A decent, cheap scale?

Hello all.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a cheap, but consistent analogue scale?

My current one can vary by ~15 lbs depending on how I stand on it (foot placement, leaning forward, etc.), which makes tracking losses on the order of one or two pounds difficult.

I prefer analogue to digital, don't need fancy BMI/body fat measures, etc.  It doesn't even have to be accurate - I just want something consistent so if a pound comes off, I actually know it.

I've tried looking at user reviews on various websites, but none seem to address my issue of the weight varying simply by placing your feet differently on the scale.  I don't want to end up with the same issue on a new scale, so I figured I'd check with people here.

Thanks.

I got a Healthometer digital one from Walmart for 20-30 bucks, I don't remember. It's pretty consistent for me, the only thing is you need to make sure it's even and on a flat surface or you will get some variation.

not exactly where you were going, but how about a measuring tape instead?

Do you really care how much you weigh?  or do you really want to fit into a particular pair of jeans? 

Weight is such a loaded issue.......it depends on the size of your shoulder-bones, your rib-cage (I have a whopping set of lungs, and a cage to fit them in), how long your legs are (longer limbed people weigh less apparently.....), how much water/food you have on board, your muscle mass, the time of the month........the time of the day.......etc etc. 

And the thing is, you don't really care how much you weigh, do you, because you're not walking around with a sign on your forehead stating your weight. Instead, you're carrying around a jelly-belly or a j-lo........I'm guessing that that's really what you care about. 

Lose the scales..........break out your measuring tape.  And the best thing about the tape is that there's no fluctuations like you get on the scales.  So no yo-yoing, no depression or discouragement.  Instead a steady encouraging re-assuring decrease.

Thanks lalalexi.  I'll check that one out :)

And aphr0ditee, no thanks for the utterly useless answer.  I'm well aware of the accurate versions of all the mumbo-jumbo you tried to spout out, and I do own a perfectly good measuring tape.  However, your reply was not at all relevant to my question.  Get off your pedestal, because in some cases is IS the weight (as with my injured knees) that is the issue and not a ridiculous pair of jeans.

hmm. i tend to find measuring tapes difficult for me to use. it often fluctuates on how much air is in my lungs, or weather i need to pee.  i know it works for other people though.

i find that pinching my fat while flexing and while not flexing, and then noticing difference after a few weeks, works well. plus, its always with you! also, pictures. take a picture of you pinching your stomach fat one day, then one week later do the same. keep it going for a few weeks w/ weight loss, and you'll see a difference.

You want an analouge not digital so you may not run into this one but stay FAR away from the Weight Watchers (WW) scale. It's a liar and a cheat! LOL Honestly a few people including me have had a problem with accuracy on it.

Good luck!

Original Post by girlhocky9:

And aphr0ditee, no thanks for the utterly useless answer.  I'm well aware of the accurate versions of all the mumbo-jumbo you tried to spout out, and I do own a perfectly good measuring tape.  However, your reply was not at all relevant to my question.  Get off your pedestal, because in some cases is IS the weight (as with my injured knees) that is the issue and not a ridiculous pair of jeans.

 Dang, she was just trying to be helpful! There was nothing bad about her post.  Just so many on here ARE concerned about just a #.  Chill!

I bought a sunbeam from walmart for 10 bucks the other day...I havent noticed any problems with displaying weight depending on foot placement. And as I was checking out my cashier stated that it was a good scale, but she was annoyed that I got it 10 dollars cheaper...so, score?

Its just a bit hard to read...

I have no tips about an analog scale and I also am not interested in all the lights and buzzers of a fancy digital scale.  But I just have to add a post about the Weight Watcher's digital scale - $25 at Costco - and akasharaine's post about it being a "liar and a cheat".  I guess I'm a fool because it has told me that I've lost 63 pounds and it has convinced the stores to change all their clothing sizes to support this lie.

I love my plain digital scale.  No squinting to determine if the needle is on the top of bottom half of the slash mark, no making mistakes by mis-reading the scale in the early morning hours.  I like weighing once a week - I have rarely found that the number on the scale does not match my awareness of my eating/exercise plan during the week, so I have used this data as confirmation of my efforts to re-train my brain so that it communicates well with my body.  My brain can be a bigger "liar and cheat" than any scale I've ever met!