Monday, August 24, 2009

I think I need a new scale

This is the part of the post where I normally give the day's weigh in. Today, that's just not going to happen.

So I have this scale which I purchased off of Amazon shortly after moving to DC in January. I've typically liked it because it's very consistent. If I weigh myself then hop off then weigh myself again, it'll give me back the same number.

This morning, I weighed myself and came in at 253.8. I hopped on and off a few times, and still got the 253.8. I went to the bathroom, and then decided to weigh myself again, hoping to have, er, discarded a few ounces into the toilet. I weighed in again: 255.8.

This made no sense. One doesn't gain 2 pounds in a few minutes, and certainly not by going to the bathroom. I stepped off, grabbed a relatively heavy container of laundry detergent, and stepped back on. (My scale is right by my washer/dryer and cleaning supplies.) 255.8.

At this point, I'm beginning to suspect that the scale itself isn't accurate, it just repeats the same weight as it gets the first time so you'll think it's accurate.

Holding two containers of laundry detergent, I was finally able to get the scale to move up to 261. When I put them both back and stepped on again: a repeatable 254.8.

Made breakfast/lunch and packed them in my bag to go to work. Went back to weigh: 253.8. Consistent hopping on and off a few times.

Went to the bathroom, weighed myself again: 255.8. I stepped on several times, and kept getting 255.8.

At this point, I was getting close to running late, so I got dressed, stopped messing with the scale, and went to work. I'm planning a post work trip to Bed Bath & Beyond to get a new scale. Does anyone have any scale recommendations?

I half considered getting one of these, which I think Monica has, but I think I'd be too embarrassed to have one around when friends and family members come over. I'm still at the point where I'm yet to acknowledge to anyone offline that I'm on a diet. While I accept that the cat will be out of the bag eventually, I'd like it to happen via people visually noticing, rather than seeing a "she means business" scale in my apartment.

Also: thank you to Learning to Be Less for giving me another lovely blog award!

14 comments:

  1. I still have my Health O Meter scale. It's not the balancing kind, but rather has the pole with the dial up by your waist. I love it, well, most days!

    We've had this scale since my first foray into weight loss world, which was a long time ago! I do test the accuracy every so often. It is accurate, except I always weigh more at the doctor's office!!

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  2. How frustrating that must have been!

    I have a digital scale made by Taylor and it works for me but price was a consideration. I really like the one you are considering though.

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  3. Scales are crazy. That's why I don't weigh everyday. Only once a week, well ususally.

    I weigh in on a friends old scales. We meet once a week.

    Good luck....pick a good one!

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  4. I just recently purchased a new scale, a plain old digital one without any of the bells and whistles. Seems accurate enough so far. Or maybe I just think so because it is consistently going down for me.^-^ Our old scale was analog and was rather old, and had been dropped numerous times by my children. It would read at anywhere from 5 to 20 pounds even before I stepped ON the darn thing. So I thought I was being clever by deduscting that amount from what the scale would then actually read when I was on it. Anyway, long story short, it got to be too frustrating not to mention nerve wracking, and thus the new scale!
    It is small, and I can hide it discreetly in my bathroom cupboard. More because I don't want the boys messing around with it though.

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  5. Yes, yes, Health O Meter scales are the bessssssssst! Also, was your scale tilted to any one side when you were doing all these weigh ins? I notice when my little digital one is tilted even the teeniest bit to the right, I weigh less. I used to get so excited and then I figured it out. Grrr

    Cant wait to see what you get! :)

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  6. I suspect all scales are like that... as long as the weight makes some sort of sense to me, I seldom hop on twice. I'm afraid of what I might see...

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  7. I have the same problem with my scale, so unfortunately I don't have any good recommedations for you! I usually just try to take the reading that comes up most consistently. Honestly haven't tried the bottles of laundry detergent though, that made me laugh :)

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  8. I donated my scale to charity.
    I weigh myself at the dr.'s office once a month now.
    For all of the above reasons.
    it drove me nuts.

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  9. I think you can find a decent one. I have a soehnle, which I bought years ago, and it is EXTREMELY accurate.

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  10. I have a WW scale and it is very accurate. It wasn't very expensive (got it at WalMart), and it's been working for about 3 years now!

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  11. I have a Health O Meter and I use it to monitor my body fat % only. My plan is to buy the old-fashion dial scale because it does not run on batteries or a computer chip. You might have to reprogram your scale if it is digital, that worked for me. I posted my scale fight on 8/18/09 so I can really relate. Good luck!

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  12. I have to tell you, the best scale I've found and the one that is closest to the scale at my WW center is my Health O Meter - no frills, no measuring body fat, nothing. It works like a charm. I've seen your blog on so many other blogs! I'm so glad I came to visit! :)

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  13. scales can be very tricky...but once I get it to say something half way decent I take it and run with it...No need to try yo make it change its mind...lol
    Nice post glad I came to visit, look foward to visiting again..
    Love,
    Irene

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  14. The Two Kittehs have an award for you at our blog!! Check it out!

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