When you're looking to lose weight, a reliable scale is a must. Whether you prefer a new digital scale, a dial scale or an old fashioned medical office scale, each can provide accurate results when you read the results carefully. While the number on the scale doesn't always give an accurate portrayal of how close you are to meeting your fitness goals, it can help you gauge your progress with a firm number. Knowing your weight and understanding how to read it from a scale can motivate you to reach your weight loss goals.
Spring Scales: Dial and Digital
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Step 1
Remove all of your heavy clothing and step on your scale, evenly distributing your weight on both feet. You'll notice the arrow on the dial moving in a clockwise direction across the numbers.
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Step 2
Wait until the arrow stops moving. You'll notice that it points to two different numbers: one number is kilograms and one is pounds. Since most use pounds to gauge weight loss, look at that number to get an accurate reading.
Step 3
Step on your digital scale, and you'll notice that the LED numbers immediately start flashing and scrolling through.
Step 4
Wait until the numbers stop to read the number from the face of the scale. This will be your weight.
Balance Scale
Step 1
Slide the sliders all the way to the left side and step on your balance scale. Distribute your weight evenly on both feet.
Step 2
Notice the two bars, one with numbers in increments of five with a small slider component, and one with increments of 50 with a large slider. Begin nudging the first bar with increments of five up to 100 to the right. If you get the end and the bar on top of the scale is not balanced, slide the small slider back to the left, and start with the large slider.
Step 3
Nudge the 50-increment slider to the right until you start to see the bar balancing. When it starts to go too far (if the bar dips down), nudge it back to the left and bring in the small slider bar to make up the difference.
Step 4
Read the numbers that each slider is pointing to, and add them together. For instance, if the large slider is pointing to 100 and the small slider is point to 25, then your weight is 125 pounds.