Smart Shopping for Scales

Ask people what they think about politics or religion and you're likely to get diverse and passionate answers. Ask people what they think about the costs or benefits of using scales as part of a health and fitness routine, and you just might start a fight. The world is split over scales. Half of us think scales just cause detrimental obsessions over weight, which force the real issues (overall health, body mass indexes, body fat) into the background. Others of us know that scales, when used wisely, can be an integral instrument in achieving our goals. Whether a $100-plus multi-point digital scale or a $9 spring-loaded variety, here's how to decided what scale can help you.

What to Look for

Scales can essentially be divided into three categories: analog spring, single-point digital and multi-point digital. The analog kind are what your grandmother had in her bathroom. You step on, the dial spins, and you get your weight, often with a substantial margin of error. This lack of accuracy, however, comes with a much lower price tag. Digital scales are more precise and more expensive. The lower end digital scales measure your weight via a single sensor point, while the higher-end (multi-point) ones do so via 4 individual sensors for much greater accuracy. When shopping for a scale, the most important thing to look for are the features that will best serve your goals, as we'll see below.

Common Pitfalls

The biggest mistake people make when purchasing a scale is buying one that doesn't address their specific goals and needs. If you're healthy and just want to monitor your weight for maintenance purposes, or if you're dieting and need to keep general track of your progress, an inexpensive analog scale will suit you fine and save you money. If, however, you're an advanced fitness-phile or more interested in body fat than pounds, look into the digital variety that often include an "electrical impedence" feature, which measures body fat fairly accurately. Lastly, if precision is important (your doctor has asked you to track weight as part of treatment, you're a competitive athlete where half a pound counts, etc.), the multi-point digital scales are the only ones that will provide sufficient accuracy. And remember, above all else, the number on the scale is not the be-all-end-all of health and fitness. Don't obsess. Weigh only every 2 weeks, or as frequently as your doctor tells you, and focus on how you feel and look. Numbers don't make fitness--you do.