The tape measure is not my friend, the scales are

Tari_D

I read a lot of words of encouragement on here about not trusting the scales or letting it get you down if you are not losing weight and how you should take body measurements instead to see your size go down.

I seem to be having the opposite problem. My weight is going down fairly steadily - I lose a pound or 2 a week but measurement wise I've lost about 2 inches off my waist and 3 off my hips in over 2 months- is this a lot? It doesn't feel or look like it.

Am I just losing muscle mass? Or is it fat in areas I'm not measuring? Or am I jsut being unrealistic in what I expected to happen to my measurements with that much weight loss?

It's just I'm not so bothered about what my overall weight is if I'm thinner, healthier and more toned but the only progress that is spurring me on is the scales.

Bikini27

My scale is doing the same thing, I'm losing my weight from my ankles up and my wrists in.
I figure I'm seeing a difference in the scale and in the way my clothes fit, not to mention my calves look *a*mazing*, so I don't worry so much.
It took me years to put on all this weight, it's not going to go away overnight, and that is what I have to remind myself everytime I get a little dejected.

Tari_D

My scale is doing the same thing, I'm losing my weight from my ankles up and my wrists in.
I figure I'm seeing a difference in the scale and in the way my clothes fit, not to mention my calves look *a*mazing*, so I don't worry so much.
It took me years to put on all this weight, it's not going to go away overnight, and that is what I have to remind myself everytime I get a little dejected.

That's great advice thank you Do you measure yourself in places like wrists or can you just see it? I think I'm a bit too unobservant when it comes to my appearance.
I hope I get amazing calves like you, there are so many lovely boots out there but so few that I can squeeze my calves into!

awmejia

When you are more than a few pounds over weight you don't lose inches of your waist and hips as fast as someone who needs to lose 20 or 30 lbs. Just remember that the weight is coming off all over. As long as the scale is going down don't get discouraged it will just take a little longer to see significant results.

Tari_D

When you are more than a few pounds over weight you don't lose inches of your waist and hips as fast as someone who needs to lose 20 or 30 lbs. Just remember that the weight is coming off all over. As long as the scale is going down don't get discouraged it will just take a little longer to see significant results.

Thanks I certainly have more than a few pounds to lose and fat everywhere! :laugh: As long as I'm still progressing then that is good

jcpmoore

I've always had trouble being able to measure my waist anyway. I mean how do you do it? Do you suck it in as far as you can? Or let it all hang out? How do you know if you're doing it the same way next time? I hate waist measurements personally. Hips are more honest, but they move a lot slower in weight loss. I sometimes think that the measurements that MFP keeps for us by default aren't really the best ones to track.

Tari_D

I've always had trouble being able to measure my waist anyway. I mean how do you do it? Do you suck it in as far as you can? Or let it all hang out? How do you know if you're doing it the same way next time? I hate waist measurements personally. Hips are more honest, but they move a lot slower in weight loss. I sometimes think that the measurements that MFP keeps for us by default aren't really the best ones to track.

I let it all hang out, seems more honest :laugh: but your right it's not clear how you're meant to do it . You may already know this but I only just worked this out - you can change the things you're measuring when you go to the weigh in, measurements page you can click change measurements and add as many and whatever you like! It's not really helped me though as I've added thighs and they're just stuck on huge! Maybe i should add more other measurements, see if I can work out which bit of me is getting thinner!:laugh:

janeite1990

Two inches in two months sounds great to me! And I agree that it comes off other places that you aren't measuring. I feel smaller in my wrists, ankles, jawline upper arms, and even my earlobes. Yes, seriously, I think my earlobes have shrunk a little. Not that I had that as a goal. You probably have a feel for your body's changes. Trust your insights. You are the one that lives in it, so you know it better than anyone else!

Bikini27

My scale is doing the same thing, I'm losing my weight from my ankles up and my wrists in.
I figure I'm seeing a difference in the scale and in the way my clothes fit, not to mention my calves look *a*mazing*, so I don't worry so much.
It took me years to put on all this weight, it's not going to go away overnight, and that is what I have to remind myself everytime I get a little dejected.

That's great advice thank you Do you measure yourself in places like wrists or can you just see it? I think I'm a bit too unobservant when it comes to my appearance.
I hope I get amazing calves like you, there are so many lovely boots out there but so few that I can squeeze my calves into!

Nope, I don't. I just can tell because bracelets fit again. I measure my bra line (don't need to know my bewbs are getting smaller, that's just depressing), my waist, my hips, around my bum, my thigh, my calf, my bicep and my neck. Seems insane, but it gives you a better idea.
And I take lots of pictures. Those tell a whole story on their own.

Yanicka1

>Take pictures.

nobody but you have to see those but for me it's the only way to see a difference.

Tari_D

Yeah a lot of people have said they wish they'd taken more pictures, especially at the start. I don't like pictures :grumble: but I shall have to force myself I think as that would be a great way to motivate myself. Thanks for the tips!