measuring tape and body fat calipers

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How I wish the message boards had a way to create a poll....

Anyway, how many of us use measuring tape and actually track our neck/waist/hips measurements? And how many of us use body fat calipers? How often do you take these measurements? Personally, I do not take progress pictures b/c I hate ow heavy I looked at the beginning (and still now even).....

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  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
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    I use a measuring tape and track my measurements but they don't change much.

    I don't take pics or use calipers either. Pics are after the fact and don't help me to access my progress. Calipers are too hard to use well enough to get accurate measurements with.

    For body fat, I have been getting nothing DXA scans AND hydrostatic tests done quarterly because they provide similar and different info in different ways and doing them provides a comparative check on each.

    Other than that, the best methods of monitoring my progress include weighing myself daily and tracking and recording all of my food intake and exercise daily w/MFP, which I think is also an indispendible tool for this purpose.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I take more photos and use the mirror more than anything. Also the scale. I actually haven't taken measurements in a few months, I probably should I guess.

    But this is all in line with my particular goals.. I know exactly what I want to see so it makes sense to use more visuals in my case.
  • ZhivagosGirl
    ZhivagosGirl Posts: 161 Member
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    I do use a tape measure - I measure every four weeks. I'm looking to lose 100 lbs so my loss is considerable, particularly in my hips, at least so far. I'm down 58 lbs as of this morning.
  • MrsPinterest34
    MrsPinterest34 Posts: 342 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Measuring tape and photos. I measure weekly on weekends. It's so exciting to see the inches drop. I used to take pictures weekly but I'm now taking it monthly right after my TOM when I lose most of my weight for the month.

    I'm waiting until I start my weight training to check my body fat percentage. I'm not starting until I'm at a normal BMI.
  • orangegato
    orangegato Posts: 6,570 Member
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    Ok just wondering what others do. I dislike pics and use my scale daily. But I think I'm going to take measurements. Just wish I did it from the start.
  • fbchick51
    fbchick51 Posts: 240 Member
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    I use a measuring tape, but I only bother measuring about once a month. Usually, there's not enough meaningful change to do it more often. But it's nice when I have a month like last month, where there was virtually no real weightloss, but still lost a couple of inches overall.
  • lilithsrose
    lilithsrose Posts: 752 Member
    edited July 2017
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    I weight myself almost daily and I use my measuring tape bi-monthly. I feel that measuring every other month is efficient for the rate of loss I'm at.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,172 Member
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    Daily weigh in with the scale, and a tape measure about every two weeks if I think about it. Both are motivating for me.