Take your measurements every week or biweekly to keep track of your weight-loss progress.
Strip down to your underwear or wear snug-fitting clothes that aren't bulky and won't add extra inches. Always wear the same clothing when taking your measurements and measure your body at the same time of the day; avoid measuring directly after eating a meal because your stomach might appear bigger measure between meals I measure before I eat or drink anything! Stand upright and look in a full-length mirror and locate the smallest circumference of your neck and wrap a measuring tape around it and ensure the tape is parallel to the floor and not crooked or digging into your skin if you have a friend taking your measurements, keep your arms relaxed along your sides and record the inches in a tracking log. Measure your chest circumference by wrapping a tape around it, going from the front of your chest horizontally over your bra first measurement going all the way around, your second is at the nipples going around your back and lastly, measure directly underneath your bra. Write down the inches in your tracking log next, extend the measuring tape from the bony part at that top of your right shoulder down to your right elbow. Find the middle of your upper arm and mark this area with a pen. Then measure around your arm at this point and record the inches in your log. Repeat the same process on your left upper arm. Locate the widest point between your hips and buttocks if you're a woman. Wrap the measuring tape around your body at this point and record the inches. Next, find the midpoint between your belly button and breast bone. Also measure at the bend of your waist circumference and breathe as normal and take your measurement in the middle of exhaling. Avoid tensing your buttocks as you take the measurement and if you're a man, take your hip measurement by wrapping the tape around your body at the top of the hip bone. Measure your thigh by locating the biggest part of your upper leg. Alternatively, measure about 8 inches up from the top of your kneecap and measure the circumference of your thigh at this point. Measure both legs this way and record your inches. Place most of your weight on your right foot and locate the widest point of your right calf. Measure around your calf at this point and write down the measurement. Then measure your other calf. For woman with a waist circumference greater than 35 inches, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, these high measurements indicate that you have an excess of belly fat and are at greater risk of certain diseases and medical conditions.