Pound vs the Inch

sbear867
sbear867 Posts: 249 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I began a slow climb back into a healthy me mid may when I seperated from my husband. It gave me a place to focus my frustration while also getting back to my military strength and endurance, but something has since troubled me. I have only seen 12.5 pounds come off the scale but my waist has gone from 41in to 37in. I have alwys had a nastey relationship with the scale due to my bone structure.

The army states for a woman of my height 5'4, I must weight 145 otherwise I have to be taped (neck, waist, hips) and my BMI is taken into account. I never had trouble passing tape due to a slim 27in waist, but I never even came close to 145. The constant focus on the scale always made me nervous. Every month after the PT test we lined up for height and weight...and for me that always meant I would have to stick around longer for tape. It was embarrassing at first, for I felt like a failure being set aside with soldiers who couldn't take care of their bodies. Even after the tape when my BMI would be reported at 26% or 27% I was low.

When it comes down to it who really is king in weight loss the pound or the inch? The American Heart Association says ladies keep your waist line below 35 inches but the army wants me at 145 and the department of health just wants my BMI to be in a healthy range. What gives?

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm

Replies

  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    I`d be interested in hearing input about this as well as I was just wondering that myself.

    I`m sorry that the dilemma of it is giving you a hard time. :( I`m more inclined to believe inches since there`s so many other factors that can affect weight itself. Time of the month, the temperature (I`m more inclined to bloat when it`s really hot out), etc. , etc. Recently I found out I was weighing myself on a dysfunctional scale so I mean, you can`t even rule that out too.

    And YAY for the loss in inches for you! I`d say that`s a pretty good boost for the inches side of things against the scale! I`d say taking all things into consideration, if your BMI is in the healthy range and you know you`re doing things for a healthy lifestyle, that`s what counts!
  • heebiejeebie
    heebiejeebie Posts: 32 Member
    You sound like a similar build to me. I was getting hung up on "not losing weight" and being on a plateau for a few weeks, but over the same time I lost a couple of inches from my waist. Training = muscle mass = heavy.

    I suppose you just need to use the measure being imposed e.g. if you have to be 145, then get to 145.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    The BMI is a seriously flawed tool, and one that I hope is on its way out.

    This is anecdotal, but I was in a wedding a few years ago. So, my close friend and I had to buy the same dress. She weighs about 20-25 pounds less than I do, but took a dress that was two sizes bigger. When you think about it, nobody knows how much you weigh (well, nobody you just meet on the street) but they know what size you are.

    I'm not sure who the lady people they used to establish BMI are, but they definitely weren't: of a large bone structure or muscular. It can be quite disheartening to use this, or a standard height/weight chart as a standard.

    All hail the tape measure, the saviour of my sanity!:flowerforyou:
  • beachcomber12
    beachcomber12 Posts: 25
    it's frustrating to see my scale not budging as active that I am and the calories that i burn. My loss is in the inches. I am definetly much more trimmer then I was, but i'd like to see the scale back me up on my success. I am too focused on the number!!! I fluctuate two to threelbs.
  • katlynx6
    katlynx6 Posts: 68
    I agree with viviakay that BMI is very flawed - as do alot of scientists. I was reading something recently that discussed an journal article about how neck circumference is a better indicator of childhood & adulthood obesity (though it focused on neck circumference as an indicator for obesity in children) than BMI is because BMI does not account for where the weight is coming from. Muscle weighs more than fat, so if you're gaining muscle but losing fat, it might not show up on the scale.

    Congratulations on losing inches! I know when the scale isn't going down (or even more frustrating, it goes up) it can feel like youre doing something wrong. I'd say as long as you're losing inches, you're probably doing just fine :smile:
  • KatalynasMommy
    KatalynasMommy Posts: 136 Member
    I'm the same all all the others scales are just a number it can make you mad because you are working so hard and they don't budge. I started mearsuring also I seen the tape changing so I know I was doing something right. On the BMI I'm way off I'm still overweight on that. All together I have lost 30 pounds, when from a 35 to a 29 inch waist so I think I have accumlation alot in 8 months. On this site in 3 monthes lost my 20 pounds. Thinking about going 10 more. IDK

    I think go by the tape not the scales because bone and muscle weight are different in everybody.

    GOOD LUCK!!!!

    Anyone that needs a friend add me.
  • gwynh
    gwynh Posts: 160
    When you think about it, nobody knows how much you weigh (well, nobody you just meet on the street) but they know what size you are.

    I totally agree with the inches thinking. A better judge of my weight loss is not always the pounds, but how are your clothes fitting. Nothing makes me happier than to put on some pants and find that they are too big. I look forward to the day where I get to go shopping again because my clothes are falling off me again.
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