How to tell which is accurate weight

[Cumference]

That is a really good question.

A list of ways to measure from Harvard:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity...esity-definition/how-to-measure-body-fatness/


Lasting weight loss requires a change of life style with regards to food and exercise.... the jerky is there to stay!

 

[Hypoxia]

That is a really good question.

A list of ways to measure from Harvard:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity...esity-definition/how-to-measure-body-fatness/

Interesting, and as mentioned, no existing method is both accurate and cheap. So I'm surfing the approximations.

Lasting weight loss requires a change of life style with regards to food and exercise.... the jerky is there to stay!

Yup, lifestyle change. Transformation. There's a basic rule of personal transformation:

YA GOTTA REALLY WANNA -- IF YA DON'T REALLY WANNA, YA AIN'T GONNA. ​

Knowing how isn't enough. Motivation is required. I had the necessary knowledge for a long long time. I had to reach a point where I really wanted to change. Now it's permanent. And I just bought two more big packs of tasty jerky at CostCo a couple days ago.

True story: I emerged from the CostCo clutching my jerky only to find that my car had been hit; and while exchanging numbers with the clumsy perp, a high-speed police pursuit (complete with helicopters) whizzed THROUGH the parking lot about 150 feet away. Too much excitement. But I digress.

The key to transformation is determination. Not, I'll try, but, I WILL. Not, it's close enough, but, DO IT RIGHT. A switch flips in my head. The old behavior (smoking, drinking, overeating, etc) used to be OK. The switch flips, and now it's NOT okay. Failure is NOT an option. I REALLY WANNA, SO I WILL, DAMMIT!

 

[Freebird49]

True weight

I am having a small issue with my bathroom scale. I have been dieting the last three weeks. Once a week in the morning I weigh myself. The problem is that the scale will say one weight then if I get off and try again, the number will suddenly be 5 pounds lighter.

Unfortunately the run-of-the-mill bathroom scales are spring type scales and after a while they could be well off the true weight.

If you belong to a gym, weigh yourself on their scales. They are accurate. If you want to splurge go out and buy a Tanita scale. I have one and it is very accurate.

 

[Eilan]

nothing will tell you more about the success of your workouts more than a clean pair of jeans fresh out of the dryer.. keep working!

Quoted for truth. A friend of mine is frustrated because she's been working out diligently for two months but has only lost seven pounds. She has, however, lost two pants sizes. So there ya go.

 

[Cumference]

Quoted for truth. A friend of mine is frustrated because she's been working out diligently for two months but has only lost seven pounds. She has, however, lost two pants sizes. So there ya go.

So true!

Exercise is not going to give a great weight loss, but it transforms fat to muscles.

Which reminds me, that I should pick up Lady C and go to the gym.
(A 5km run and 30 metric tons of iron)

 

[Weird Harold]

A further thought about dealing with electronic/digital scales: Posture is important

In watching my digital scale try to deal with my lack of balance, I realized it fluctuates far more than realized; it searches +/- about fifteen pounds as I try to find a stable stance. Slumping vs standing straight made about ten pounds difference.

 

[Cumference]

I just tested my electronic bathroom scale:

standing straight, leaning forward, backward and standing one-footed.
It was very certain that my clothed weight was 75.4kg.

If I put all my weight on one foot at the front edge or the back edge of it, it would sometimes read 76.0, but it really had to be provoked to do it.

Any "reasonably normal stance" gave 75.4kg

It looks like this:
http://www.kop-kande.dk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/0/5010777131185-000.jpg

 

[Freebird49]

scales.. scales

I am having a small issue with my bathroom scale. I have been dieting the last three weeks. Once a week in the morning I weigh myself. The problem is that the scale will say one weight then if I get off and try again, the number will suddenly be 5 pounds lighter.

I used to own (and still have one stored at my place) a spring-type bathroom scale. As the scale ages, the weights become less accurate. My advice is to buy an expensive scale. I bought a Tanita scale about 7 years ago. The LCD is run on batteries but the weight is bang on with the health club scale readings using the movable weights. As for the price its not something you are going to trade in -- in 5 years.

 

[oggbashan]

With any measuring device that is not wholly accurate:

Measure five times and take the average unless one reading is obviously far off from the others. If that happens - replace the measuring device.

Weighing yourself on bathroom scales? Your weight will vary at different times of the day even if the scales are accurate.

Try to compare weights at the same time of day, wearing the same clothes (or preferably none).

Even if the scales give an incorrect reading, if they are otherwise consistent, you should be able to record weight loss and gains.

Bathroom scales should be standing on a level hard floor with all four feet grounded. It would be a good idea to check that the floor and the scales are level by using a spirit level, taking two levels at right angles.