glutes. For this individual, a decrease in inches in the hips and thigh means that you are losing body fat,

  1. A Pictures

Weight Loss Contest have individual take pictures of themselves before and at the end of the event. That because the picture provide great feed back,

Taking a picture ever week a very helpful.

Kenny Croxdale

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #15

Thanks for the pro tip, @KennyCrox. I said regarding scales the ‘most accurate’ is a balance beam type. I said regarding the caliper article that he ‘might find it (the use of calipers) interesting and probably more useful’ than a scale that gives him a different total body weight every time he steps on it. I did not say a caliper is the most accurate tool. I don’t know whether it is or not. Just because the author of the article makes the claim doesn’t mean I do. Nor did I claim this particular article explains the process thoroughly and accurately. But I think even a cheap caliper in the hands of someone who knows how to use it is probably more useful than his scale. If I’m reading correctly, so do you. And I also agree that a tape measure of various locations is also useful. I suppose a series of weekly photos could be assembled into a time lapse slide show or video which might prove helpful and encouraging for many. Thanks again for your input.

(Butter Withaspoon) #16

I’ve only just realised that the original title is probably a typo of “accurate” :joy: I just assumed it was Shakespeare speak! Too funny!!

(Kenny Croxdale) #17

I realize that it wasn’t you who stated calipers were the most accurate.

The problem with calipers, especially, cheap one is that many individual purchase them thinking they can get an accurate reading with for themselves and others.

One of the problems is that the directions that come with them don’t provide proper guidance.

Secondly, as with everything, it takes practice to really become proficient with them.

As an example, I had two nephews claim they were below 10% body fat based on their lifting buddies performing Skinfold Caliper measurements.

One nephew claimed he was 8%, the other clamed he was around 6% body fat. Both had a layer or two of abdominal fat; there was no muscle definition in the Abs or any other muscle group.

At best they were 12% plus (emphasis on the Plus).

It remind me of individual on diets and…

Self Reporting

One of the main issue with individuals on a diet is Under Reporting the number of calories they consume in a day.

A PBS Documentary followed a woman around who wasn’t losing weight on an 1,800 Daily Calorie Diet. They took pictures of everything she consumed all day long.

They then calculated that she was actually consuming around 3,200 Calories A Day!

Dr Chad Kirksick’s Research

Kirksick did a presentation on calorie intake and mice in determining weight loss/gain.

When ask why he used mice instead of people, he replied that you have complete control of what a mouse eats and their environment.

Locking people up (as Covid has demonstrated) doesn’t work well; it is also more expensive to house and feed people in a study than mice.

Once people leave and go home, you have no idea what they are eating or doing.

Also, research has clearly demonstrated that Under Reporting with calorie intake is a huge issue.

The same essentially is true with individual who try to use Skinfold Calipers.

Infrared Body Fat Scanner

Year ago, I was measured at 10% Body Fat with an Infrared Body Fat Scanner.

My reply was, “I wish.”

I realized that wasn’t right. I was more in the area of 15% body fat, at best; still good but not even close to the Infrared reading.

This takes up back to the issue that all of the Body Fat Measurement Devices have flaws.

Kenny Croxdale

(Bob M) #18

Probably the most accurate is DEXA.

But why does one even need to know this info? Does anyone care if you’re 12% instead of 10%? Or 15% instead of 10%.

Is there something a mirror, belts, and clothes won’t tell you?

(And I got DEXA scans done, but it was because after my should surgery, I couldn’t understand why I suddenly was gaining a ton of scale “weight”; I wanted to see what really was happening. But for most people, belts and clothes are just as good.)

(Robin) #19

I think it’s just as likely that the scale is reflecting the truth. Our weight can fluctuate all day long and day to day. It just does, due to a multitude of reasons. That’s why using the scale once a month makes more sense. You can be more focused on the trend, instead of the daily ups and downs. I always say “It’s a head game when the scale is involved.

(Bob M) #20

This is back from when I used to use the scale. The dip I believe was a lot of fasting done before shoulder surgery. The peak right after that, if I remember correctly, was after shoulder surgery. Think absolutely horrendous, painful sleep, upright in 3 different locations.

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But if you fast much at all, the scale weight changes so much, day to day, that’s it’s basically useless.

Then factor in the times when the scale didn’t change, but you had to buy a new belt or winter coat because your current ones were too big.