Visible Results With Little or No Inches Lost. Hunh?

Matiara

I measure myself once a month and yesterday was measuring day. I will say that my body officially has me flummoxed now.

Since the last time I measured myself in August, my abs have gotten more defined. Some may remember from my other posts that I have a lot of fat to lose around my midsection, but the subcutaneous fat over my abs has noticeably decreased in the past few months. I had nice definition last month that was *really* nice when I lifted my arms. Now, I have the raised arm definition of last month when my hands are at my sides.

My inner thighs have regained those nice definition lines. There's still the little pocket of fat that's so common in that area, but I can barely pinch it now. I feel more muscle than anything on my legs.

In the past two weeks, I've had to go to the next notch on my belts when I wear jeans because while they are not falling off, they are dropping low on my hips. The legs are very loose as well.

So imagine my surprise yesterday when I measured and I've lost nothing from my waist, nothing from my lower tummy, and just .25 inches from my hips. I don't get it.

The other surprise was that I lost half an inch from each thigh (mid thigh). When I measured in August, they were the same measurement as they were when I was in high school, so I thought I had nothing more to lose there. My body had other ideas.

I'm more confused than anything. How can my visible results be so good and my pants droop around my middle if I haven't lost even part of an inch in that area? I'm just.....puzzled.

And I don't think it's my cycle. I have measuring day scheduled a few days after it's over each month. Also, I measure first thing in the morning before I eat or drink.

I'm on the verge of just not weighing or measuring myself altogether and just use my clothing and eyes as an indicator of progress. This really deflated me yesterday.

emancipateurself

Do not let stuff like that get you down. Your body is changing and sometimes it doesn't show on the scale or in measurments and your clothes are your best gage......you'll feel it in your clothes first before you see it or see it in pounds/inches.

olyrose

I'm always hesitant to measure, because of human error. If you pull the tape measure a little tighter one time, then a little looser the next, it will completely change your results. Or put it half an inch higher, or not completely straight around, and all your measurements are off.

If you've noticed a real difference, then you don't need the tape measure to prove it. It sounds like you are making awesome progress!

mermx

I'm always hesitant to measure, because of human error. If you pull the tape measure a little tighter one time, then a little looser the next, it will completely change your results. Or put it half an inch higher, or not completely straight around, and all your measurements are off.

If you've noticed a real difference, then you don't need the tape measure to prove it. It sounds like you are making awesome progress!

I totally agree...the tape measure is so hard to work with....go with your clothes

brandy1castillo

bump was wondering the same thing.

laurielie

HANG IN THERE!!! (some) of us are here to support each other when we are discoraged.
good luck.................:flowerforyou:

Matiara

Thanks everyone.

Today, I'm wearing a skirt that a couple of months ago, I could only zip up halfway. Now, it zips up 3/4 of the way (Yay, long shirts). There is no elastic in the waist and my tummy is not straining against it like it used to.

And last week, I tried on an outfit that I bought early last year before I got lazy and put on the extra weight. There are no saddlebags pooching out the sides of the skirt and the sweater contains my girls again, which was not the case the last time I tried it on in the spring. It's actually a work safe outfit now.

I'm just going to pick a few items of clothing that I will use as a gauge of progress, as well as my reflection. Though I know intellectually not to put so much stock in the numbers, it always does a number on me emotionally. I'm proud of myself for sucking it up and working out on Sunday instead of saying "what's the point" and curling up with a bag of Oreos and mindless reality TV like I wanted to.

And I also need to be more patient. It took 18 months of horrible eating habits and no exercise to put on the 17 pounds and it's not going to go away overnight, especially since I'm at the upper end of the ideal weight for my height and my body is fighting me to keep its survival padding.