Best Smart Scale for 2024
Also weigh yourself: To get consistent readings when using any scale, it’s important to weigh yourself in the morning before drinking water or eating anything. “You should weigh yourself with no clothes on, or with minimal clothes on, and if you do, try to wear the same clothes every time you weigh yourself,” Stella Lucia, professor and chair of the Department of Human Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Stella Lucia Volpe said. Virginia Tech.
Volpe recommends weighing yourself no more than once a week. “If you weigh yourself above that, you’ll find your weight fluctuates, which can be frustrating if you’re trying to lose weight,” she says.
Choose a flat surface: You want to make sure the scale is on a flat surface, otherwise imbalance will affect the reading. Make sure to weigh yourself in the same place every time.
Keep in mind that smart scales can have flaws: Keep in mind that just because a smart scale can provide more data than an analog scale doesn’t always mean it’s better. “Smart scales have not yet been proven to be highly accurate and cannot be compared with the ‘gold standard’ measurement for assessing bone mineral density and body composition as it relates to body fat and lean body mass, which is through the use of dual-energy X-rays absorptiometry (DXA),” Volpe said.
Most people can’t get a Dexa scan, so the next best thing is a smart scale. “Smart scales can estimate body fat and total body water; but please note that the ‘gold standard’ method of measuring these will provide more accurate data,” Volpe explains.
Make sure it’s set to zero: As with any scale, you need to make sure it is set to zero in order to get an accurate reading.
Keep in mind your weight fluctuations: It’s easy to get caught up in numbers, but remember that your weight is a range, not an exact number, and can fluctuate throughout the day. Fluctuations can be affected if you exercise, eat more than usual, use the bathroom, or even if your muscles are sore and retain fluid.
Know that the data are estimates: Smart scales include data such as heart rate, bone mineral density, total body water, and body fat. Remember, these are estimates based on your age, gender, and weight. Therefore, these scales are not entirely accurate. “It’s important to know that these scales provide estimates and do not have the highest degree of accuracy, but can help provide some guidance to users of these products, especially when many people may not be able to obtain bone mineral density and pass DXA assesses body composition,” Volpe said.
