Smart scales still measure and record our weight automatically, but depending on the model, they can also keep track of several other things.
BMI- BMI, or body mass index, is a value often used to determine someone’s health status. It’s a ratio of our weight to our height. The equation to find it manually is BMI = mass (in kg) / height (in meters) / 2. Or for us in the U.S.: BMI = [mass (in pounds)/height (in inches)] x 703. BMI is often used to determine whether someone is overweight. According to the NIH, a BMI < 18.5 is considered underweight, 18.5 – 24.9 is considered healthy, and > 25 is considered overweight. The BMI is okay for giving us a ballpark idea of overall health, but it has flaws. Muscular people can be heavy because they weigh more, even though it’s lean mass. Poor folks are typically penalized for being “overweight.” Still not a flawed metric to keep an eye on, though.
Body Fat Percentage: The body fat portion is a way to determine how much fat makes up your weight. This includes essential fat and stored fat. This is an important measurement to consider when considering your overall health. A lower body fat percentage is typically the goal, but you want to keep it high because that is also bad for your health.
Most “normal” men have body fat percentages in the 18–25% range. Most “normal” women are in the 25–31% range. Having lower values will make you look more lean and fit. However, men shouldn’t drop below 6%, and women shouldn’t below 11%. These values make up the essential fat levels our bodies need for normal functioning. If you drop below these values, you risk disrupting your body’s normal function. It’s not something we want to happen.
Muscle Mass: Body fat percentage is the opposite of muscle mass. Your muscle mass is the proportion of your body weight that is made up of muscle. People who want to bulk up and acquire power may find this a helpful statistic. It can be challenging to tell if you gain muscle or fat. You can get an estimate of your lean mass via smart scales. To determine whether you are achieving your goals for muscle mass, you can also monitor this over time.
Fat-Free Body Weight (Lean Body Mass): Fat-free body weight is your total body weight minus fat. This might sound a lot like muscle mass, but it also includes stuff like bone weight and water weight. Some devices might differentiate between bone mass and water weight for curious people. Of course, one has to wonder how accurate these values are on a scale. But more on that is coming up. These are the essential metrics that smart scales will calculate and track for you. Some scales may include additional calculations, but these are the most common.
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How does a smart scale work?
The commercial smart scales we see in the store use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). This means the scale can measure how much our bodies resist an electrical pulse. This is done by sending a weak electrical signal through our bodies and measuring how fast it moves.
Electricity will travel faster through the water and bones in our bodies than through fat (less water content). Remember that water is a great conductor. So, the more water your body has, the faster the current will travel. Different body tissues contain various levels of water. You will see that a smart scale has 2 or 4 electrodes when you step on it. Your lower body receives a current from these electrodes, which then analyze the data. The smart scale may calculate our body’s fat, bone, and muscle mass using various formulas depending on how quickly this current moves through our body.
Once these values are determined, the smart scale can send this information to whatever fitness app you use for storage and tracking. Most scales will do this automatically every time you step on it. Your app will have different tools for tracking changes in this data over time and may let you set goals for yourself. Many smart scales are compatible with several fitness apps, and some use their apps. These apps are usually free. It’s a good idea to ensure the scale you are considering uses an app you are already using or willing to use.
How accurate are these smart scales?
This is tough, and all smart scales are of different quality. As mentioned above, these scales are “estimating” your fat and lean mass based on how fast electricity travels through your lower body. The scale makes an educated guess based on its readings, but several factors can affect the results.
Hydration
Since most of these results depend on how much water is in the body, being dehydrated will change the results. If you are thirsty, the electrical current will move a little slower. This will make the scale think you have more fat content than you do, which will cause a higher reading in your body fat percentage and a lower reading in your lean body mass. The opposite is also true if you just chugged a gallon of water. If your water content is higher than average, you will get a lower reading on body fat percentage.
Eating
Your body fat readings may also be thrown off a little right after eating. If you get on the scale after having a meal, your body fat readings can be lower than usual.
Exercise
Checking your stats after exercise can also give you less reliable results. Activity tends to increase our body’s electrical conductivity. This causes the current to travel faster, which the scale will read as less fat mass. Moderate exercise can cause a significant underestimation of your fat mass. Several factors can affect the readings we get from our smart scales. To get the most reliable results, every time you weigh yourself, you should do so at the same time and wear the same kind of clothing. Also, try to stand with your feet in the same position on the scale for more accurate results.
Whether you weigh yourself daily or weekly, keep the conditions the same. Consider yourself after you use the restroom first thing in the morning. This way, your stomach should be empty, and you haven’t consumed any fluids (dry weight). This is a straightforward method for keeping your conditions as similar as possible from weight to weight.
Here are the top 5 best smart scales in India
HealthSense Bluetooth BMI Weight Machine for Body Weight, Digital Body Fat Analyzer Machine & Smart Body Composition Scale with Mobile App, 13 Body Composition, LED Display, BIA Technology & 1 Year Warranty – Fitdays BS 171
About this item
- Fridays: Our fitness app, Fridays, uses Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone and allows you to set fitness goals and monitor your overall health. This app is accessible on the App Store.
- Complete Body Analysis: Our scale gives you a full body analysis as it is equipped with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) technology which provides you with 13 body composition measuring functions.
- 4 High-precision G Sensors: Four unique G sensors that provide precise readings are included in our weighing scale.
- The weighing scale also has “Step On” technology, enabling you to use it immediately by only stepping onto it.
Eagle Digital Weight Machine for Body Weight with 180 kg Capacity, 100 gm Accuracy – Smart Bluetooth Connect Weighing Scale for Body Weight with BMI, Fat Analyzer, Fitdays App, and 4 BIS Sensors -Black
About this item
- Made For India: Eagle is a registered Indian Brand aiming to bring quality innovative products. This weight machine is idealized & conceptualized for Indians & manufactured by exclusive overseas partners. * Electronic Weight machine has high precision 4 BIS Sensors that help deliver a very accurate reading of the weight placed on it. * Material: 5 mm Tempered Glass Platform; * Large LCD Screen 74 x 28 mm; * Platform Size: 260 mm x 260 mm
- Step-on Technology: The self-calibrating digital scale provides accurate and quick weighing results. The personal weighing scale can provide precise weight information up to a maximum weighing capacity of 180 kg with a high accuracy of 100 g. The Eagle Body Weighing Scale is strong and durable. The Body Weighing Scale is a small, portable weighing scale that can easily carry anywhere.
ActiveX (Australia) Ivy Premium Personal Digital Bathroom Body Weight Machine for Human Body with ActiveX Fit-Kit | Thick Tempered Glass | LED Display | Batteries Included | Night Sky
About this item
- Unmatched precision – The weight sensors on the Ivy digital scale are the most advanced, ultra-precision, and accurate to 50 g. Utilize the scale after performing the calibration procedure.
- Loaded with multiple features: Advanced functions like auto on/off, auto-zero, low battery & weight-overload indication are included in the ActiveX Ivy Digital Bathroom Scale.
- ActiveX fit-kit: We offer ActiveX Fit-Kit to help you reach your fitness goals faster. It combines Eat Healthy, Stays Healthy, and Myths about Weight Loss, two of our Ebooks, with our Foodie nutrition software.
MEPL LCD Smart App Weight Machine for Body Weighing Scale Digital Human Weigh Scales with BMI BMR Bone Fat Mass and More ( Black | Warranty- 2 Years )
About this item
- MEPL Body Weight Tracking Machine 13 Essential Body Metrics: The scale 2.0 measures 18 basic body metrics, including body mass index (BMI), bone density, muscle mass, BFR, BMR, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, protein rate, and body fat. It also has a digital display that shows the measured values. For a precise reading, place this scale on a level surface.
- Using the scale is simple: Place the scale on a flat surface to achieve an accurate reading. Use your feet to tap the scale to turn it on. Watch for the scale to reach 0.00 kilos of calibration. To receive the most accurate reading of your weight and other factors, walk onto the scale now and make sure your feet are on the metal tabs.
- Bathroom Digital LCD Display Scale, Strong Safety Performance, 6mm Tempered Glass Platform, Battery Powered, 2 X AAA Batteries Included.
Healthgenie Digital Weight Machine For Body Weight Weighing Scale Thick Tempered Glass LCD Display with 3-Year Warranty & Batteries HD-221 (93 Black)
About this item
- Service & Warranty: GET 2nd & 3rd YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY IN 10 SEC BY FOLLOWING THE SIMPLE STEPS MENTIONED ON PRODUCT BOX AND USER MANUAL. For any support, could you mail us at warranty@healthgenie.in?
- For the Most Accurate Results: Place the weighing scale on a hard, flat surface. Initialize by pressing one foot on the scale to see random numbers on the screen. Remove the foot as the weight machine returns to zero (0.0). Now weigh yourself
