Weight woes

Human error can cause a lot of things to go wrong in your life. You may leave the stove on with a boiling pot of water, put the car in drive when you want to reverse, or use a tool incorrectly. In my case, it was the incorrect use of a tool, the weight scale.

Since January 1^st, I’ve been on this journey to have a healthier lifestyle. I signed up for a gym membership on campus, found a workout buddy, and changed most of my eating habits (it’s the sweets….). In the beginning, I wrestled with whether I would buy a new scale versus my $10 dial scale from Wal-mart. I had concluded that that scale did not know how much I weighed since it was reading I weighed 10 lbs more than I actually weighed. Imagine my dismay when this past weekend, I gave in to the desire for a new scale because that same dial scale now read I weighed 40lbs more than my last known weight!! 

I’ve been told several times before that muscle weighs more than fat. Indeed my dilemma could be that I’ve been dutiful in my workouts that it was all muscle weight. However, let’s be real…40lbs of muscle? So I hopped over to Meijer’s (the Michigan version of Wal-mart Supercenter) to buy a new scale. This one measures body fat, muscle, Cal-max (the amount of calories consumed to maintain current weight), and a few other things. Now I’d get an index of how much I weighed. Of this I was certain. 

I lost 30 lbs…?

I stared incredulously at the scale for quite some time. The range between weights was 70 lbs. What made the whole fiasco humorous to me was the average of these weights actually gave me my last known weight. I planned right then to make a return trip to Meijer. The only thing that saved the scale from being returned to the shelves to collect dust was one of my roommates. While preparing to walk out the door I happened to mention to her my situation and she asked me one simple question: “Where are you using the scale?” 

“In my room” was the reply to which she followed with a tidbit that I would have never known in 1000 years unless someone had told me. I should use the bath scale on the tile floor of the bathroom rather than the carpeted floor of my room. The carpet throws off the readings. I admit, I was skeptical and abashed. When I tried the scale, indeed it gave me the correct readings, and so did the dial scale. It was such a simple oversight.

 I kept the second scale because I’d like to know that even if I don’t see visible changes in my weight I can see some change within my body somewhere. I find it better to know that my actions are producing results, and that I am achieving my goals. 

Starting weight: 199lbs

Goal weight: 170 lbs (high school weight, lol)