Measurements

avatiach
avatiach Posts: 298 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I feel like I'm not measuring (body parts!) correctly. Because I will measure my (neck, waist, etc., you name it) and then try again two weeks later (with maybe a pound of weight loss in between) and the second time is off (higher!) by anywhere from a half-inch to two inches. And there's no way that's the reality, so I conclude my measuring technique is lacking. Tell me your best tips for consistent measuring. Thank you!

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,832 Member
    edited December 2022
    It's a tricky one for me too.

    I try to use 'landmarks' to position the measuring tape: a specific mole for example.
    But it's also important to use the same level of tightness, especially for more squishy parts of the body.
    And try to measure under similar circumstances: waist can very between empty and full stomach, legs and arms can vary depending on recent exercise or not,...

    Not sure if that helps 🤷
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,943 Member
    I honestly gave up on measuring because of that very reason. Would measure my waist, got a nice number. Next week the same: hmm.. that's a bit more. Is it the wrong location? Wrong pressure on the tape measure, bit early morning bloating or posture? Basically, it didn't work for me and I'd try to find the smallest measurement, until I didn't manage that anymore.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    You can take pictures of the location(s) of the tape on your body where you are measuring...which sounds like a way-too-obsessed thing, but I read it here in the forums somewhere. :lol:

    Since water is always moving in and out of the body, I would suspect tape measuring to only be beneficial when there is a significant scale weight loss.

    I just use "how my jeans fit" as a loose measurement. As long as they're not tight and I'm not putting on more than couple or three pounds, I don't stress it too much.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    The best way to go about measurements is to be measured by someone else, preferably a professional. When I had a PT he did my measurements and BF% calculations. I weighed in every session, but he only took my measurements and BF% once per month because those measurement changes can be nominal to nothing week to week and often lag behind the scale, especially "problem areas" such as the mid section.

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