Reviewing my WiScale Experience
Since I mentioned the WiScale a few weeks ago, I figured I'd report back on how I like it. So far, I'm really enjoying stepping on the scale in the morning and not needing to remember to log my weight, but the scale is certainly not perfect. I'm reasonably convinced the weight measurement is both accurate and consistent. I periodically compare my weight on the WiScale to my weight on another scale and they are always within 0.1 pounds, which seems reasonable since I'm guessing each one rounds differently. The BMI measurement also seems to be consistent from day to day. On the other hand, I think the fat percentage measurement in the WiScale is largely inaccurate.
Take for example the most recent 3 measurements of fat in pounds. Saturday put me at 25.8%, Sunday at 26.1%, and this morning I dropped to 23.6%. The first two numbers I find plausible. The third number is where I get suspicious. Apparently overnight I lost 5.5 pounds of fat, while my weigh in shows me 1.5 pounds lighter. These discrepancies pop up on a regular basis and I find it hard to believe that I'm magically melting off fat one day only to have it reappear the next. I weigh myself at approximately the same time every morning on an empty stomach, so this isn't a matter of my food intake, liquid consumption or anything else throwing off the scale.
I guess that's a fairly long way of saying I think the fat measurement on the WiScale isn't particularly accurate. I do stay in the same general range from day to day, but I can't find any supporting evidence online to suggest the types of fluctuations the scale is measuring are common, which leads me to the conclusion that the scale isn't measuring that particular data point with a high degree of accuracy. We shall see if it measures a trend up or down over time within the range or not. If you want to keep track of your health data in a more automated fashion, I still recommend the WiScale as a great way to record several data points to watch for trends, because even inaccurate data can reveal patterns over time.
Do you have experience with the WiScale? I would love to get your feedback.