Why Accuracy Doesn’t Matter (and You Should Still Buy This Crummy Scale)
Here’s the truth: most bathroom body fat scales aren’t very accurate. If you compared them to a lab test like a DEXA scan, the numbers probably wouldn’t match. Some days the reading might even change just because you drank more water or ate a salty meal. On the surface, that sounds like a deal-breaker. Why would anyone buy a tool that isn’t precise?
Because precision isn’t the point. Consistency is.
And here’s a secret from the world of archery that makes the difference clear.
When coaches train new archers, they’re not looking for bullseyes right away. They’re looking at arrow groups. Accuracy means hitting the center, but consistency—what archers call precision—is about how tightly the arrows cluster together, even if that cluster sits off to the side.
Behind the scenes at a range, you’ll see beginners sending arrows all over the target. A few might land near the middle, but the pattern is scattered. Coaches can’t do much with that. Now, step over to an experienced shooter’s lane. Every arrow lands in almost the same spot, maybe three inches left of the bullseye. To a coach, that’s great news. Why? Because consistency makes the problem fixable. With a small adjustment to the sight, the entire group shifts into the center.
That’s the real advantage: a steady pattern, even if it’s technically “off,” gives you something you can measure and something you can improve.
Your bathroom scale works the same way. It may not hit the bullseye of your true body fat percentage, but if it’s consistent, it gives you the cluster you can trust—and that’s what lets you see progress.
Here is a $19 Body Composition Smart scale that we recommend to any client interested in tracking body fat loss.
Why the Trend Matters More
Fitness isn’t about one number. It’s about the direction you’re moving.
If your scale shows you dropping from 28% to 25% body fat, the exact percentages don’t matter. What matters is that the line is moving down.
If you’re building muscle, a consistent scale shows the steady rise over time, even if the absolute reading is a little off.
Day-to-day swings don’t tell the story, but the long-term trend does.
That trend is what supports your habits. Stepping on the scale at the same time each day or week builds a rhythm. Those weigh-ins become data points that, when connected, reveal the bigger picture of your effort. Consistency turns a one-off number into a true measure of progress.
The Extra Perks
Even a “crummy” BIA scale comes with features that make it worth using:
Phone syncing: Your weigh-ins are saved automatically, no notebook required.
Progress charts: You can see your line move over weeks, months, and years.
Multi-user support: Everyone in the household can track their own journey.
These perks don’t make the scale more accurate, but they do make it more useful. They help you stay consistent, which is what actually moves the needle.
You don’t buy a BIA scale because it’s accurate—it’s not. You buy it because it’s consistent. You buy it because it helps you see the trend, reinforce your habits, and collect the data that proves you’re moving forward.
Like the archer, you don’t need perfection. You need a steady reference point that shows where you’re aiming and how far you’ve come.
Don’t care about that stuff, and looking for a highly accurate home-use BIA scale, check out this InBody 8-point Body Composition Smart Scale!