Do many of you measure inch loss?

Need2Exerc1se

I lost my weight during perimenopause which caused my weight to constantly jump around due to water retention, sometimes as much as 6-7 lbs overnight. Inches and the mirror were really the only measure I had.

ElizabethOakes2

I do. It makes weeks like this one where the scale says I lost .4 pounds but the measuring tape says I lost a half inch off my waistline far easier to bear!

FatimaStartsAllOver

Yes I take monthly measurements because I hit a plateau a few times which is super annoying. Someone on MFP told me to take measurements and forget the scale. So as of this morning. I've lost 40.2 inches since July 1. ( my stomach and waist are the most successful measurements thus far )..... Can't wait until March 1 to see my new results. Glad I took that advice.

dotti1121

I do both...

bisky

I do for a couple of reasons. I am in a small group and we measure monthly. So positive. I am in another country and am ordering most of my clothes online so it helps to know.

kshama2001

I weigh daily and measure every few months. I've lost 3 inches from my hips since July.

jeepinshawn

Body_Remap wrote: »

Does anyone measure inch loss ahead of the scales ?

I wish I had, I only tracked weight. My two biggest regrets are not tracking inches lost and not documenting the weightloss with more pictures.

kami3006

I measured weekly and weighed monthly.

QueenofHearts023

I measure and weigh. Measuring is a lot more accurate sometimes, especially when you are retaining water, the scale can show a gain, but the tape measure can show a loss.

cross2bear

Measurements is my biggest motivator - I weigh in every month or so, but the difference in the way my clothes fit and when I need to alter or get new ones is a daily joy!!

DanyellMcGinnis

Like a lot of others here, I measure monthly and weigh weekly. I find that taking measurements only monthly allows me to see progress and not be bothered by minor fluctuations.

For example, I lost most of my inches last month in my waist/stomach/hips, with a little in the bicep area, and absolutely none on my thighs. I don't believe that spot-toning works, and I mostly wanted to lose in the waist/stomach/hips, but it will be interesting for me to see what finally leads to a reduction in thigh circumference. Probably I just need to give it more time...

I do hips, widest part of stomach, natural waist, chest (where bra band would be), thigh, calf, bicep, forearm, wrist, and neck.

I also have one of those body fat scales that tells you BMI, fat %, water %, and muscle %. So I am keeping track of a lot of numbers. But then if one number isn't what I'd hoped, sometimes one of the other numbers will make me feel better.

BoomstickChik

Yes. Every month.

srecupid

Only when its time to buy new pants

melissavangulck287

I take measurements and photos every 30 days. I also weigh myself regularly, but am trying to not put too much stock in the number, other than to check that it's where it's supposed to be.

triddering

I started measuring a couple of months into my weight loss. I wish I would have known what my high measurements were. Little by little, I added other measurement areas, so I don't have a full history, but I love seeing progress there too. It does seem slower. I weigh myself daily and measure myself weekly, though now I generally see improvements every 2 weeks. I have lost at least 8 inches around my waist and hips, and 4 around my thighs!

feisty_bucket

It used to be in my routine but I guess I forgot. Bad move on my part. Will resume.

CoffeeNCardio

Did it since the beginning to stay motivated. I'm very muscular. I was also very fat, this isn't an excuse about big bones or some nonsense. For real though, the women of my family are A. More naturally muscular than the average girl (with all the elevated testosterone to prove it), that alone makes my scale poundage a lot higher than anyone visibly the same size as me. And B. We gain and lose completely ridiculous amounts of water weight during our cycles.

I have changed 6 lbs in water weight in a day, and an inch and a half (waist bloating) for a week over that time of the month. The scale is an oft used but never trusted tool of weight loss for me. I use a measuring tape so I can stay sane while it goes bonkers.

feisty_bucket

Alright, I dug up my old spreadsheet where I'd logged this stuff before. Yikes. My shoulders are bigger (good) but the rest of my stats haven't changed much (bad, in re-comp).

New resolve: to log in my spreadsheet on a regular basis (a few times a week?) and do the bodyfat calcs here:
http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy
This is the US Navy method. Only needs a fabric-type tape measure and a scale. Just an approximation, but seems to be useful.

There are other formulas using caliper measurements, but I've never been any good at measuring with those. I think you're supposed to get actual training to use them right.

If you guys have any other suggestions for useful, practical stats to track, I'm all ears, thanks.

gilldunkley

Measurements are great....scales are NOT my friend! I weigh in weekly (but body mass can fluctuate up to 8 lbs in that time depending upon water, creatine use, hormones etc etc, which makes me despondant) but the weekly tape measurements and monthly photographs/7 site calliper measurements are much more revealing and a better indicator if things are happening! At least one of these things will decrease in a month and it does help with motivation particularly when you're having a hard time and are just about to chuck it!

chaoticdreams

If I didn't measure inches, I'd got nuts. I'll drop inches long before the scale catches up with it. I measure once a month.