anyone NOT taking monthly pics NOR measurements? Why NOT?

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Replies

  • KathleenC12
    KathleenC12 Posts: 64 Member
    No to pics, as am not sure I could get good comparison (lighting, pose, etc.) from month to month; yes to measuring 1x/month. Did that out of curiosity when noticed my clothes were loose. And I also "measure" by a pair of jeans.
  • MrsDrk
    MrsDrk Posts: 153 Member
    I was doing weekly pictures, but I stopped - now I do it when I think of it. I don't do measurements because I have bloating issues due to a stomach condition, so it can be very depressing to have an extra 2 inches at the midsection- when it's not real.
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
    I don't need photos of myself to I know I was fat. I see myself in the bathroom mirror every morning so I can see my progress based on that, the number on the scale, and how my clothes fit.

    I take a few measurements every two weeks when I weigh in; but only of my waist, hips and chest.

    The MFPers who post their success stories are a real inspiration to me, but I'm never going to do it.
    I keep a real low profile online and go out of my way not to have photos of me posted anywhere.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    I still didn't take the pics nor measurements, but will today for sure.

    Thanks so much for all your replies as well :flowerforyou:
  • clarkehn
    clarkehn Posts: 24 Member
    Measurements are a better way of judging success. A photo can be manipulated in so many ways. A photo taken at a different perspective will make a person look smaller/bigger. Many people take photos from a slightly high position because it is more flattering but is this the way to truly measure success? Measure, it is the only way to truly know the difference. Pictures are nice to look at for comparisons but pictures do lie.
  • Celeigh12
    Celeigh12 Posts: 763 Member
    Measurements are a better way of judging success. A photo can be manipulated in so many ways. A photo taken at a different perspective will make a person look smaller/bigger. Many people take photos from a slightly high position because it is more flattering but is this the way to truly measure success? Measure, it is the only way to truly know the difference. Pictures are nice to look at for comparisons but pictures do lie.

    Measuring can be monkeyed with too though! Is the tape in exactly the same place as last time? How tight are you holding it? Are you "sucking in"?
  • JennKie1
    JennKie1 Posts: 200 Member
    I took mine when I started, and it was definitely the push I needed to keep myself motivated. I was so surprised to see the person looking back at me from the photos. I was ashamed of what I've done to myself, and I cried. Those photos were horrible. Now, when I'm feeling discouraged, I take a look back at those pictures and remind myself that I'm doing this because I don't want to be that person anymore. Measurements make a big difference too. There are weeks that I don't show any weight loss, but I have lost inches. That keeps me going instead of just giving up because the "number" isn't any lower.
  • clarkehn
    clarkehn Posts: 24 Member
    Very true. In the end you have to honest with yourself. Although you can take steps to insure the tape is in the right spot. Ex: measure 5" up from the point of a bent elbow and then that is the place you can consistently measure for an arm (not saying that is the best spot... just an example). Pulling the tape too taunt or sucking in is just you being dishonest with yourself and neither measurements nor pictures can help you with that.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
    Measurements are a better way of judging success. A photo can be manipulated in so many ways. A photo taken at a different perspective will make a person look smaller/bigger. Many people take photos from a slightly high position because it is more flattering but is this the way to truly measure success? Measure, it is the only way to truly know the difference. Pictures are nice to look at for comparisons but pictures do lie.

    Measuring can be monkeyed with too though! Is the tape in exactly the same place as last time? How tight are you holding it? Are you "sucking in"?

    Yep. No matter what you use, consistency is key.

    It's hard to fudge with photos if you're in the same pose, same clothes, camera on the same tripod at the same height, in the same place. Even if it's a good angle and you're sucking it in, if it's the same good angle and the same sucking it in all the time, it's going to show progress.

    Granted, if you're not doing the photos for yourself, if you're doing them to impress others or sell something, you can certainly fudge. But as far as I know, this thread isn't about making an impressive before and after photo so you can wow people... it's how to measure your own progress so you can wow yourself. :smile:
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    As much as it sucks to do it initially, you really should do it. It makes a huge difference later down the road, maybe you haven't lost "weight" but you take new pictures or measurements and it shows a loss, that helps a ton!
  • tjmist
    tjmist Posts: 45 Member
    I take measurements which I keep track of and post, and I took a before picture but it's not up yet. Once I get my after picture together I'll post both!
  • I take pics everyday after my workouts. It's been 99 days since I started and I love looking at them to compare myself to myself. It helps when down to see how far I've come from. But that's just me.
  • dhiammarath
    dhiammarath Posts: 834 Member
    I don't take progress pictures, per se. Not the standard side-front-back ones anyway. Mostly because I'm lazy. Although, I do take pictures of myself -- in the dressing room, in new clothes, out and about doing stuff, so I have a progression of me in my "natural" element that I use to compare against my "old" self in my former "natural" element. (eg., I used to sit around a lot and now I am walking and more active).

    So I have ways to measure progress, but I have never done the standard photo set that's pretty popular, though not for any desire not to but out of sheer laziness.

    I think they're good, for sure. I use both measurements and pictures to help me when I'm in a rut and haven't gone anywhere. October was super stressful full of health problems and other problems, so I hit my first real "plateau" ever, so I leaned on the pictures a lot to remind myself that it's still working, it's just slower with lack of exercise, lack of sleep, being sick, being stressed with the SO sick, and other things breaking.

    So it definitely helps!!!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I've never taken pictures - not because I'm embarrassed or anything. I just figure between myself and my wife (and other friends/family/co-workers) I can tell when I look different.

    However, being in the engineering field, I love me some numbers. Thus, I take measurements of arms, thighs, waist, and neck every 4 weeks. While I can see changes, I like to be able to quantify the changes.
  • I have not even taken a beginning picture, nor did I take beginning measurements. After reading through this thread I am going to take measurements, and a picture.

    It never even occured to me to take a picture or measurements of myself beginning this last week.

    I do costuming (Victorian, Regency, Edwardian, Steampunk) and I do make my costumes often times draping without the use of a pattern, so I have my body measurements prior to this recent 20 lb weight gain, that I am now eager to lose.

    So tonight I get out my trusted tape measure and camera and get to work documenting myself. Thank you for this important tip.
  • kandilynn03
    kandilynn03 Posts: 110 Member
    I had my husband take pictures on the 1st of November. I will probably never post them anywhere, because they are awful. I did one set in my current swimsuit (I usually wear a t-shirt and shorts over my suit) and I did one in a sports bra and shorts. Seriously, they are only for personal reference.

    I haven't done measurements yet, because I don't have a tape measure. But I'm going to do them soon. I really feel like I've lost inches as well as pounds and I can't prove it.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
    This is why I take them. 2011's Halloween costume, last year and this year.

    valkyrie.jpg

    I weigh more, but I'm smaller and have more definition in my abs. And it's not just a matter of a more flattering angle... the skirt sits about an inch lower on my hips now than it did then.

    The scale is a decent enough tool to measure progress while you're still losing a significant amount every week, but close to goal or in maintenance, it can mess with your head.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    I don't but I'm not trying to lose weight. Lol. I just took a few pictures of me in a bathing suit to see if my body changes at all (i've been doing some strength training)
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    I've done both since the very beginning. Even after the first 10 pounds, I still kind of believed it wasn't really happening but the tape measure and the pics convinced me otherwise. It took awhile before I could really see it in the mirror. I'm still not brave enough to post progress pics here, but eventually, maybe.
  • I am going to weigh/measure once a month, I find that if I start weighing myself weekly, it gets more stressful, it is added pressure for me (negative self talk). I actually joined mfp 5 weeks ago, and have only been logging my food properly for one week (my first nsv), it has taken me this long to come up with a strategy that I am comfortable with, that doesn't make me want to stress eat , or give up completely.
    So on the 30th of each month I will weigh and measure myself, I will measure my progress in other ways in between this i.e clothes feeling looser, fitting through the gap between our office desks more easily, getting in and out of the car, how much lap the cat has when she sleeps on me...lol
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