Measure yourself at the same time: To get a consistent reading when using any scale, it's important to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you drink or eat anything. “You should weigh yourself with no clothes or minimal clothing, and if you do, try to wear the same clothes every time you weigh yourself,” said Stella Lucia Volpe, professor and chair of the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise at Virginia Technique.
Volpe recommends weighing yourself no more than once a week. “If you weigh more than that, you'll see weight fluctuations and it can be frustrating if you're trying to lose weight,” she said.
Choose a flat surface: You want to make sure your scale is on a flat surface or that imbalance will throw off the reading. Make sure you measure yourself in the same place each time.
Keep in mind that smart scales can have disadvantages: Remember that just because a smart scale can offer more data than an analog scale doesn't always mean it's better. “Smart scales have not been shown to be highly accurate and cannot be compared to the 'gold standard' measures for assessing bone mineral density and body composition as they relate to body fat and lean body mass, which is through the use of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA),” Volpe said.
Most people don't have access to a Dexa scan, so the next best thing is a smart scale. “A smart scale can provide an estimate of body fat and total body water; but keep in mind that the 'gold standard' ways of measuring them will give more accurate data,” Volpe explains.
Make sure it is set to zero: As with any scale, you want to make sure it is set to zero to get an accurate reading.
Remember that your weight varies: It's easy to get caught up in a number, but remember that your weight is a range rather than an exact number and will fluctuate throughout the day. Fluctuations can be affected if you exercise, eat more than normal, go to the bathroom, or even if your muscles ache and retain fluid.
Know that the data are estimates: Smart scales include data on heart rate, bone mineral density, total body water, body fat and more. Note that these are estimates based on your age, gender and body weight. Therefore, these scales are not completely accurate. “Knowing that these scales provide an estimate — but not the greatest accuracy — is important, but it can help provide some guidance for users of these products, especially when many individuals may not have the ability to have their bone mineral density and body composition assessed by DXA,” Volpe said.