the truth about inches

[Elizellen]

Re: the truth about inches

I wish I would have taken measurements when I first started. I didn't start taking regular measurements until I'd been on Atkins for about 4 months...yikes! All I know is that I've lost at least 13-14 inches off my waist, judging by a belt that I have...

I was the same, Julie - I guess I didnt want to know how big I had got!!
But I do know that when I started Atkins this belt wouldnt even meet around my waist but now after punching several new holes I use it on the closest setting with one pair of trousers and on the next hole for all my other ones!!

The distance from the end of the belt to the last hole is 10.5 inches so I reckon I must have lost at least 12" from my waist!



Edited to add:
I just checked on www.fittogether.net (used to be www.mybodycomp.com) and between my first entry in Jan 2004 (when I had already lost 50 pounds) and now I have lost 16" from my waist!

[misplaced southerner]

Re: the truth about inches

WOW mizellen!!! what a stunning visual. bet you are glad you saved that belt....i got rid of all my size 18 things......it made me sad to look at them. since i went up (but not too badly) and now going back down, i am glad i still saved a couple of my size 10's! i am heading back to the 6/8's tho!!!! thank you for sharing that photo with us. we see ourselves every day and do not notice as readily the progress we are making! THANKS !

[MorningGlory]

Re: the truth about inches

Hi there
I totally get where you're coming from with the measurements thing....see my ticker? Nothing to do with pounds~~I've only ever gone by my measurements.
What's interesting after reading this thread is that I have the same hip and thigh measurements as Julirama, but my weight in pounds is about 50 pounds less....no offence intended here at all Julirama.....just wanted to point out that weight really doesn't mean much. You probably have a lot more muscle mass than I do (pretty much guaranteed as I see from your posts elsewhere that you run. I am just getting back to walking after a back injury, so my muscle mass is pretty dismal at the moment).
Anyways....concentrating on inches lost and how clothing fits is a much nicer way to go.

[julirama723]

Re: the truth about inches

Exactly! Weight doesn't matter! Weight is just gravity's pull on mass. On MASS, not fat. So all of our lean muscle tissue is figured into that. I know I have a lot of muscle, and I keep gaining muscle and losing fat, which is the goal. Muscle is active tissue that burns calories, whereas fat just sits there and takes up space. Because I have lots of muscle, appearances are deceiving. People usually guess I'm in the 160s or 170s based on my outward appearance. They're shocked when they find out I'm 30 pounds heavier than they think!

[solittletime]

Re: the truth about inches

MG I totally agree with what you're saying. There was an article in the paper last week about Dr's including waist measuring as part of the annual physical process since waist measurement is an indicator of potential health issues (diabetes, PCOS, etc. etc.). Yet we still get so hung up on the number on the scale.

[MorningGlory]

Re: the truth about inches

Hi Solittletime....it brings to mind that it's a lot like how the "low fat" way of eating is so ingrained in society as being "the all" for a healthy lifestyle, especially where lowering or controlling cholesterol is concerned, and how we Atkineers all shake our heads at the sadly uninformed....yet a lot of us are still focused on the scale and how much we weigh, when at the same time we know that what really matters is inches lost and changes in clothing size. Know what I mean? Giving up the scale as a means of measuring weight loss is probably really difficult for a lot of people, but it is possible and once you change your focus to taking measurements, I think it opens up the possibility of a lot more satisfaction and a stronger feeling of accomplishment. I might be wrong of course, not every method is for every person, but I know there are a lot of people who are getting very discouraged by what the scales are telling them, when in reality, gaining pounds could be due to building muscle mass, which is a very good thing!
To each their own...(but I still think I'm right...).
Morning Glory

[julirama723]

Re: the truth about inches

(I still think you're right, too MG. )

[solittletime]

Re: the truth about inches

MG you are so on the mark with that one! We've been brainwashed to believe low fat is the way to eat, but if you think back to 25 years ago (my age is showing), before the low-fat craze, we didn't have as many people struggling with obesity as is the case now. Granted, supersizing hasn't helped either, but I really believe low-fat foods are killing us. It's so hard though to walk the Atkins talk because the other reality is so ingrained.

Julie your numbers are amazing! I take so much strength from reading about other people's journeys... they are truly inspirational.

thanx for listening.

[hubbys_girl]

Re: the truth about inches

Hi MS and MG, SLT, and jules, and Ellizellen. (i think that is every one! LOL)

Just as an example. I started Atkins on January 8th with a waist measurement of 51 inches *yikes* and so far I have lost 10 inches off of my waist. My total inches lost in March alone (well 5 weeks actually) was 32.5 inches! That to me means way more than the weight, although that has come off as well! I got frustrated with my scale because it didn't move for a few weeks. So I decided to challenge myself to do Atkins and trust the science, regardless of what the scale said. And 32.5 inches down was the result! I don't think anyone can argue with those kinds of results, do you? (low fat....bahhhhh)

Anyways, if you are interested in participating in a challenge that focuses on inches lost, and trusting the science of Atkins, click the link in my siggy for Atkins Attack. Read the first post and look at the pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'll stop typing now! LOL

Hope you decide to join me in the Atkins Attack challenge!