You work hard at the gym, and you can see the results in the way your clothes fit and the way you look and feel. But despite all your hard work, the scale will not budge, or perhaps it yo-yos up and down, toying with your emotions. For some people, looking and feeling great is enough. If you need a quantitative measure to affirm and monitor your progress, however, maybe it's time to get a smarter scale.
Types of Scales
Scales vary widely in type and accuracy. It is not uncommon to weigh yourself at home, then get a much higher or lower number on the scale at the doctor's office or the gym. The balance scales used in doctors' offices are calibrated for accuracy, but their size and cost make them impractical for home use. The spring-loaded scales found in many homes are small and inexpensive, but not very accurate. Digital scales are small, relatively accurate and moderately inexpensive. The newest fitness scales are also quite smart.
Smart Scales
Smart scales measure your weight, but they also calculate other information such as your body mass index and body fat percentage. Some diagnostic scales will tell you your bone mass, lean muscle mass, basal metabolic rate and active metabolic rate. There are even scales that spare your feelings by only telling you how much you've lost or gained without displaying your actual weight. The scale's simple computer stores data such as your height, age and gender, and calculates your measurements each time you step on it. One type of scale can store data for several individuals.
Function
The scales calculate muscle, bone and fat mass through a process called bio-electrical impedance. When you step on the scale, a mild electrical current is transmitted through your body. Because matter has varying degrees of conductivity, electrical current is impeded more by some matter than others. The scale uses information about impedance to calculate the relative mass of different types of body tissue. Your body mass index and metabolic rate are calculated mathematically using stored data and your body weight.
Accuracy
Given the means by which the information is determined, smart scales are accurate to a degree. But mathematical formulas do not take into consideration individual variables, and can miss the mark for people who don't fit into the norm. For example, extremely muscular or very obese individuals, or older people who are extremely fit often do not get accurate readings on smart scales. Fluctuations in hydration can skew bio-electrical impedance and give you different values from one weigh-in to the next.
Scales and Fitness
If you are obsessed by the numbers on your scale, a smart scale could make things worse. The human body changes and fluctuates throughout the course of the day and at different times of the month. Focusing on the scale alone to evaluate fitness can keep you from enjoying and appreciating the positive changes you've made through exercise and nutrition. However, a smart scale can be useful as just one tool in your fitness and weight loss regimen.
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