Measuring up...or down!

[tapshoes 2]

One suggestion I was given at the beginning of this great adventure, I would like to share: measuring. No, not your food, but your body. On the day before surgery, I stood in the bathroom naked and with a tape measure measured my body - more than just waist, hips and bust. I measured the fattest part of my thighs, my neck, my head above the ears, above my knees, the flabbiest part of my arms, under my arms, my wrists, my ankles etc. I recorded each disgusting number and then filed the paper.

While other people will suggest weighing yourself (daily, weekly, whatever) weights change greatly during the day. Your measurements, not as much. So, every month, I would get out that slip of paper and remeasure everything. And when I went through my 6 weeks of not losing (and most people will hit a plateau like that at some time), I could still see a positive change through the measurements.

Although not yet to goal, I am amazed at the inches lost from everywhere (except my wrists) since my band date. I truly advise doing this as a true measurement of your changing body rather than the fickle scale!

So, yes drink your Water, eat your Protein, exercise but add one thing to your list - measure yourself!

[Brandy~ 2]

That was one of the greatest recommendations I got at the start of my LB journey as well. I am always promoting the measuring. Whenever the scale has me down the measurements lift me up :thumbup:

[luluc 6]

when the scale was / is just evil, i love my tape measure....it never lets me down!!!!

i've had several plateaus, but i always manage to drop an inch here / there.....good advice!

[bandfun4me 0]

I agree, It was suggested for everyone at our support group (dr required to attend pre-op) that along with the weights and numbers from our Tanita scale that measures our fat % and muscle % mass and etc. to also do Our measurements on a "monthly" basis. The months that the scale moves only a little or none, the most chnage shows up in my measurements. It is amozing. Even this month one lb less from Dr appt last month. but my clothes fit differently almost every week When I wear the same pants or shirt or whatever. I hike 3.5 miles on my lunch from work almost daily, 1 day week I do the run / walk for 90 minutes( this is always on the day after my "day off" from workouts (only housework, cleaning raking for this day). So the fat lbs move over to the muscle side. I am 9.5 months out banded in Jan 08, had 6 fills total of 6.5. . So just because the scal does not move every week, where it used to move at least an .5 lb per day, now it is 1 week. hopefully. I only have 15 more to go. Love my band, I would not give it back for nothing...It is mne and I intend to make it work for me.