Operation of Digital Bathroom Scales

One of the most basic parts of any weight-loss program -- the weigh-in -- can also be one of the more frustrating. Traditional bathroom scales, with their rotating disks of numbers moving in response to pressure from springs, can wear down and deliver inaccurate readings over time. Reading analog scales can also be a headache, as they print weight readings on a large disk that moves as your weight shifts on the scale. Digital scales are easy to operate, and some offer advanced features.

Instructions

• 1

  Install batteries in the scale if it requires them, or plug the scale in. Most digital bathroom scales use batteries to allow them to be moved around; these may be watch batteries, AAAs or AAs, depending on the model. Without a power source, the scale will not function.

• 2

  Read the manual for the digital scale. Some have additional features such as body-mass index calculators, weight tracking and wireless capabilities. The instruction manual will indicate how to set these up.

• 3

  Turn on your computer and connect a wireless Internet antenna if your scale has wireless capabilities. If your computer doesn't have an antenna, they area available at any computer store.

• 4

  Install any software that came with the scale; this will import the data from your weigh-ins to your computer for you to analyze.

• 5

  Step onto the scale. Keep your feet slightly apart and be sure not to touch or hold onto railings or counters because that can distort the scale's reading. Digital scales, unlike mechanical ones, do not normally have to be "zeroed" before standing on them

• 6

  Look at the digital readout to see your weight. If it doesn't appear immediately, wait a few seconds. Many digital scales take a moment to average out the slight fluctuations in weight that occur as you move.