Inconsistent Scales?

This is frustrating, but in a good way, I guess. I don't know which scales to count as "official." The optimist in me wants to count the lightest scales as official - LOL! Last Monday (6/30) I weighed in at the hospital sleep clinic, where I was 421. On Thursday (7/3), I was at the docs after a fall and I weighed 392 - I figured the scale was off. On Monday, back at the clinic for an emergency follow up, different scale, I weigh 388. Now not that I'm unhappy with a 62 lb loss, but the last 32 lbs happened in a week, which can't be possible without losing a body part. My scale weighs up to 350 - I guess that once I am small enough to use it, I'll consider it my official weight. Does anyone else have frustration with these sorts of inconsistencies?

Although I'll get on "strange" scales, I gauge my gains and losses on my home scale, which weighs up to 180 pounds.  There can be such variation from scale-to-scale that I just don't trust other scales!  Heck, even my home scale sometimes varies by 1-2 pounds when I get on and off several times.  I figure as long as the trend is either downward or maintaining, I'm good -  Kellie

Thanks for the suggestion abou****ching the overall trend. Now that I know how far scales can be off, I'll take 'em with a grain of salt until I have my own at home.

Yep, definitely encountered this.  Gym scales always show me as 5-10lbs heavier than my scale (I believe they do this on purpose LOL) and my surgeons scale consistently weighs me 5-10lbs lighter than my scale (with clothes on!).  So if I weighed in at the gym and then went to the doc right after I'd be 20lbs lighter at the doc.  Personally, I'd say just go with your surgeon's scale since he's the one that matters ****il you are below 350 and can use your scale).  If you are in the market for a new one Bed Bath Beyond has some simple cheap digital scales that go up to 400.  That's what I use.  It varies by a lb or 2 depending on where you stand on it, but as long as you don't have anything accidentally underneath it (oops) that affects it being level, it seems relatively consistent.  Congrats on whatever amount of weight you actually lost!

Thanks! I was expecting to see a loss, especially after just a small one the previous time, but I was so stunned to see the size of the loss. Being able to weigh myself on my old scale is a goal I've had for a while. I hope it gets here soon!

My "official" weight is at my surgeon's office that weighs me about 5 pounds heavier.  I rely on my scale at the Y.  It's the old fashioned doctor's scale and I always check to see if it's balanced when both sliders are on zero.  That won't help you until you are below 350, but it won't be long! funny story...for my 3 month appointment I weighed 13 pounds heavier than I had weighed at the Y.  I was so mad and made them re-weigh me 3 times and on different scales because theirs were digital.  I couldn't figure out how that could be?   When I went back to the Y, I realized that the 50 lb slider wasn't seated in the right place and I actually weighed about right at the doctors office.  How stupid was that?

Too funny! I would probably do the same, especially if the difference was not to my advantage. And then to find out you made a mistake .... My "official" scale is one with sliders that I got from Sears years ago. Once I passed 350, I tried figuring out to hang weights off the end for the next 50 lbs, but finally gave up on that science experiment.

Patty it is frustrating. I have a digital scale and also one I bought at a doctors office yard sale that has the weights. I can even weigh different on them, same time, dressed the same. It is crazy. You sound like you are doing great so what the heck. You are getting closer to that magic 350 and then you can make your scale the main one that counts.

I'm glad I'm not the only one frustrated by this. All the more reason not to fret over weights from "unofficial" sources. It's good to see you again - missed you!

I always weigh different on each scale, one at home-a digital says 347. The one at the Family doctor's office is 345 on a doctors type scale. At my Psych doc's office it's 349 on a digital. Go Figure. I go with the one at home, it's new and I trust it. I don't like those "slider" type scales that most places still use. It's just cool that you are loosing!