Weigh yourself at the same time: In order to keep a consistent reading when using any scale, it is important to have the first thing in the morning before getting drunk or eating anything. “You should weigh yourself without or minimal clothing, and if you do, try wearing the same clothes,” said Stella Lucia Volpe, head of the Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise Department, Virginia Tech.
Volpe recommends no more than once a week. “If your trade-offs are much more than that, you’ll see weight fluctuations, which can be frustrating if you want to lose weight,” she said.
Choose a uniform surface: You want to make sure your proportions are evenly surfaced, otherwise the imbalance will discard the reading. Make sure you weigh yourself in the same place every time.
Remember that smart meters may have flaws: Remember that just because smart scales can provide more data than analog scales does not always mean better. “The smart scale has not been proven to have high accuracy and cannot be compared with the ‘gold standard’ measures to evaluate bone mineral density and body composition, as it is related to body fat and lean body weight, which is through the use of dual energy X- Ray absorption method (DXA),” Volpe said.
Most people don’t have access to DEXA scans, so the next best thing is a smart scale. “The smart scale can estimate body fat and whole body water; however, be aware that the ‘gold standard method of measuring these methods will provide more accurate data.”
Make sure to set it to zero: As with any scale, you want to make sure it is set to zero in order to get an accurate reading.
Remember your weight fluctuations: It’s easy to get stuck in a number, but remember that your weight is a range, not an exact number, and will fluctuate throughout the day. If you exercise, eat more than usual, go to the bathroom, or even if your muscles are sore and keep fluids, it may affect fluctuations.
Knowing that the data is an estimate: The smart scale includes data about your heart rate, bone mineral density, water throughout the body, body fat, and more. Remember, these are estimates based on your age, gender, and weight. Therefore, these scales are not completely accurate. “Knowing that these scales are providing estimates – but without the highest accuracy – is important, but can help users of these products provide some guidance, especially when many people may not have the ability to have their bone mineral density as assessed by DXA Body composition,” Volpe said.
