What counts as inches lost?

Vailara

Just a quick question! I sometimes read that people have lost a certain number of inches. Judging from the amount, these are not all from one place (e.g waist)! I know they can't just be added from anywhere, or I could just measure my body at a slightly different place hundreds of times and find that I'd lost yards! So is it the big three - chest, waist and hips? Or do any other measurements get included?