Tips for taking consistant measurements?

lporter229

Anyone have any that they have found particularly helpful? I take my measurements once per month and I want to make sure I am not cheating myself by measuring differently every time. Sometimes I wonder.

lporter229

Bump for responses

metalvegan

I use a tape made for taking body measurements. It has a specific tension so it's harder to cheat

http://www.amazon.com/AccuFitness-MT05-MyoTape-Body-Measure/dp/B000G7YW7Y

*edited to include link

preaser

Good question. Wondering too.

DanaDark

Effort? Honestly, not entirely sure myself. I TRY to get the same spots by remembering specific areas.

Hips: I try for directly at the tip of the hip bone.

Waist: Start at belly button, wrap around, and wiggle it around to get the smallest section.

Neck: Crap shoot. I hate my neck...

Thighs, Arms, Chest... haven't measured yet. Not sure where exactly I could set up a good constant position on them.

sabolfitwife

I get a little confused on this as well. I measured myself at the beginning of July, and then about mid way through. The numbers were very different and I just have a hard time believing that I actually lost that many inches and am afraid I wasn't measuring in the same places! :-/

CoderGal

I find it pretty easy. I measure the biggest and smallest parts so they are easy to find. I basically just hold the tape tight enough so it's not pulling but there's no lose spots. The worse part is my hips. I never know if I'm as parallel as I was last time. I try to ride it across my underwear line.

WendyTerry420

I pulled this from a fitness book that I read and have been using it.

Chest: tape measure across the middle of breasts, exhale before reading
Waist: one inch above the belly button
Hips: Just below the belly button, at the widest spot above the butt
Thighs: Upper thigh at the largest point, just under the butt
Knees: one inch above the top of the knee cap
Calves: in the middle, at the widest point
Arms: upper arm, just under the arm pit.

sabolfitwife

I pulled this from a fitness book that I read and have been using it.

Chest: tape measure across the middle of breasts, exhale before reading
Waist: one inch above the belly button
Hips: Just below the belly button, at the widest spot above the butt
Thighs: Upper thigh at the largest point, just under the butt
Knees: one inch above the top of the knee cap
Calves: in the middle, at the widest point
Arms: upper arm, just under the arm pit.

Thank you! I will try this next time I measure!

Also question for you guys, do you measure yourself at a certain time of the day? I weigh (as I think most other people do as well) first thing in the morning. Is this the most opportune time to measure as well, in your opinions?

lporter229

I measure in the morning as well.

Thanks WendyTerry for the post...very helpful. Funny though, I always try to measure my hips at the biggest part of my butt. Maybe they are smaller than I think!

ZugTheMegasaurus

I use a tape made for taking body measurements. It has a specific tension so it's harder to cheat

http://www.amazon.com/AccuFitness-MT05-MyoTape-Body-Measure/dp/B000G7YW7Y

*edited to include link

I use the exact same kind (actually on my second one; the first one broke after about a year). It's nice because it can be used one-handed, so you don't need someone to help you out with any of the measurements.