Travel Health and Fitness - help me find a new scale

The scale I have is over 5 years old, and I'm sure, at this point, really isn't extremely accurate now.

I'm looking for a bathroom scale, and would prefer one that I can slide under the clothes hamper, which means it shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 inches thick at most. I'd also prefer not to drop hundreds of dollars on a scale. :)

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

How important is it to have an accurate scale? I don't really care if I'm 134 or 135 lbs since I'll likely be both today. Have you tested your scale to see how far off it really is? One gallon (16 cups) of water weighs about 8.3 lbs. You can put 1 gallon of water in two ziplock bags and weigh them together. You'll likely find that your scale isn't so far off that it makes much of a difference. The most important thing for getting a good reading is to weigh yourself under the same circumstances each time. There I just saved you between $10 and $100. ;)

If you want a good measurement each time then a balance is probably the way to go. But that won't fit under your hampter.

The scale I have is over 5 years old, and I'm sure, at this point, really isn't extremely accurate now.

I'm looking for a bathroom scale, and would prefer one that I can slide under the clothes hamper, which means it shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 inches thick at most. I'd also prefer not to drop hundreds of dollars on a scale. :)

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Does it matter if your current one is 'off'? If you've been using the same one for 5 years & it changes up/down when you've gained/lost weight, it's calibrated to 'you' & is probably adequate for your needs.

You don't need to spend a ton of $$ on a scale. When I finally replaced my old one that I used for years, I picked up a new digital one at Target for $40 that supposedly tells you lots of stuff. I couldn't figure out how to program the lots of stuff so I just use it for weight LOL.

BTW - I 'gained' weight when I switched to the new one (no idea if the new one was accurate & the old one wasn't, or vice versa), but in both cases I used the start weight of whichever I was using as my base weight, so tracking up/down from there told me what I need to know.

Does it matter if it's the same as a doc's scale? Nah. You just need something to measure by & it needs to be consistent. And as It'sHip mentions, you need to be consistent about when you weigh in. I usually do first thing in the morning after going to the bathroom. The other thing is you need to have a scale on a flat surface - not carpet.

Cheers.

It's not consistent though. I'll get one reading the first time I stand on it, and then will get another reading up to 2 pounds higher or lower if I stand on it a second time 30 seconds or a minute or two later.

It's not consistent though. I'll get one reading the first time I stand on it, and then will get another reading up to 2 pounds higher or lower if I stand on it a second time 30 seconds or a minute or two later.

A few things:

Why are you weighing more than once? I know I've done that occasionally - usually cuz I want to confirm loss (woo-hoo) or hope that the first was wrong if it went up (ugh), but really you only need to weigh one time/day. To weigh multiple times immediately one after the other doesn't make sense on a regular basis.

If you are going to do the multiple thing (which I don't advise), then try 3 times to see if you can get 2 out of 3 to match. Or if you're only doing it 2x, then just divide the difference between the 2 & say that's your weight & be done w/ it!

Second, the difference could depend on where/how you stand on it/how you're balancing/if it's on a flat surface, carpeting or not. Heck, even doctor's scales can change if you step on them a minute later! And if you're expecting perfection from a store-bought scale, then you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Over time you get a feel for the scale.

I say this gently, but quit angsting about the scale results. Remember - you're trying to strive for healthy eating/lifestyle for a lifetime. Daily or minute fluctations happen. Focus on the long term.

And more importantly to keep in mind, your scale may say one thing but your clothes size or body shape says something else. I know many people who due to muscle might weigh more on a scale, but their bodies are rocking & their clothes size are smaller ones. And I know people who might not weigh much but who are flabby & have to go up a size due to it.

Cheers.

It's not consistent though. I'll get one reading the first time I stand on it, and then will get another reading up to 2 pounds higher or lower if I stand on it a second time 30 seconds or a minute or two later.

Mine does that too on occassion. I've found that sometimes when I step on that I'm not evenly on it. So one side goes all the way down and the other doesn't. It's like the "heavy" side is resting on the floor or the interior frame. If I get off tap the scale to get an error reading so it's resets and put myself properly on the scale, it measures "correctly" time and time again.

If it annoys you that much, go and buy a cheap $20-30 digital scale at Target. Don't spend much more than that since since the notion of "accurate" isn't as important at weighing under the same circumstances.

I usually want to confirm the reading, although now that I know it gives a different reading each time, I do it more often, to try to see some consistency.

I'm thinking I'm going to need to buy a new scale, if for no other reason than I'm to the point that I don't trust the results.

I usually want to confirm the reading, although now that I know it gives a different reading each time, I do it more often, to try to see some consistency.

I'm thinking I'm going to need to buy a new scale, if for no other reason than I'm to the point that I don't trust the results.

Just curious - what will you do if the new one does the same thing?

My opinion - unless a scale is wildly out of whack - ie, 5lbs or more variance each day - it's probably going to be consistent & you don't need to do the hop on/hop off thing multiple times. Surely you've got a sense of where you are already weightwise.

Having said that - to each their own. If hop on/off works for you, then go for it.

Cheers.

Kipper, I picked up a really good one at Costco last weekend - a Conair/Weight Watchers digital scale. $20. It's nice-looking, and accurate - my old scale did the same thing where you'd get a different reading from literally one second to the next - this WW scale gives you the SAME reading within 1/10th of a pound over and over and over. You can also switch to kilos! ^

Kipper, I picked up a really good one at Costco last weekend - a Conair/Weight Watchers digital scale. $20. It's nice-looking, and accurate - my old scale did the same thing where you'd get a different reading from literally one second to the next - this WW scale gives you the SAME reading within 1/10th of a pound over and over and over. You can also switch to kilos! ^

My old one is a Weight Watchers scale. I might try it, since it's inexpensive. :D Thanks!

My old one is a Weight Watchers scale. I might try it, since it's inexpensive. :D Thanks!

If you haven't yet taken the plunge, this same scale will be on sale from July 1 through July 31, for another $5.00 off (instant, no-coupon discount), for a price of $14.99. ^

If you haven't yet taken the plunge, this same scale will be on sale from July 1 through July 31, for another $5.00 off (instant, no-coupon discount), for a price of $14.99. ^

I've not yet taken the plunge, so thank you! :)

Just curious - what will you do if the new one does the same thing?

My opinion - unless a scale is wildly out of whack - ie, 5lbs or more variance each day - it's probably going to be consistent & you don't need to do the hop on/hop off thing multiple times. Surely you've got a sense of where you are already weightwise.

Having said that - to each their own. If hop on/off works for you, then go for it.

Cheers.

When I do bother to get on a scale, I always weigh twice. 3 times if the first two results don't come out the same.

@Kipper - this may be a little more erm.. retentive than you care to be, but I have to move my scale out from its little corner to use it, and I always make sure its lined up along the same tile in my bathroom. Its something you might want to consider if you're moving it out from under the hamper each time. It may not make a difference, but it makes me feel more sure of the consistency of the results.

This may be a little more erm.. retentive than you care to be, but I have to move my scale out from its little corner to use it, and I always make sure its lined up along the same tile in my bathroom. Its something you might want to consider if you're moving it out from under the hamper each time. It may not make a difference, but it makes me feel more sure of the consistency of the results.

Great minds think alike :) That's what I did in California. I had to move the scale from the little corner, so I always positioned it along the same tile to eliminate one variable in the scale/results. Where I live now the scale is in a place that it doesn't need to be moved.

I basically get on one time though & figure that's fine. Again, I don't think there's going to a 'huge' difference in scale results in the stepping on 2-3 times, and consistency over time (days) is what's important.

Cheers.