Take Those Measurements

Whether you are losing weight by the truck load, trying to maintain your weight, or just thinking of starting a fitness program the first item on your agenda is:

take your measurements.

From Personal Training pics

Yes, the "goal" jeans are also an effective tool to mark your progress. However, if you are like me, I sometimes do not accept reality very well. When I try on those jeans and they are tight (crap!) – I immediately blame it on the fact that they were washed and dried (the horror!). I just need to stretch them out. Then, by the end of the day, I’m dealing with having to unbutton the top button just to breath when I sit down and then pulling the jeans down out of you-know-where when I stand up. Finally, FINALLY, after a long battle I will admit that maybe it is not the jeans. Maybe it is just me.

Unlike the goal jeans or temperamental scale in your bathroom, a measuring tape is not a fickle creature. It is what it is. As painful or joyful as it may be, you’ve got to have a benchmark, a starting point somewhere written down. Plus, you can see what progress your upper body is making as well as the lower body.

Trainer Momma Tips:

• Print out the the Measurements worksheet at the end of this post and use it.

• Do measurements every 6-8 weeks. Give your body some time to respond to your efforts with reigning in the eating, pushing it hard with the cardio and lifting weights.

• Wear minimal clothing and thin materials. We are dealing with measurements down the quarter inch here, and there is no reason to add 2 inches to the hips because you are wearing thick sweat pants with elastics at the ankles. And, yes, most of my clients do opt to take off their shirts and measure in just their sports bra. We are going for minimal interference here.

• Have the same person do the measurements. Have your husband, roommate, sister, personal trainer, friend take the measurements. And be sure to have them do them every time. Everyone has their own techniques, but this way, they will consistently measure close to the same place every time. This matters.

• Have your measurer (is that a word?) write down where they took the measurements. For instance, on the waist, I write down on the sheet if I took the measurement right over the navel or up 2 inches where the skinniest part of the waist is. The thigh is tricky, so I measure up from the right knee about 10 inches (to the thickest part of the thigh) and measure there. I actually write on the paper, “10 in. up from knee”. Same with the bicep. Measure to the middle of the right bicep from the elbow, about 4-5 inches, and write that info down. For the chest, measure around the largest area. For the hips, find the hip bones and measure across them. Just choose your place, write it down, and have your person measure the same place every time.

• Add up your total inches at the end. Then, 6-8 weeks later, add up your total again and see how many inches you've lost (or gained).
  

And there you have it: concrete, hard core evidence that yes, your body is getting smaller (I have full confidence in you!:). I mean, really and truly, I would not flinch if I weighed as much as a sumo wrestler if my measurements were trimming down. Now push print, get a tape measure, grab some willing soul to help you, and get measuring!

Measurements Table