I just got back from the Dr. this afternoon. And, as usual, they wanted to weigh me. I looked at the NP and told her "Well, I weighed myself this morning if you want to use those numbers." She had me get on her scale anyway and while she was fiddling around with the numbers (beginning with the 150 range - I wish!!), I told her that she should start around 250 (I had weighed 249 yesterday and 252 this morning - as I had been for weeks now).

She tried 250 and the needle fell sharply down. So, she moved the big weight to 200 and she figured it ended up somewhere around 235 (it kept wiggling). I told her, "I want YOUR scale!"

Now, in my Dr office experience, their scales always measure about 5-10 pounds higher than mine, plus I have shoes and clothes on!

I'm not doing the happy dance YET (my mini-goal is to get to 233, which is 100 pounds less than my heaviest), as I want to make sure that my scale is really that off and that the Dr's is really that on!

Now, I know I can test my scale by maybe stacking cans on top of each other to try to see how accurate it is, but will it chnge once it gets to more weight? Has anyone else tried to test their scale this way? Had success?

Do you really need it to be that accurate as long as it is consistent? I just require my scale to be consistant. Like not do a dance between various numbers and give me the same result every time I step on it within a few minutes of each test. And it does.

well, no, not really. However, it's been "stuck" at 250 for weeks, even when all of my friends have been telling me that I've been losing weight. And, after holiday binging, I'm not sure what I ended up as. It would be nice to know what the correct weight is, just for that mini goal I've been after for the past year and a half.

Maybe I just broke it somehow?

I personally think the DR scale would be the most accurate! Is it a dial or digital scale? Is there any other scale you could do a test run on??

How about using a friend's scale once a week and comparing to your own?

it's a dial scale. my roommate's weight never changes (he's a stick) and it reflected his weight accurately. Maybe there's something going on with the higher numbers?

at any rate, it'd be great if I was actually near my mini goal!

Get something you know the weight of (preferrably something heavy, since it appears that the problem is in the higher numbers), and weigh that, adjusting your scale accordingly.

Perhaps work out weights, if you can access such beasties.

Chances are good that the Dr's scale is right... next time you're at the store, see if there are any scales that aren't packaged so you can try them out, or try someone else's scale. I can understand why this would be important, that's alot of weight, quite a nice pat on the back! Consistency is great, but I could see wanting to know for sure! Hope the dr scale is right, and if it is, congratulations!!

Jenn

Ah, that's a good idea!

I sense a Target run in the near future...

Here is some technical stuff that you may take for what it is worth to you: It is not uncommon for "normal" scales that work by deforming a spring that drives a dial to have a non-linear error. By non-linear the error isn't the same throughout the entire range. If it is off 1% and it is linear, it would be off 1 lb when weighing something 100 lbs, and 3 lbs at 300 etc. Non-linear error might be 1 lb at 100 and 20 lbs at 300.
Nancy LC brings up the issue of "precision" versus "accuracy". For trending, as long as the error is consistent, valid trends can be measured. And CMCole is on the right track for a calibration method, as long as the error is linear, if it is not, you would have to place an object of a known weight close to what you weigh in order to tell. With many scales where the center of the load is placed will effect the reading, so that is another variable that is hard to control.

I would bet my paycheck that the balance beam scale at your doctors is accurate (as well as precise).

That's good information to know. I imagine digital scales work the same way, it's just that the display is different?

Unfortunately, the scale got moved in such a way that someone spun the calibration wheel, so its readings got out of line with my original readings. Thus, I've no way to know how accurate it is now vs. the past year and a half. So, the trending seems to be off.

Maybe just starting off with a new scale would be appropriate? Hmm.

Put two 5-pound bags of sugar or flour or potatoes on the scale and see what it reads. What other possible use could there be for such things?

My old scale was fine for someone who weighed 120 pounds or so, but it LIED to me and told me I was at 180 when in fact I was nearly 200. So, yes, it's likely off more the higher you go in weight.

My new digital scale (which I can calibrate by tapping with my feet before I step onto it) is much more accurate.

I threw out my bathroom scale 2 years ago when I realized the number it gave me was neither reliable nor valid. It was a digital scale that you could step on a level and zero it each time. Really it is a relief not having to face the scale every morning. Now I only weigh myself at the gym where they have a dr's type scale. Measuring yourself (or better yet, having someone else measure you) will give you a better idea of your progress than a weight, since muscle weighs more than fat and you may be losing fat but gaining muscle. Just in case this digresses into another discussion of the Tanita body fat scale, my vote is a resounding

Jen

2 ideas on the scale..

1) I'd take those bags of flower and instead of putting them on the scale, I'd carry them on the scale myself, it will tell give you the accuracy of your scale closer to your actual weight.

2) I'd spend some $'s and buy a new scale. The one I bought automatically reset's itself to zero no matter how much you move it or what kind of surface it's on (it's digital).