Bathroom Scales: Analog or Digital

[Big Ren]

Here's the deal:

I need to lose weight. I've read all the books, watched the videos and been to the seminars. Bin there, done that. At the end of it all, I've come to the conclusion that weight loss boils down to eating less and exercising more ( surprise surprise ). I'm ready for the journey.

And while I know better than to gauge my successes and failures soley on what the scale says, I feel it's important to quantify my results.

So I'm looking for a bathroom scale that is sturdy and accurate, but I'm not willing to shell out $700 - $800 for a professional doctor's scale. I want to know if I'm better off going with an analog or digital model and what brands are recommended. Keep in mind they don't call me "Big" Ren for nothing.


Ren

[Big Swifty]

Hey Ren,
I dont know if they have them in Canada, but Bed Bath & beyond carries quite a good selection of bathroom scales. Most of the scales were digital but they did have 1 cheap analog, but it felt cheap. they ranged from $25-$250 but the higher end ones had a bunch of features that you dont really need. It just needs to tell your weight so you can monitor your progress


remember its not a diet, but a lifestyle change
good luck on your "journey"

[rustyblade]

Ren, you strike me as an analog sort of guy, if that helps.

[Johnnie]

My wife and I have went through two digital scales and finally bought an analog scale. If you're going to buy a digital you'll probably have to shell out a lot of money to get a quality scale. The analogs are inexpensive, durable and don't lie. The digital scales have some cool features like memory. They tell you how much you weighed the previous weigh-in.

I watched all the videos and read all the books, I'm still waiting to lost weight.

[Leisureguy]

I like digital. I have one that's accurate to 0.1 pounds, which is overkill. But these old eyes can see the digital readout more quickly and clearly than reading those little lines.

This one is accurate to 0.2 lbs, which is plenty and also calculates your percentage of body fat, an important statistic. And it's just $50 (plus shipping if you don't have Amazon Prime). It has a memory, which is nice if you weigh once a week.

Oops---no free shipping even if you have Amazon Prime: it's actually sold through Amazon by another vendor.

[sparkchaser]

Analog: use parallax to your advantage!

[Johnnie]

This is a doctors scale in the Toronto area.
http://toronto.craigslist.org/spo/315050818.html

Take a look at other craigslist ads and see what you can find.

J

[mac_fodder]

Seeing as I've gone the whole anti tech bathroom I personally went with a analog scale that has a glass top. It let's you see the inerworkings (springs and stays) of the scale. It's simple and looks great. Best part is I found it at Target for like $30 and have yet to find an even over $100 scale I like more.

That being said I have no idea what the capacity is as I have the opposite weight problem in that when I stress out I shed weight at a almost dangerous level. I use it to sort of track myself and try not to let myself get to unhealthy levels.

I say go Analog, if you really want memory they do have some that, while you have to reset the "memory" manually, will have a slide that will show the last reading.

Remember also that when you start to exercise you may at first put on a a pound or two as you start to build muscle and yet to shed fat. Don't get discouraged, especially at the beginning. It's for this reason I think maybe if you hold off getting the scale for a month or 2 may not be all that bad. So just start now and keep looking for the perfect scale, and if it takes you that long all the better.

I will refrain from wishing you good luck and instead wish you perseverance. I think you'll find it a lot more useful.

[Bargepole]

None.

Go for the target shirt/trousers/whatever item it was you liked best when you were last at your comfortable weight. When you can get into them, you'll know you're there.

[drumana]

None.

Go for the target shirt/trousers/whatever item it was you liked best when you were last at your comfortable weight. When you can get into them, you'll know you're there.

Exactly! Go by your pants size or belt loop. If you start exercising more there is the possibility that you will gain weight because you'll be building muscle.

When I started working out consistently (and I'd recommend spending the $ on a personal trainer instead of that scale your thinking about) I gained 8 pounds. I lost a few pounds of fat and I gained several pounds of muscle. And I went down an inch in my belt. I never weigh myself. When my pants/shorts/shirts get tight, I know I need to pay attention to my exercise and nutrition.

Also very important in loosing weight is nutrition. You don't necessarily want to eat less. What you (and your metabolism) want is consistency. Eat every 3 to 4 hours to keep your blood sugar level stable and keep your metabolism working consistently. Don't overeat (my problem).

Anyways, that seems to work for me and several people I know. YMMV

Good luck

[Furrball2]

While the scales are nice I agree with the last post. It's better to stay big, exercise regularly, and be fit than to be thin and out of shape. Regular exercise is good for you, whether or not you lose weight.

[Big Ren]

Believe me guys, I'm fairly well versed when it comes to diet and weight loss. As I've said, I know better than to only mark my progress by what the scale says. However, my journey back to a healthy weight will be of epic proportions and so I will require a few mileposts along the way. That's why I want a new scale. But I also have an old pair of Levi's with a 34 inch waist that will let me know when I've arrived.


Ren

[Leisureguy]

I like the scales linked to because they provide useful data beyond weight (e.g., % body fat, body water).

[Martlet]

I had an injury that laid me up for some time, and at the end of it all I had to lose 50 pounds to get back my desired weight. It took me three months. I too, read many diet books, exercise routines, and weight loss plans. I finally realized they were all worth crap to me.

I ended up taking the philosophy expressed in them, along with suggestions from each, and formed my own diet/exercise plan. I lost the 50 pounds in about 3 months and have kept it off for 2 years now. If you'd like some tips that helped me out, just PM me.

That being said, the scale doesn't matter so much. I used a digital. What's KEY is to ONLY WEIGH YOURSELF ONCE A WEEK. If you're losing weight correctly, you'll go up and down. Weighing yourself daily or at different times of the day and seeing that you've actually gained 2 pounds can be disheartening. That's one reason to keep it to weekly. You'll show progressive loss.

[harlytang]

Is there any suggestion for digital kitchen scale.i need one recently.

[ShadowsDad]

ATK suggested the OXO. It's a great scale for general cooking. For most cooking it's accurate enough.

If you intend Modernist Cooking you'll need more accuracy than the OXY can give. My first was made by AWS. Every time I would use it the cells were dead. It was a PITA to remove the cells after every use. So I bought a scale from Uline. It's their model H-3478. It works as it should.I think it weighs to the .01 gram. Bear in mind that to accurately weigh to the tenth the scale needs to weigh to 1/100th.