Measurements help

xsmilexforxmex

So I've been keeping track of my measurements and have noticed that they all jump up and down..for instance my last 4 weeks are as follows:

Waist : 34.5, 37.5, 35.5, 34.0
Neck : 13.5, 13.5, 13.0, 13.5
Hips : 43.0, 43.0, 42.0, 43.5

So my question is how do i know im making progress with the inconsistency of the numbers and why am i losing but my measurements go up? I'm sure my first waist was water but the neck and hips this week?

Thanks..

lin7604

hahaha, I'm in the same boat! I get frustrated b/c my numbers n the scale don't move and everyone tells me to measure to get real results. BUT my measurements are always different too..... I find the curve in my waist area tends to make the tape shift around, so i never know if it's in the EXACT same spot as last time???? one day i think "wow" i finally have results then the next minute when i re take them to make sure they are the same?

xsmilexforxmex

Ive wondered about that and considered measuring the smallest part of my waist, just below my ribs but I've been measuring just above my hip bones

aippolito1

Don't measure every week. Try once a month. Your body fluctuates. That goes for weight on the scale, and measurements. Your water intake is not always going to be the same, and hopefully your workouts are not going to be the same. Your body holds water for various reasons, and if you are holding water, your measurements will reflect that. Try measuring less and gauge your progress on how your clothes fit vs. measurements or weight on the scale.

jecka31

I weigh once a week and measure once a month. As a previous poster said, your body fluctuates and this could be what you are seeing. I measure two points for my waist: my natural waist (the smallest point of your waist, usually just below the ribs) and what I call my spare tire (at my belly button). I also measure my chest, hips, thighs, calves and biceps.

aaleigha1

use one measurement that you can make sure is in the same place each week
your bust will be different depending on the bra and your abdomen depending on fluid you could retain and other hormonal variations
so keep taking them but make sure at least a couple are in the same place weekly
I do my upper arm over my tattoo
I do right across my belly button and I do directly below and directly above (under arms) of my boobs those measuring places wont move around and I can be sure to get the same place twice

TrainingWithTonya

First of all, you need to adopt some guidelines of how you measure so that you can make sure you are measuring the same spot each time. As a fitness professional, these are the guidelines I use for measuring my clients so that I make sure I'm comparing the same spot each time I measure them.

Measurements
Wrist--Measure around at the point between the bony protrusion of the arm and the hand
Forearm--Measure the length between the crook of the elbow and the wrist. Divide that in half and then measure around at the midpoint.
Bicep--Measure the length between the underarm and the crook of the elbow. Divide that in half and then measure around at the midpoint. If you are looking for muscle growth, do this measurement with the bicep flexed, as well as, relaxed.
Neck--Measure the length between the base of the jaw and the collarbone. Divide that in half and then measure around at the midpoint.
Shoulders--With the arms down by the side, measure around the body approximately 1 inch below the top of the shoulders.
Chest--Measure around the body with the tape measure at the base of the armpits.
Bust--Measure around the body at the fullest part of the breast, usually at the nipple line.
Waist--Bend sideways and feel for where the spine bends. Measure around the body at that spot.
Lower Abdominal--Measure around the body at the fullest part of the "baby bulge".
Hip--With the feet together, measure around the body at the fullest part of the butt.
Thigh--Measure the length between the connection point of the leg and the top of the kneecap. Divide that in half and measure around the thigh at the midpoint.
Calf--Measure the length between the bottom of the kneecap and the top of the foot. Divide that in half and measure around the calf at the midpoint. Another option on this one is to measure at the fullest part of the calf, but there is no guarantee that you are measuring the same spot each time with that option.

Second, don't measure weekly. You will notice fluctuations based on where you are in your cycle, sodium intake level, type of workout done, etc. Measure once a month during the same time of your cycle as you measured last month. More often then that and you're just going to get discouraging results.

debswebby

I was only saying this to my husband today. I measure myself once a month and the results are all over the place. It bears no relevance to my weight loss whatsoever. I've lost weight the past 2 weeks but my waist and hips have gone up (according to my measuring) by about 3 cms! I started doing the measuring when the numbers on the scales had stopped moving but the measuring makes me more depressed than the scale.
I'm thinking that I must be measuring wrong but, really, how can you do it wrong?

xsmilexforxmex

Thanks for the help everyone... I know i measure in the same spots so that's not the problem, but i will watch for time of the month and water intake. A friend said it could be muscle mass building under the fat as well, i worked my legs a lot this week so can see that too.