Need advice from those of you who know

dlyeates

I'm trying to figure out measurements!!!

I started my journey at the end of July and focused mainly on diet. Then I decided to challenge myself and from September to October I did Jillian Michaels 30 DS with some decent results. In November I did some other DVDS and my elliptical to keep moving and burning calories. December was a wash due to running around getting ready for Christmas and not having time to work out. In January I joined a gym and have been doing C25K 3 times a week.

So since the beginning of October to now I've lost a little over 13 lbs. That's great and I just recently broke an almost 2 month plateau so the scale has moved a little. But everyone tells me that the scale is not the only indicator and to take measurements. So I did......

I've gone up 1/2 to 1 inch in both thighs, lost 1 inch from the middle of my belly but gone up 1 full inch in the upper and lower parts of my tummy?!?!?!? I was hoping my measurements were going down, especially in my tummy with a 13 lb weight loss and thought that having smaller measurements would support that something has been happnening during my plateau. But that's not what happened. Does anyone have any ideas why my measurements have gone up and my weight has gone down?!?!? I'm not thin by any means and still have a 39 inch middle.

angelapolite

I sympathize with you. I went though the same thing. What I've done is focus more on weight training. It burns more calories longer than just cardio. I've been doing Les Mills Pump DVD's for 3 weeks and people already notice my body looking slimmer. I've been doing MFP since October, and had similar experiences as you with my weightloss.
Now the scale isn't really going that far down, but my clothes are getting looser.
Maybe change your workouts and watch your carbs and sugar.

AbiNichole

I'm not an "expert" but you may be building muscle under fat. It happens. Especially if you're doing a weight training and cardio combination like 30DS. It sounds like you've been doing mostly cardio for the last bit but it's still a possibility. I know I have super strong abs because I can feel them but they will not show until I lose body fat all over. So don't fret. As you lose fat, you're measurements are bound to shrink.

Remember- the best ab workouts are in the kitchen. You can't out exercise a bad diet. As long as you're eating clean, you'll see results.

For your sanity I would suggest that you measure yourself for 3-4 days in a row and then take the average of your measurements. I know I can bloat very easily especially if I go over on my sodium. Sometimes the scale AND measurements don't really tell the full picture because your weight and measurements fluctuate so often.

After you get a good idea of your measurements (given the average.) PUT EVERYTHING AWAY for a week. That will help you stop obsessing over your progress AND give you a goal to reach. Then stick to once or twice a week measurements/ weigh ins at most. It requires some discipline but it's worth it. I personally get frustrated if I don't see progress so this method has helped me focus on the bigger picture.

Best of luck and congrats on your success thus far!:flowerforyou: