The past couple of weeks were very taxing for me, and I just couldn’t summon up enough intestinal fortitude to come up with a post for last week. The wonky weather that rolled through the area wreaked havoc on my head, so I pretty much felt crappy for several days – even missed a day of work because of it. Needless to say, I didn’t much feel like exercising, either. And since my unwavering exercise routine seems to be the catalyst for my progress so far, I must admit I only lost a couple of pounds the past two weeks. I’m not gonna let it get me down, though. I’m still ahead of my goal to lose two pounds per week, I’m feeling better, and I’m back in the groove! And to make up for not posting last week, I’m giving you this week’s post a day early. : )
In a totally unrelated, but nonetheless button-popping, subject, Baby Gavin won first place in his division at a local baby show this past week! He slept right through it (hey, he’s only three weeks old) but still managed to charm the pants off of the judges. Here he is, showing off his ribbon, totally tuckered from all of the excitement!
My biggest dieting dilemma at the moment is scales. Not the kind you find on fish – I’m talking about the ones that unassumingly occupy a corner of the bathroom floor, then spin the dial all willy-nilly when you step on them and refuse to give you the same reading twice in a row. Whatever evil virus causes scales to do this, ours has certainly succumbed to it. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out the little bugger has been lying to me all this time and I’ve really only lost five pounds so far.
Our bathroom scale is what I consider to be a reputable brand, but it is several years old and has the dial-type readout. These types can be hard to read, since the hash marks for each pound are pretty close together. I have trouble reading them sometimes, even with four eyes. Hmmm…maybe it’s time for an upgrade.
Another question I have is why do the doctors’ scales seem to weigh you so much heavier than your scales at home? Are they that much more accurate, or do doctors just calibrate theirs to add to your weight so it gives them one more thing to bitch about to you?
Once again, I took off on the Information Superhighway to see if I could find answers to this week’s questions. (I swear, if I were to ever permanently lose internet access I think I would wither and die!) Here’s what I found out: when choosing bathroom scales, do a little legwork and find a reputable brand with a good rating for accuracy. Turns out pricing scales is pretty much like pricing cars – the models and cost are widely varied. With a little research, you won't have to pay a fortune for decent bathroom scales. I ordered a set of digital scales online, found them on sale and paid around $30 with free shipping. I read 15 consumer reviews and overall they rated them about 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’m still waiting for them to arrive, so we shall see how they perform. Wonder how they compare to the ones we currently have? : /
As for doctor scales, I found so many variables it’s almost impossible to compare them to your bathroom scales at home. Firstly, most people weigh themselves at home with minimal (or no) clothing. I suppose you could do this at the doctor’s office as well, as long as you don’t mind getting the stink eye from other patients who may pass by during your weigh-in. But for the sake of argument (and public decency) we’ll assume everyone is fully clothed. Now, let’s define fully clothed. Do you have on a sweatshirt, jeans, and boots? Or are you in shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops? Are you like my husband and carry around five pounds of stuff (literally) in your pants pockets? See where I’m going with this? You can easily add 2-3 pounds (or more) to your measurement just by what you’re wearing.
I also learned the time of day can make a difference, too. Your weight can fluctuate as much as 2-3 pounds during the course of the day, what with eating, drinking, activity, etc. From what I read, you’ll get the most accurate reading first thing in the morning, before daily life has a chance to factor in. So, if you add everything up, it appears you should weigh yourself first thing in the morning, with no clothing. Seems to me the easiest way to accomplish this would be to weigh yourself at home. Even if your scales are off by a couple of pounds, by consistently weighing on the same scale you can still accurately track your weight loss. Unless you’re like me and can’t read your scales.
If, however, you don’t feel complete without tracking your weight on doctor scales, you can either a) buy your own set for home, or b) talk your doctor into giving you a key to the office so you can sneak in before hours for your “true nekkid doctor scale weight.” Choices, choices.
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