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**julirama723** · January 9, 2008, 09:06 AM

Re: Inches or Weight

INCHES are better!

Nobody knows how much you weigh unless you tell them, but they can SEE if you are smaller! That's where inches are so important. Because muscle is more dense than fat, 5 pounds of muscle looks a lot smaller than 5 pounds of fat. Often we lose fat and replace it with calorie-burning muscle, which means we look a lot smaller (and lose inches) but the scale shows no change, or sometimes, even a small gain!

I had a month where I didn't lose a single pound, but lost 13", 3 of which were in my waist! I went down a whole clothing size.

As of recent, I've not been losing pounds, but have been continuing to lose inches (though sadly, not at a rate of 13 per month!) and my body has been looking better and better. Don't ignore the scale completely, but instead make the tape measure your friend!

**BeautyBox** · January 9, 2008, 09:09 AM

Re: Inches or Weight

That is a great reply, thankyou and you have done really well too. I think its great looking at the pics I will have to get and put mine on. Do you do gym work?

**julirama723** · January 9, 2008, 12:04 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Yes, I love the gym. I do lots of different activities--running, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, boot camp, strength training, stationary bike, etc. I started out slowly, exercising 3x/week at a moderate intensity, and now I exercise 5-6x a week. In fact, I started TEACHING classes at my gym in October! So I've come a long way, fitness-wise.

**not2late** · January 9, 2008, 12:28 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Unless you walk around carrying a sign that says "Hi. Today I weigh ______ pounds." No one will know how much you weigh, but EVERYONE (including you) will notice how much slimmer you are and how your clothes fit better.

***Emma*** · January 9, 2008, 12:42 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Yep, Ditto Megs and Julie, You see inches! so theyre what count!

**cruisergal** · January 9, 2008, 01:35 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Inches for sure! #'s are something only you see, inches are something everyone else sees. You might've lost 5 lbs, but because of excercising & toning, more people will notice the difference in your appearance.

**Einy** · January 9, 2008, 02:28 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Although I agree with everybody else, I still won't underestimate the importance of weight too; for many reasons really. Top of all, psychologically it makes a big difference especially in the case of loosing weight. You don't see yourself in 3-D and it is very hard to imagine how you look. It is also not easy to see how others perceive you. So, although inches I think is more important, it still doesn’t complete the picture to your conscious. Just a thought..

**not2late** · January 9, 2008, 02:58 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

I see your point Einy, but many of us think that losing 5 pounds "isn't much" or we strive for some magical number where we think we are the most happy because it was at that weight we were happy in our lives.

Personally, I stopped paying attention to the pounds when I was stressing out one day that I "only" lost 40 pounds and it wasn't "that much" at all. My boss heard me complaining about it and during lunch she dragged me to the supermarket and put 40 pounds of potatoes into my arms. Believe me, I stopped complaining about "only losing 40 pounds" or that the scale only moved down 5 pounds. I realized then and there that sometimes we can have a very distorted image of ourselves and the numbers and we need a reality check or two.

I kept a pair of slacks and a blouse from my start weight days. During my loss, I would try them on occasionally just to assure myself I really was losing weight, that I really was smaller.

**BeautyBox** · January 10, 2008, 02:51 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Thanks everyone for your reply, I think inche loss will no doubt show first before any weight loss kicks in, with me at least. I have been on induction for 4 days now and now I havent lost weight but some poeple say they have after this amount of time, however I have to say that Einy has a point psychologically people will want to look at the scales and feel real happy at the weight the see when they are losing so for me I will def be a combintion

I will have to do the potato thing, nothing like a shock to put things into perspective

**ClumberGirl** · January 10, 2008, 03:11 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

I am so glad that I found this thread! Because today when I weighed in, I got a little discourged. I'm on day 12 of induction. I lost 5 lbs. after the 4th or 5th day, but haven't lost a single lb. in the past 7 days. However, all of my clothes are really fitting a lot looser, I no longer have headaches every day, I'm not as hungry all the time like I used to be, and I don't feel bloated at all. These are all such wonderful and positive changes, and I'm so happy I started on Atkins! I'm also learning to eat three meals a day, instead of grazing on sugar and junk food, exercising every day, and also drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated.

I thought that I would have lost a few more lbs. in the last 7 days, but will not let this current plateu discourage me. My ketone strips are turning purple, so I know that I am in ketosis. I'm planning on staying on Induction for at least another week or so.

**Elizellen** · January 10, 2008, 04:07 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

Clumbergirl, 5 pounds is great!! How much in total are you hoping to lose? An 'average' 14day loss is said to be between 5% and 10% of the total hoped-for loss.

Have you taken measurements yet? If not, do so now so you have another method of checking on your progress

**ClumberGirl** · January 10, 2008, 04:42 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

I have 15 lbs. total that I need to loose - 10 lbs. to go. Ten years ago, I had gained a lot of weight and lost 100 lbs. doing a diet that I created myself - based on eating low fat, or no fat, and also a very low number of calories per day, and also exercising a few hours a day. It was very difficult, but I was very determined. It took almost a year to loose that 100 lbs., but I developed "very" bad eating habits as a result. I would not sit down and eat a balanced meal, but would graze all day and eat little bits of sugar & high carb foods.

So, when I gained 15 lbs. in the last year, I got nervous and did not want to end up gaining a 100 lbs. again. That's when I decided to give Atkins a try. I am now eating 3 meals a day of real food, exercising again (but not overdoing it), I feel much healthier and am learning to not exist on high carb & sweet treats all day.

**Mirya** · January 10, 2008, 06:05 PM

Re: Inches or Weight

I don't really know how to answer this question honestly. To find out my answer I have put my scale away and will not be getting on it again for 2 weeks. AFTER my extended induction starts. Who knows maybe ill lose another 10lbs hahahh yah right. So anyway I can answer this in 2 weeks. If I start noticing how clothes fit differently as opposed ot not knowing until I hit the scale again we'll know

**BeautyBox** · January 11, 2008, 03:41 AM

Re: Inches or Weight

Hi Clumber and all.I havent weighed myself since I started, im thinking I am just waiting and see what happens to my my inches, I beleive most people tend to lose a few pounds in the begining and I guess it may be the more you have to loose the more you will loose in induction, I dont know if anyone knows if this is true.

I am on day 5 of induction and things are going welll, one a workout this am, but wouldnt say I am bursting with energy just yet!

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